Guantánamo Bay: Size & Strategic Significance

The U.S. Naval Station Guantánamo Bay occupies 116 km² (45 sq mi) on Cuba’s southeastern coast. The lease (1903, perpetual unless both parties agree to end) grants the U.S. complete jurisdiction.

The base features:

• Deep‑water harbor (sheltered, all‑weather)
• Airfields (Leeward Point Field)
• Fuel depots, workshops, logistics hubs
• Detention facilities (post‑9/11)

Its location controls the Windward Passage, a key Caribbean‑Atlantic shipping lane.