Destination Guides & Maps - Cuba

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Capital City: Havana

Language: Spanish. In hotels and main tourist resorts some English is spoken too.

Population: 11,141,997

Area: 42,816 square miles (110,922sq km)

Currency: Confusingly, there are three currencies in use in Cuba. The first is moneda nacional (Cuban pesos). Officially the Cuban peso is on a par with the US dollar - but in practice, it's about 20-21 pesos to one US dollar (even, post-Hurricane Michelle in late 2001, as much as 29-30 pesos to the dollar).

If you're on a package holiday (as most visitors to Cuba are), you're unlikely to need pesos at all, as there is little you can buy with them.

However, if you're travelling independently or venturing off the beaten track you should change some money into pesos to pay for local buses, for example, or for groceries (if you can find any) in rural shops.

The second currency is the peso convertible, a kind of tourist money, which really is on a par with the dollar - one convertible equals one US dollar.

However, there's little point changing your money into convertibles as most people prefer to take the third currency in use: American dollars. These are widely accepted: hotels, restaurants, taxis and most of the shops you're likely to use all take dollars. Carry them in small denominations, as anything over $20 can be hard to change.

Travellers cheques and major credit cards are accepted, with the exception of those issued by American companies (eg American Express, Diners Club or Citibank). However, substantial fees can be charged for both.

Visa: UK holidaymakers need a tourist card, which can be issued by your tour operator or obtained from the Cuban Consulate (see Useful Addresses). It costs £15. You'll need to provide proof of your return flight and at least three nights' hotel accommodation.

The tourist card will allow you 30 days in the country, although this can be extended by another 30 days once you're there. If you're travelling as a journalist, a student, on business or to stay with relatives, you'll need to contact the Consulate to arrange a visa.

Geography: Most of Cuba is flat or rolling countryside, but about a quarter is hilly or mountainous. There are three main mountain ranges. In the east is the Sierra Maestra, the island's highest range, with the tallest peak, Pico Turquino (6,500ft).

In the centre are the densely forested Escambray mountains, while to the west is the Cordillera de Guaniguanico, which includes the Sierra de los Organos, where there are distinctive and beautiful limestone mountains known as mogotes.

Almost 20% of the island is still covered in forest and along the south coast are lots of mangroves and swamps, providing the perfect home for sea birds and manatees. As well as the main island, there are over 4,000 cays and islets lying off shore.

Religion: Before Castro took power in 1959, 85% of the population was nominally Roman Catholic. Today, the figure is more like 40% Catholic, with the rest of the population divided between a range of religions including Protestant (particularly Baptist) and Afro-Cuban cults such as Santeria (a mixture of Catholic and Yoruba beliefs).

Time: Five hours behind GMT.

Electricity: 110V/120V AC, 60Hz. Most plugs are the American kind (flat two-pin), but in some of the new hotels European-style plugs (round two-pin) are used

Emergencies: For medical emergencies call 118 or 185. For the fire department, call 115. For the police, call 116.

Telephone: To call Cuba from the UK: 00 53 followed by local number.

To call the UK from Cuba: 119 44 followed by local number.

Blue card telephones, found throughout Cuba, are the best way to call (you can buy cards at many hotels, shops and post offices). If you call through your hotel, it's much more expensive, and some places will charge you even if there's no answer at the other end.

Be warned that telephone connections between Cuba and the rest of the world are not good - sometimes it's simply not possible to get through.

Post: Stamps can be bought in post offices and in some large hotels. Usual post office hours are 8-11.30am and 2-6pm, Monday to Friday; 8-11.30am Saturdays.

Business hours: Banks are open from 8.30am to midday, then again from 1.30 to 3pm, Monday to Friday. Some open 8.30-10.30am on Saturdays.

Shops are generally open from 8.30 in the morning until 6 at night, Monday to Saturday. They open on Sundays too, though hours are more limited: 9am to 2pm.

Tipping: Tipping was once officially discouraged, but not any more. You're expected to leave small amounts ($1 or $2 should be enough) in restaurants and hotels.

Taxi drivers appreciate tips, and musicians who perform in bars and restaurants rely on them for their wages.

BBC World Service: MHz 17.71, 15.22, 6.195, 5.975

Want to get a closer look at Cuba? http://earth.google.com/

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