Information and history of Cuba

First human settlements, proved by archaeological findings.

Three major Indian populations about 300,000 people lived on the island. Traces in the language: Cubanacan is the indigenous name of Cuba and the Spanish word for hurricane huracan is of indigenous origin and means "god of the wind".

October 27 or 28 — Christopher Columbus lands in the Bay of Bariay in the northeast of the island. "The island is the most beautiful that human eyes have ever have beheld."

Diego de Velazquez conquers the island on behalf of Spanish King Ferdinand and founds seven cities, including Havana, which later becomes the capital. The indigenous population is decimated by oppression, forced labor and introduced diseases.

Cultivation of corn, manioc and bananas, later tobacco.

Spaniards bring the sugar plant from the Canary Islands.

Establishment of the first sugar plantations in Cuba, the foundation stone for the monoculture and the economic boom of the "sugar island" is laid.

Great Britain conquers Cuba.

"Peace of Paris" Cuba goes back to Spain

Slave uprising in Haiti, until then the largest sugar producer, the sugar industry in Cuba takes from the 19th century an enormous upswing. The wealth of the "sugar barons" is built on the backs of African slaves (about 1.3 million from the Congo, Angola and West Africa), without whom the work on the plantations is unmanageable.

1st War of Independence, Cuba was the last large Spanish colony to win its independence in over 30 years of conflict.

The little war

Abolition of slavery

The 2nd war of independence (leader Jose Marti)

After fighting between Spain and the USA, Cuba becomes a protectorate of the USA

Estrada Palma becomes the first Cuban president, there is a constitution, but the USA secures the right of intervention through the so-called Platt Amendment and takes Bahia Honda (1912 returned) and Guantanamo as military bases.

The "pseudo-republic", the U.S. intervenes several times due to internal unrest.

Dictatorship of President Machado y Morales, who is overthrown by a broad popular movement after a general strike.

Repeal of the Platt Amendment, the U.S. continues to exert its influence, and various vassal presidents take turns.

Dictatorship of General Batista

Fidel Castro's storming of Moncada Barracks, imprisonment of the Castro brothers Fidel and Raúl.

Pardon of the Castros, who go into exile in Mexico, where they meet Che Guevara.

Landing of the yacht Granma in Cuba, with the Castros and 80 other guerrillas.

With the capture of the city of Santa Clara by Che Guevara, the last defense of Batista falls, who flees out of the country to the United States. Fidel Castro takes over as prime minister. U.S. Vice President Nixon receives Fidel Castro for talks in New York; President Eisenhower excuses himself and goes golfing.

CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion by Cuban exiles fails.

President Kennedy imposes trade and economic blockade that remains in place today. Nuclear missiles stationed in Cuba by the Soviet Union trigger the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Cuba's Communist Party is founded.

Che Guevara, fighting in Bolivia for its independence, is captured there and shot without trial.

Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, on a Soviet Union flight, is the first Latin American cosmonaut in space.

More than 125000 migrants leave the country, mostly for the USA.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba plunges into its worst crisis since the Revolution, known as the "Special Period."

Reforms legalize the U.S. dollar as the currency on the island and permits are issued for self-employed workers.

After riots, about 30000 people leave the country on homemade rafts and boats across the straits to Florida.

U.S. President Clinton signs the Helms-Burton Act, which allows all companies and countries that trade with Cuba to be sanctioned by the United States.

Transfer of the remains of Che Guevara from Bolivia and solemn burial in Santa Clara.

Pope John Paul II visits the country.

President Bush tightens sanctions, after which Cuba replaces the U.S. dollar with the peso convertible.

After a serious illness, Fidel Castro temporarily hands over all offices to his brother Raúl.

As the new president, Raúl Castro legalizes the purchase of cell phones and computers. Cubans are allowed to use hotels as well as rental cars.

A new travel law allows Cubans to travel abroad for private purposes for the first time.

The largest container port in the Caribbean is built in Mariel, also with Brazilian participation. The huge free trade zone allows not only storage of goods but also the assembly of machinery.

President Obama and Raúl Castro announce the resumption of diplomatic relations.

Both countries open embassies, in Havana and New York.

Barack Obama becomes the first U.S. president to visit the island in 88 years. Trade expansions occur but embargo remains in place. The Rolling Stones play to an enthusiastic crowd of about 500,000. The French fashion house Chanel with Karl Lagerfeld as designer presents the Cruise collection on the Paseo del Prado in Havana. The Hollywood studio Universal shoots the movie "Fast and Furious 8" in Havana with well-known actors. AUDI presents the compact SUV Q2 with its first outing not in Germany, but in Havana.

The day of Fidel Castro's death and proclamation of a nine-day national mourning. Castro is buried in Santiago de Cuba.

President Trump restricts trade and travel facilitation measures initiated by Barack Obama.

Parliamentary elections. Raúl Castro, who did not run for re-election, gives way to new head of state Miguel Díaz-Canel.

Manuel Marrero becomes prime minister. For the first time since 1976, Cuba has a head of government who is not also president of the Council of State.