Havana

Havana (/həˈvænə/, US also /həˈvɑːnə/; Spanish: La Habana [la‿aˈβana] ^ⓘ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. It is the most populous city, the largest by area, and the second-largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean region. The population in 2021 was 2,142,939 inhabitants, and its area is 728.26 km² (281.18 sq mi) for the capital city and 8,475.57 km² for the metropolitan zone. Its official population was 1,749,964 inhabitants in 2024.

Founded in 1519 on its current location on Havana Bay under initiative of the Spanish Empire, it had already taken an edge over Santiago by the mid 16th century due to the geo-strategic advantages of its harbor, becoming the capital of the island in 1552. It became a fundamental place for the Spanish colonial empire in the Americas, and a stopping point for galleons returning to the Iberian Peninsula, and walls and forts were built to protect it from naval attacks. The city is the seat of the Cuban government and various ministries, the headquarters of various businesses and home to more than 100 diplomatic offices. In 2009, the city had the third-highest income in the country.

Contemporary Havana can essentially be described as three cities in one: Old Havana, Vedado and the newer suburban districts. The city extends mostly westward and southward from the bay, which is entered through a narrow inlet and which divides into three main harbors: Marimelena, Guanabacoa and Antares. The Almendares River traverses the city from south to north, entering the Straits of Florida a few miles west of the bay.

The city attracts over a million tourists annually (1,176,627 international tourists in 2010, a 20% increase from 2005). Old Havana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and monuments. As typical of Cuba, Havana experiences a tropical climate.