History of Cuba History of Cuba The island of Cuba was inhabited by various Mesoamerican cultures prior to the arrival of the Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492. After Columbus' arrival, Spain conquered Cuba and appointed Spanish governors to rule in Havana. In 1762, Havana was briefly occupied by Great Britain, before being returned to Spain in exchange for Florida. A series of rebellions during the 19th century failed to end the Spanish rule. However, the Spanish–American War resulted in a Spanish withdrawal from the island in 1898, and following three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba gained formal independence in 1902.
Santiago de Cuba has an irregular offset, which contributed to the development of an urban setting where the avenues and streets are steep or descend. Under the Köppen climate classification, Santiago de Cuba has a tropical savanna climate with no significant wet and dry periods through the year. In the 2012 population census the city of Santiago de Cuba recorded a population of 431,272 people. Santiago is served by Antonio Maceo Airport. Cubana de Aviación connects the city with Havana, Montréal, Port Au Prince, Santo Domingo, and Toronto with other airlines connects other cities in the Caribbean and North America. The public transit