Havana

Havana (, ; ) 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 inhabitants, and its area is 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.