Havana
Havana (/həˈvænə/; Spanish: La Habana [la aˈβana] ⓘ; Lucumi: Ilú Pupu Ilé)[5] is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.[6] It is the most populous city, the largest by area, and the second largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean region. The population in 2002 was 2,137,847 inhabitants,[7][6] and its area is 728.26 km2 (281.18 sq mi)[2] for the capital city side and 8,475.57 km2 for the metropolitan zone.[7][8]
"Habana" and "Havanese" redirect here. For the dog breed, see Havanese dog. For other uses, see Havana (disambiguation) and Habana (disambiguation).
Havana
La Habana
Greater Havana
November 16, 1519 (current place)
15
Gobierno Provincial de La Habana
728.26 km2 (281.18 sq mi)
59 m (195 ft)
2,130,872 [2]
2,926/km2 (7,580/sq mi)
Habaneros-habaneras
2023
$41.1 billion[3]
$19,100
(+53) 07
CU-03
0.834[4] – very high
Old Havana and its Fortification System
Cultural
iv, v
1982 (6th session)
Havana was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century. It served as a springboard for the Spanish conquest of the Americas, becoming a stopping point for Spanish galleons returning to Spain. Philip II of Spain granted Havana the title of capital in 1607.[9] Walls and forts were built to protect the city.[10]
The city is the seat of the Cuban government and various ministries, and headquarters of businesses and over 100 diplomatic offices.[11] The governor is Reinaldo García Zapata of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC).[12][13] In 2009, the city/province had the third-highest income in the country.[14]
Contemporary Havana can essentially be described as three cities in one: Old Havana, Vedado and the newer suburban districts.[15] 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.[16]
The city attracts over a million tourists annually;[17] (1,176,627 international tourists in 2010,[17] a 20% increase from 2005). Old Havana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.[18] The city is also noted for its history, culture, architecture and monuments.[19] As typical of Cuba, Havana experiences a tropical climate.[20]
Etymology[edit]
In 1514, Diego Velázquez founded the city San Cristóbal de la Habana, which meant "Saint Christopher of the Habana" and later became the capital of Cuba. Habana was the name of the local people group. It has been theorized that the name derived from Habaguanex, who was a chief of the Native American tribe. His name is Taíno, an Arawakan language, but nothing else is known. When Habana was adapted into English, the ⟨b⟩ was switched to a ⟨v⟩ because of a linguistic phenomenon known as betacism, which is a confusion between the voiced bilabial plosive and voiced labiodental fricative sounds that occurs in most modern Spanish dialects. Usage of the word Havana in literature understandably peaked during the Spanish–American War, but it also represents a type of cigar, a color, and a type of rabbit as well as the city.[21] Another theory for its etymology is that Havana comes from the Taíno word haba meaning "hanging basket" deriving from root affix ha- indicating something that hangs (cf. hamaka, 'hammock').[22]: 10, 45–7 Havana is still the prevailing name found in English language dictionaries in reference to the capital of Cuba.
Many Cubans are avid sports fans who particularly favor baseball. Havana's team in the Cuban National Series is Industriales, one of the most successful teams in the tournament. In the past, it has also been represented by Habana (in the pre-revolutionary Cuban League) as well as Metropolitanos and La Habana in the National Series.
The city has several large sports stadiums, the largest one being the Estadio Latinoamericano, where Industriales play. Admission to sporting events is generally free, and impromptu games are played in neighborhoods throughout the city. Social clubs at the beaches provide facilities for water sports and include restaurants and dance halls.