Guantánamo Province | |
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Province of Cuba | |
Country | Cuba |
Capital | Guantánamo |
Area | |
• Total | 6,164.47 km2 (2,380.12 sq mi) |
Population (2010-12-31) | |
• Total | 510,863 |
• Density | 83/km2 (210/sq mi) |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
Guantánamo is the easternmost province of Cuba. Its capital is also called Guantánamo. Other towns include Baracoa. The province has the only land border of the important U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay.
Guantánamo's architecture and culture is unlike the rest of Cuba. The province is only 80 km away from Haiti its closest point, across the Windward Passage and close enough to see lights on Haiti on a clear night. Guantánamo also has a high number of immigrants from Jamaica, meaning that many buildings are comparable to those of the French Quarter of New Orleans in the U.S. state of Louisiana.
The Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa mountains dominate the province, dividing both climate and landscape. The northern coast, battered by prevailing winds, is the wettest part of the country, while the south, sheltered and dry, is the hottest. The north is characterized by rainforests, while the south is arid and has many cacti.