Havana (/hÃâ°Ã¢â¢Ãâ¹Ãâ vÃÆænÃâ°Ã¢â¢/; Spanish: La Habana [la aÃâ¹Ãâ Îòana] (About this sound listen)) is the capital city, largest city, province, major port, and leading commercial center of Cuba.[3] The city has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants,[2][3] and it spans a total of 781.58 km2 (301.77 sq mi) âââ‰â¬Å making it the largest city by area, the most populous city, and the fourth largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean region.[2][4] The city extends mostly westward and southward from the bay, which is entered through a narrow inlet and which divides into three main harbors: Mari melena, Guanabacoa and Antares. The sluggish Almendares River traverses the city from south to north, entering the Straits of Florida a few miles west of the bay.[5] The city of Havana was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century and due to its strategic location it served as a springboard for the Spanish conquest of the Americas, becoming a stopping point for treasure-laden Spanish galleons returning to Spain. King Philip II of Spain granted Havana the title of City in 1592.[6] Walls as well as forts were built to protect the old city.[7] The sinking of the U.S. battleship Maine in Havana's harbor in 1898 was the immediate cause of the Spanishâââ‰â¬ÅAmerican War.[8] Contemporary Havana can essentially be described as three cities in one: Old Havana, Vedado and the newer suburban districts. The city is the center of the Cuban government, and home to
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