The mountainous areas are scattered throughout the island and do not stem from a central mass. Most of the soil of Cuba is relatively fertile. Caves One of the extraordinary natural features of the island is the large number of subsurface limestone caverns, notably the caves of Cotilla, situated near Havana. Rivers There are more than 200 short, swift rivers. The chief stream is the Cauto, located in the southeast.
Seasonal flooding is common.
Only the Rio Cauto is navigable for a short distance. The island has a large number of excellent harbors, the majority of which are almost entirely landlocked. Notable harbors are those of Havana, C rdenas, Bah a Honda, Matanzas, and Neuvitas, on the northern coast, and Guant namo, Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad, on the southern coast. There are more than 280 white-sand beaches. Hundreds of pouch-shaped bays and inlets provide many fine harbors, including Guantanamo Bay in the southeast, which was leased by the United States in 1903 for use as a naval base and is still under American control.