Q 01/05

Havana is the capital of which country?

A) Cuba

B) Jamaica

C) Dominican Republic

D) Puerto Rico

Answer · why

A) Cuba

It is also the largest city in the country and the second-largest metropolitan area in the whole Caribbean.

Q 02/05

Havana overtook which city to become Cuba's capital in 1552?

A) Matanzas

B) Santiago

C) Cienfuegos

D) Camagüey

Answer · why

B) Santiago

The deep, sheltered harbour was the deciding advantage, and it made Havana the gathering point for treasure galleons heading home to Spain.

Q 03/05

What is the full Spanish name given to the town that became Havana?

A) Santa María de la Habana

B) San Felipe de la Habana

C) San Cristóbal de la Habana

D) San Salvador de la Habana

Answer · why

C) San Cristóbal de la Habana

Saint Christopher remains the city's patron saint and its cathedral is dedicated to him.

Q 04/05

The name 'Habana' is thought to come from Habaguanex, who was what?

A) A type of palm

B) A river

C) A Spanish friar

D) A Taíno chief

Answer · why

D) A Taíno chief

Almost nothing else is known about him, which has kept the etymology a theory rather than a fact.

Q 05/05

Why is the city spelled with a 'v' in English but a 'b' in Spanish?

A) A royal decree of 1821

B) A misprint in a 1762 British map

C) A sound shift called betacism

D) An Italian cartographer's spelling

Answer · why

C) A sound shift called betacism

In most Spanish dialects the 'b' and 'v' sounds merge, so English writers heard and wrote a 'v'.