Cuba lives up to the tropical island stereotype. It is always hot. The monthly average temperatures range from 22 degrees Celsius to 27 degrees Celsius, and the overall average is 25 degrees. The average relative humidity is 78%, and rainfall is very abundant during the rainy season, which occurs from May to October [also coincides with hurricane season — August to October]. The dry season [November to April] also experiences rainfall, so that Cuba receives rain an average of 85 to 100 days per year, or 132 centimeters.
For a country roughly the size of Pennsylvania [44,200 square miles in area], Cuba is very diverse in its physical features. It features . . .
 navigable ocean bays, like the Bay of Santiago de Cuba, or the Bay of Havana (below); |
dome-shaped rock formations known as mogotes, like this one in Pinar del Río Province in the western end of the island; |
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 vast cave networks, also in Pinar del Río Province; |
 island keys, like this one on Cuba's northwest shore; |
and more than 400 beaches, such as Playa Ancón near Trinidad.
In addition to these features, Cuba has vast plains, swampy lowlands, and waterfalls. This rich, diverse land produces a wealth of natural resources . . .
