Timeline (BBC News)
Humble Beginnings
1492 - The navigator Christopher Columbus claims Cuba for Spain.
1511 - Spanish conquest begins under the leadership of Diego de Velazquez, who establishes Baracoa and other settlements.
1526 - Importing of slaves from Africa begins.
Britain Intervenes
1762 - Havana captured by a British force led by Admiral George Pocock and Lord Albemarle.
1763 - Havana returned to Spain by the Treaty of Paris.
Wars of independence
1868-78 - Ten Years War of independence ends in a truce with Spain promising reforms and greater autonomy - promises that were mostly never met.
1886 - Slavery abolished.
1895-98 - Jose Marti leads a second war of independence; US declares war on Spain.
1898 - US defeats Spain, which gives up all claims to Cuba and cedes it to the US.
United States' Involvement
1902 - Cuba becomes independent with Tomas Estrada Palma as its president; however, the Platt Amendment keeps the island under US protection and gives the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs.
1906-09 - Estrada resigns and the US occupies Cuba following a rebellion led by Jose Miguel Gomez.
1909 - Jose Miguel Gomez becomes president following elections supervised by the US, but is soon tarred by corruption.
1912 - US forces return to Cuba to help put down black protests against discrimination.
1924 - Gerado Machado institutes vigorous measures, forwarding mining, agriculture and public works, but subsequently establishing a brutal dictatorship.
1925 - Socialist Party founded, forming the basis of the Communist Party.
1933 - Machado overthrown in a coup led by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista.
1934 - The US abandons its right to intervene in Cuba's internal affairs, revises Cuba's sugar quota and changes tariffs to favor Cuba.
1944 - Batista retires and is succeeded by the civilian Ramon Gray San Martin.
1952 - Batista seizes power again and presides over an oppressive and corrupt regime.
1953 - Fidel Castro leads an unsuccessful revolt against the Batista regime.
1956 - Castro lands in eastern Cuba from Mexico and takes to the Sierra Maestra mountains where, aided by Ernesto "Che" Guevara, he wages a guerrilla war.
1958 - The US withdraws military aid to Batista.
On This Day 1959: Castro's rebels edge closer to capital
Triumph of the Revolution
1959 - Castro leads a 9,000-strong guerrilla army into Havana, forcing Batista to flee. Castro becomes prime minister, his brother, Raul, becomes his deputy and Guevara becomes third in command.
1960 - All US businesses in Cuba are nationalised without compensation.
1961 - Washington breaks off all diplomatic relations with Havana. The US sponsors an abortive invasion by Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs; Castro proclaims Cuba a communist state and begins to ally it with the USSR.
1962 - Cuban missile crisis ignites when, fearing a US invasion, Castro agrees to allow the USSR to deploy nuclear missiles on the island. The crisis was subsequently resolved when the USSR agreed to remove the missiles in return for the withdrawal of US nuclear missiles from Turkey.
Organisation of American States (OAS) suspends Cuba over its "incompatible" adherence to Marxism-Leninism.
1965 - Cuba's sole political party renamed the Cuban Communist Party.
1972 - Cuba becomes a full member of the Soviet-based Council for Mutual Economic Assistance.
Fidel Steps Down
2008 February - Raul Castro takes over as president, days after Fidel announces his retirement.
2008 May - Bans on private ownership of mobile phones and computers lifted.
2008 June - Plans are announced to abandon salary equality. The move is seen as a radical departure from the orthodox Marxist economic principles observed since the 1959 revolution.
EU lifts diplomatic sanctions imposed on Cuba in 2003 over crackdown on dissidents.
2008 July - In an effort to boost Cuba's lagging food production and reduce dependence on food imports, the government relaxes restrictions on the amount of land available to private farmers.
2008 September - Hurricanes Gustav and Ike inflict worst storm damage in Cuba's recorded history, with 200,000 left homeless and their crops destroyed.
2008 October - State oil company says estimated 20bn barrels in offshore fields, being double previous estimates.
Humble Beginnings
1492 - The navigator Christopher Columbus claims Cuba for Spain.
1511 - Spanish conquest begins under the leadership of Diego de Velazquez, who establishes Baracoa and other settlements.
1526 - Importing of slaves from Africa begins.
Britain Intervenes
1762 - Havana captured by a British force led by Admiral George Pocock and Lord Albemarle.
1763 - Havana returned to Spain by the Treaty of Paris.
Wars of independence
1868-78 - Ten Years War of independence ends in a truce with Spain promising reforms and greater autonomy - promises that were mostly never met.
1886 - Slavery abolished.
1895-98 - Jose Marti leads a second war of independence; US declares war on Spain.
1898 - US defeats Spain, which gives up all claims to Cuba and cedes it to the US.
United States' Involvement
1902 - Cuba becomes independent with Tomas Estrada Palma as its president; however, the Platt Amendment keeps the island under US protection and gives the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs.
1906-09 - Estrada resigns and the US occupies Cuba following a rebellion led by Jose Miguel Gomez.
1909 - Jose Miguel Gomez becomes president following elections supervised by the US, but is soon tarred by corruption.
1912 - US forces return to Cuba to help put down black protests against discrimination.
1924 - Gerado Machado institutes vigorous measures, forwarding mining, agriculture and public works, but subsequently establishing a brutal dictatorship.
1925 - Socialist Party founded, forming the basis of the Communist Party.
1933 - Machado overthrown in a coup led by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista.
1934 - The US abandons its right to intervene in Cuba's internal affairs, revises Cuba's sugar quota and changes tariffs to favor Cuba.
1944 - Batista retires and is succeeded by the civilian Ramon Gray San Martin.
1952 - Batista seizes power again and presides over an oppressive and corrupt regime.
1953 - Fidel Castro leads an unsuccessful revolt against the Batista regime.
1956 - Castro lands in eastern Cuba from Mexico and takes to the Sierra Maestra mountains where, aided by Ernesto "Che" Guevara, he wages a guerrilla war.
1958 - The US withdraws military aid to Batista.
On This Day 1959: Castro's rebels edge closer to capital
Triumph of the Revolution
1959 - Castro leads a 9,000-strong guerrilla army into Havana, forcing Batista to flee. Castro becomes prime minister, his brother, Raul, becomes his deputy and Guevara becomes third in command.
1960 - All US businesses in Cuba are nationalised without compensation.
1961 - Washington breaks off all diplomatic relations with Havana. The US sponsors an abortive invasion by Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs; Castro proclaims Cuba a communist state and begins to ally it with the USSR.
1962 - Cuban missile crisis ignites when, fearing a US invasion, Castro agrees to allow the USSR to deploy nuclear missiles on the island. The crisis was subsequently resolved when the USSR agreed to remove the missiles in return for the withdrawal of US nuclear missiles from Turkey.
Organisation of American States (OAS) suspends Cuba over its "incompatible" adherence to Marxism-Leninism.
1965 - Cuba's sole political party renamed the Cuban Communist Party.
1972 - Cuba becomes a full member of the Soviet-based Council for Mutual Economic Assistance.
Fidel Steps Down
2008 February - Raul Castro takes over as president, days after Fidel announces his retirement.
2008 May - Bans on private ownership of mobile phones and computers lifted.
2008 June - Plans are announced to abandon salary equality. The move is seen as a radical departure from the orthodox Marxist economic principles observed since the 1959 revolution.
EU lifts diplomatic sanctions imposed on Cuba in 2003 over crackdown on dissidents.
2008 July - In an effort to boost Cuba's lagging food production and reduce dependence on food imports, the government relaxes restrictions on the amount of land available to private farmers.
2008 September - Hurricanes Gustav and Ike inflict worst storm damage in Cuba's recorded history, with 200,000 left homeless and their crops destroyed.
2008 October - State oil company says estimated 20bn barrels in offshore fields, being double previous estimates.