As a result, the cuisine is heavily dependent on heavily spiced dishes accented by inclusion of easily accessible seafood. Due to the fact that the population of Cuba has been largely impoverished rice and beans have been a major part of most Cuban meals. An interesting development in the history of Cuban cuisine has been the difference between the diets of Cubans living in the easterly regions of the island and those in the west living in and around Havana. In the east the cuisine is more heavily influenced by the Spanish and African cultures while the cuisine the west in and around Havana is far more continental due to the presence of outside influences from and around other European cultures.

Sports are an important part of the Cuban culture. Baseball, boxing and soccer enjoy wide popularity and are almost a passion for many Cubans. Again, Cuba's proximity to the United States has played a major part in the popularity of both baseball and boxing. Soccer's popularity developed as a result of the relative inexpensive nature of participation and the heavy influence of the Hispanic culture throughout Cuba.

Religion in Cuba is unique. Due to historical developments and geographical factors, the influence of the Catholic Church has not been as strong in Cuba as it is in other Latin American countries. Due to its long colonial history, strong resentment against Spain and anything Spain is prevalent among native Cubans. For many Cubans the Catholic Church was identified with Spain and so, although the Catholic influence is still present, many Cubans began practicing a form of religion based on a mixture of Catholic doctrine and African tribal influences. As so often happens in Cuba, this religious form known as Santeria is practiced more prevalently in the eastern region of Cuba while traditional Catholicism and some forms of Protestantism are more popular in the west.

The social makeup of Cuban society historically developed around its geography. As the...

Add in the colonization factor and you have a society that was highly fragmented. At the top were the land owners and plantation managers who comprised a very small portion of the population and on the bottom you had the poor farmers and laborers. Until the revolution, this remained the situation throughout most of Cuba, especially outside the immediate confines of Havana. As industrialization within Cuba was virtually non-existent a significant middle class never developed within Cuba. Theoretically, the Revolution changed everything within Cuba as everyone was to be considered equal and, arguably, matters did improve for a great number of Cubans as colonial ideas were gradually extinguished.
Considering its size and limited economical value, Cuba has played an important historical role. Its proximity to the United States brought with it many advantages for Cuba but it also brought some collateral disadvantages. Its mixture of diverse cultures allowed Cuba to develop its own uniqueness that has gone on to enjoy world wide popularity. In a land limited in its use by the presence of mountains, Cubans have still managed to make the best of the situation through the efficient use of what arable land exists and, despite a long history of colonial exploitation, Cuba has successfully situated itself for continued economic stability by beginning to open itself up to the lucrative tourism market.

Bibliography

Aviva Chomsky, Barry Carr, Pamela Smarkaloff. "The Cuba Reader: History, Culture, Politics." Aviva Chomsky, Barry Carr, Pamela Smarkaloff. The Cuba Reader: History, Culture, Politics. Duke, 2004. 721.

Hunt, Nigel. Cubaism. 2008. 2 December 2010 .

Marchex, Inc. CountryFacts. com. 2010. 3 December 2010 .

Thomas, Hugh. Cuba: the Pursuit of Freedom. New York: Harper & Row, 1971.