lunes, 28 de mayo de 2012

Cuba


Cuba
Official Languages
The official language is Spanish.  There are immigrant languages spoken here including Catalan-Valencian-Balear and Corsican.  There are three language listed for Cuba.  Two of these are living languages and one of these three languages only has speakers who speak it as a second language.  Lucumi is one of the languages spoken in Cuba.  There are 10 million Spanish speakers in Cuba.  Due to the Haitian immigrants arriving in Cuba, Creole language is also present.  English is becoming increasingly popular but the older people are less likely to speak English.  Spanish was brought by former colonial masters.  These masters arrived in 1511.  The Spanish brought African slaves.  These slaves brought their own African dialects.  This added to the mix of linguistics found in Cuba.  Spanish in Cuba is different from Spain Spanish but it has a lot in common with Venezuelan and Columbian Spanish dialects.  The Spanish of Canarians especially has a lot in common with Cuban Spanish.  The Canarian Spanish influence is in big part due to heavy migration from the Canary Islands to Cuba between the 19th and 20th century.  Several English words from America have come into the local language.  During the 19th century, many Haitians brought the language they spoke which was Creole.  This was a blend of European and African dialects.  In 1959, they were given the freedom to develop the Creole language. Today it is the second most widely spoken language.  Cuba is a popular destination for tourists.  Due to this, English is becoming more popular. 


History
Cuba was inhabited by Native American people.  These people were known as Taino or also called Arawak.  The Spanish colonized Cuba in 1511.  Before this happened, the island was inhabited by Sibone Indians.  The population of Amerindians in Cuba declined after the discovery by the European Christopher Columbus in 1492.  The country then developed as a Spanish colony.  An intervention by the United States during the Spanish American war of 1898 ended the rule by the Spanish people.  The slave trade from Africa started in 1526.  The war between Spain and the United States started in late April of 1898.  According to the Treaty of Paris, Spain gave all claim of Cuba to the United States.  Cuba gained its own independence on May 20, 1902. 


Interesting Facts
The population of Cuba is around 11 million people.  The literacy rate is 94 percent.  The people of Cuba are of African and Spanish descent.  This is mainly due to the fact that these two groups of people went here to make colonies.  Cuba has the largest population among the Caribbean.  The Cubans refer to their island as “El Cocodreo.”  This is because the view from above looks like a crocodile.  The British captured this land for one year.  They lost it back to Spain the very next year.  Cuba has a mixed population.  Half of the population is Mulatto.  This is when one parent is white and the other is black.  

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