Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is the forward, ready, and irreplaceable U.S. sea power platform in the Caribbean. We preserve America's strategic influence in the Caribbean by maintaining a deep-water U.S. Naval Station and ensuring effective support across military and interagency operations.

Why is there a naval base at Guantanamo Bay?

The United States first seized Guantánamo Bay and established a naval base there in 1898 during the Spanish–American War in the Battle of Guantánamo Bay. In 1903, the United States and Cuba signed a lease granting the United States permission to use the land as a coaling and naval station.

What is Guantanamo Bay considered?

Guantánamo Bay detention camp, also called Gitmo, U.S. detention facility on the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, located on the coast of Guantánamo Bay in southeastern Cuba.

Where is Guantanamo naval base?

Located on the southeast corner of Cuba, Guantanamo Bay's strategic location and topographic properties have made it a valued possession of maritime powers since the 15th century.

Do you need a passport to go to Guantanamo Bay?

A passport is required for travel to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Inside Guantanamo Bay: beautiful, weird and frustrating | ABC News

Are there still prisoners in Guantanamo?

39 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay. This list of Guantánamo prisoners has the known identities of prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba, but is compiled from various sources and is incomplete.

How many Marines are stationed in Guantanamo?

The military facilities at Guantanamo Bay have over 8,500 U.S. sailors and Marines stationed there.

Is Cuba still US territory?

From the 15th century, it was a colony of Spain until the Spanish–American War of 1898, when Cuba was occupied by the United States and gained nominal independence as a de facto United States protectorate in 1902. ... Since 1965, the state has been governed by the Communist Party of Cuba.

Does Guantanamo Bay have a mcdonalds?

It takes just a few minutes to drive from the abandoned shell of Camp X-Ray, one of the most notorious prison camps in the world, to Guantanamo Bay's very own McDonald's — from one symbol of America to another. To get there you drive past rows of wood panelled-houses with neat gardens and barbecues out back.

Can you go off base at Guantanamo Bay?

Not surprisingly, Guantanamo Bay presents some unique challenges as a duty station. Though close to the U.S. mainland, the only way on or off base is on one of about six military-contracted flights a month that stop in Jacksonville, Fla., and Norfolk, Va.

What language is spoken in Cuba?

The Spanish spoken by Cubans is a variation of Castilian Spanish, brought over by immigrants from the Canary Islands in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, Cuban Spanish and Haitian Creole are the two most widely spoken languages of this vibrant island nation.

Is Cuba a socialist country or communist?

Cuba has had a socialist political system since 1959 based on the "one state – one party" principle. Cuba is constitutionally defined as a Marxist–Leninist socialist state guided in part by the political ideas of Karl Marx, one of the fathers of historical materialism, Friedrich Engels, and Vladimir Lenin.

Can tourists visit Guantanamo Bay?

The Guantanamo Bay Museum of Art and History is pleased to be able to help you plan your visit to the museum. Thanks to the generous donations of several foundations and anonymous individuals, admittance to the museum is free to the global public.

What do the Marines do at Guantanamo Bay?

Mission. MISSION: Marine Corps Security Force Company (MCSF Co) Guantanamo Bay conducts continuous security operations along shore side perimeter and directed waterside approaches between Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and Cuba in order to allow Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to conduct advance naval base operations.

How many prisoners died in Guantanamo Bay?

Guantanamo Bay homicide accusations were made regarding the deaths of three prisoners on June 10, 2006 at the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camp for enemy combatants at its naval base in Cuba. Two of the men had been cleared by the military for release.

Is Cuba a free country?

US government-funded Freedom House classifies Cuba as being "Not Free", and notes that "Cuba is the only country in the Americas that consistently makes Freedom House's list of the Worst of the Worst: the World's Most Repressive Societies for widespread abuses of political rights and civil liberties." In the 2017 ...

What happened to Castro?

90-year old former First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Council of State, Fidel Castro died of natural causes at 22:29 (CST) in the evening of 25 November 2016.

How do you say hello in Cuba?

Greetings

You probably already know that “Hola” is the Spanish word for hello. This is quite sufficient for greeting someone in Cuba, since it's a fairly informal society.

Is English spoken in Cuba?

The majority of Cubans only know Spanish, but in larger cities and tourist areas, English is more commonly spoken. Although knowledge of Spanish isn't required, you are encouraged to learn simple words and basic phrases in order to maximize your experience with the Cuban people.

What are common Cuban last names?

• Rodríguez – 301, 136.
• Pérez – 300,189.
• González – 262,311.
• Hernández – 215,593.
• García – 208,666.
• Martinez – 148,674.
• Fredrick – 136,364.
• Fernández – 134,470.