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“ The Most Beautiful Land Ever Beheld ”

the west. In the center lies the Sierra del Escambray. The extreme east has several chains, including the Sierra de Moa, Sierra de Nipe, Sierra de Cristal, and Sierra Maestra, the highest of all. Mogotes , a formation unique to the western end of the island, are rounded mounds covered in vege- tation that abruptly rise, to a height of several sto- ries, from otherwise perfectly flat valley floors. The main island’s 2,320 miles (3,734 km) of coastline are extremely diverse. There are pic- turesque beaches, well-protected natural bays, sheer cliffs, marshes, and even near-desert. Cuba’s largest swamp is the Ciénaga de Zapata, located on a shoe-shaped peninsula along the south coast.

The trogon is considered the national bird of Cuba, as its col- ors remind Cubans of their flag.

The country’s rivers are numerous, but short and shallow. The largest is the Cauto, 230 miles (370 km) long, of which less than a third is navigable. There are no large lakes. Overall, Cuba has only 150 miles (241 km) of waterway. On the southeast coast of Cuba lies Guantánamo Bay, a sheltered natural channel. Since shortly after the Spanish-American War in 1898, the United States has maintained a naval base there, despite poor relations with Cuba. Climate Cool trade winds moderate Cuba’s tropical climate even in the hottest months. The average summer temperature is 77°F (25°C); average winter tem- peratures are cooler by a mere 5°F (3°C). The dry season runs from November