What is the capital of Cuba?
Havana lies on Cuba's north coast, around a natural harbour on the Straits of Florida.
Havana is the capital and seat of government of Cuba, a role it has held since 1552. Cuba itself has an estimated population of 10,937,203 (2025).
Havana is also the largest city in Cuba, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Havana at a glance
| City population | 2,106,146 (2012 census) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇨🇺 Cuba |
| Founded | 1519 |
| Capital since | 1552 |
| Largest city in Cuba | Havana |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (CST) |
| Currency | Cuban peso (CUP) |
About Havana
Havana was founded by the Spanish in 1519 and became the island's capital in 1552.
Havana has been the capital of Cuba since 1552, Havana became the capital of Cuba in 1552 and grew into one of the most important Spanish colonial ports in the Americas.
Havana is Cuba's largest city and one of the largest in the Caribbean.
Its well-preserved Spanish colonial core, Old Havana, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Havana.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Cuba?
Is Havana the largest city in Cuba?
What is the population of Havana?
Where is Havana located?
When did Havana become the capital of Cuba?
What time zone is Havana in?
What currency is used in Havana?
See the full profile of Cuba on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.