Cuba is located in the Northern Caribbean, towards the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. The island extends for more than 750 miles and is a mixture of mountain ranges and plains. The Republic of Cuba comprises the entire island, including many outlying islands such as the Isle of Youth where the research projects are based. The official language is Spanish and they have two currencies: the Cuban Peso which is only available for Cuban nationals and the Cuban Convertible Peso which is the currency used by visitors.

The southern part of the Isle of Youth (Isla de Juventud), the largest island off the coast of Cuba, is an area of significant biodiversity importance. This forested area has been mainly undamaged because it is effectively separated from the rest of the island by mangrove and channels. In order to protect the biodiversity the whole southern part of the island is now being proposed as a Sustainable Use and Protected Area (APRM) whilst the western end has been designated as the Punta Frances National Park. The Punta Frances National Park contains mangroves, lagoons, semi-deciduous forests and reefs and forms an excellent example of relatively undisturbed and linked Caribbean habitats. Operation Wallacea, the Coral Reef Research Unity at Essex University and the University of Havana have signed a long-term research collaboration agreement to develop and implement a biodiversity monitoring programme that will provide the data needed to inform conservation management practices across the whole of the southern island APRM.