Wetlands cover nearly one-10th of Cuba

By Park Sae-jin Posted : October 22, 2014, 16:46 Updated : October 22, 2014, 16:46

Wetlands, including inland and coastal swampland, occupied 10,410 square kilometers of land area, or 9.3 percent of Cuba, the Cuban News Agency (ACN) reported Monday.

ACN quoted the Cuban Environmental Agency as saying these highly fragile and vulnerable ecosystems play a beneficial role, mainly by protecting habitats and preventing coastal erosion.

They also serve to absorb the carbon dioxide in the air, clean tributaries, minimize the impact and potential economic losses of severe weather events, such as hurricanes, and help maintain the underground water supply, the agency said.

By Ruchi Singh

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com

Wetlands cover nearly one-10th of Cuba

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