The Republic of Cuba offers volunteering abroad programs in the largest Caribbean island, with 11 million inhabitants. Two million reside in the capital, mainland city of Havana. Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean, just off the Floridian coast of the United States, beneath the Tropic of Cancer and across the ocean from Belize and Mexico. This beautiful country is made up of a mainland that is surrounded by other, smaller islands. Famous for its spicy salsa and cha cha cha music and dance, Cuba is a country rich in culture and art. Cuba is a melting pot of Spanish, African, and several other cultures from its complex history. Mainland Cuba and its islands contain varying terrain, from white sand and black sand beaches that dip into crystal teal water, to tropical forestry to lowland mangrove swamps. Visitors to Cuba can enjoy the white sand beaches one day, and be in the middle of the green bush with crocodiles the next. The abundance of coral reefs surrounding mainland Cuba and its islands make it an excellent location for volunteering for marine preservation.
