Discover Cuba: Top 10 Fascinating and Unforgettable Fun Facts You Didn't Know

1. Sacred Steak Slaughter

Holy cow, Cuban steaks must be utterly sacred: Until April 2021, Cuban farmers were forbidden to slaughter their own cows or sell beef and dairy products without government approval. However, recent agricultural reforms have allowed ranchers to freely manage their livestock, granted they meet state quotas and maintain herd numbers, potentially moo-ving the country's agricultural production forward.
Source => reuters.com

2. Cuban Cola Craze

If you're expecting to enjoy a Cuban sandwich with a side of Coke in Cuba, you're in for a rude awakening: Coca-Cola is not legally sold in the Caribbean nation, sharing this unique distinction with North Korea. Fear not, for Cuba has a homegrown, fizzy warrior to quench your thirst – TuKola, a product of the Ciego Montero brand, that bubbles with authentic Cuban spirit and is more than happy to sweep you off your feet. Unlike the elusive Coca-Cola, TuKola is completely legal and steps up as a popular alternative, proudly popping its Cuban culture with every sip.
Source => plozee.com

Did you know Puerto Rico has its own "ghost" frog, the coquí guajón? Discover the mysterious creature that's now at the center of conservation efforts on the island! 🐸👻

=> Fun Facts about Puerto-Rico

3. Crocodile Crocs-odo

In an ironic twist that would have Crocodile Dundee scratching his head: the tasty Cuban crocodile is facing extinction, with its population plummeting by 80% in the past three decades due to illegal hunting, climate change, and encroaching farms, leaving the species in a bit of a "snappy" situation. Efforts to save the crocs include breeding farms and introducing youngsters back into protected wild areas, but, as they say, you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs - or in this case, saving a few croc eggs.
Source => blogs.baruch.cuny.edu

4. Liberty's Lady Split

Well, hold onto your chisels, folks, because the lady of liberty of Cuba had a serious case of split personality when it came to her looks: The colossal Statue of the Republic in Havana's Capitol Building was sculpted using the face of Elena de Cardenas, one of the city's most beautiful women, and the body of Lily Valty. To top it off, she dons a Phrygian cap, a nod to good ol' Roman Empire fashion, symbolizing freedom and liberty.
Source => discover-interesting-places.com

5. Cuban Legal Aid Intrigue

Who needs Perry Mason when you can dial up Cuban Law & Order?: U.S. citizens can access legal aid from Cuban government law firms like Consultoría Jurídica Internacional and Bufete Internacional due to a Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control's general license allowing transactions with these Cuban legal services, even though private law practices are prohibited in Cuba.
Source => cu.usembassy.gov

6. Living La Vida Longa

Whoever said "live fast, die young" has clearly never been to Cuba: The island nation boasts a life expectancy of 79.18 years in 2023, showing a 0.12% increase from the previous year and ranking it among the top countries with the highest life expectancy rates worldwide.
Source => macrotrends.net

7. Donald Duck Diplomacy

In a world where Donald Duck quacks the loudest and Goonies never say die, Cuban hearts remain evergreen with a penchant for 'building bridges' with honorary yanquis: Despite the government's attempts to limit American cultural exposure, Cubans cherish Donald Duck merchandise as status symbols and prefer to cheer on the Goonies movie over propaganda shorts, while close connections to friends and relatives in the US have led to a surge in Cuban defections.
Source => content.time.com

8. Lucky Rooster Revelations

Why did the Cuban rooster cross the road? To become a symbol of good luck and strut his masculinity, of course! In all seriousness: In Cuban culture, the rooster holds various interpretations, from good luck to machismo, and even plays a role in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santería, where it is associated with deities like Osún and Oggún, often being used as a sacrifice to honor them.
Source => calleochonews.com

9. Chess Heroes of Havana

In the game of chess, Cubans are like the knights, leaping through squares and leaving a trail of checkmates in their wake: Cuba is home to an impressive chess culture, deeply ingrained into the society, and has produced some of the world's top male and female chess players, including grandmaster José Raúl Capablanca who claimed his World Championship title in Havana in 1921.
Source => news.medill.northwestern.edu

10. Silver Screen Socialism

From communist scripts to mojito-sipping blockbusters: Cuba's film industry flourished after the 1959 revolution, when the government established the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC), ushering in an era of movies that critically examined life under communism, such as Memories of Underdevelopment and Lucia, while the globally recognized music scene was immortalized in the documentary Buena Vista Social Club.
Source => scroll.in