Cuba is an archipelago with an area of 109 886.19 km2, of which 107 466.92 km2 belong to the island of Cuba, 2 419.27 km2 to Isla de la Juventud and the rest to the adjacent cays. The widest part of the island (Tararaco Ganado Beach - Punta Camarón Grande) measures 191 km and the narrowest (Mariel-Majana) just 31 km, with a coast length of 3 209 km to the North and 2 537 km to the South. Cuba exercises maritime jurisdiction up to 12 miles (19.2 km) and fishing jurisdiction up to 200 miles (320 km).
The relief is characterized by the presence of marine and fluvial terraces, the special development of the karst and the types of biogenic coasts. The bare slopes or with a low potency of loose sediments that are intensively washed during the rainy seasons also predominate. The relief of plain predominates in 75% of the territory, followed by the low heights and mountains. 4% of the national territory is occupied by wetlands.
Cuba's climate is warm seasonally wet tropical, with maritime influence. Its geographical location in a latitude very close to the Tropic of Cancer conditions the reception of high values of solar radiation and determines the warm character of its climate. However, it is also in a unique position on the border between the tropical and extratropical circulation zone, receiving the influence of both with seasonal character.
The average annual values of the temperature oscillate from 24 ° C in the plains, up to 26 ° C and more in the Eastern coasts, observing a decrease of the values of this variable in the areas corresponding to the main mountain systems of the country.
The element of greatest variability in climate in Cuba is rainfall. The cumulative average annual rainfall in the country is 1 335 mm. In most of the territory, the year is divided into two seasonal periods, the rainy season (from May to October) where approximately 80% of the annual total is registered, and the rainy season (from November to April) with the remaining 20%.Relative humidity is normally high, with values above 60%. The daily maximums occur at sunrise (sometimes more than 95%), higher in mountainous areas and in the interior of the country. The minimums (at noon) are located on the coasts, decreasing to approximately 60% in the interior of the territory.
Cauto River, CubaThe geographical location and the elongated and narrow configuration of the island of Cuba give it certain peculiarities in the layout of its fluvial network, there are two slopes: the north and the south. The length of the rivers and the area of their basins in 85% of cases is less than 40 km and 200 km2, respectively. In the Cuban ecosystem, the total of species is 32 080 with 42.7% of terrestrial endemism, which constitutes a resource of inestimable value for the country. A National System of Protected Areas has been structured, standing out four Biosphere Reserves, internationally recognized for their degree of diversity and conservation. The flora is characterized by an extraordinary richness of species and considerable endemism, mainly in mountainous areas. Some 11 000 species are reported, of which 6 300 are endemic (just over 50%), and of these, 4 500 are dicotyledonous.
Cuba ranks first in the Antilles for the endemism of higher plants. Among the valuable endemics we can mention: the cork palm, the masonry of the teacher or gardener (an ancient tree, of the first with flowers and a survivor of the flora of the Cretaceous, the potbellied palm, the Cuban dracena, the brazilian avocado, gigantic Cactus, Mayarí pine, Master's pine The vegetation has different types of forests, shrubs, herbaceous, complexes of vegetation and mangroves, also finding the carob tree of smell, among others.