It is located off the northern coast of the provinces of Matanzas, Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey, and is bounded to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, specifically by the Nicholas Channel (Sabana segment) and Old Bahama Channel (Camagüey segment).
The archipelago is positioned on a general north-west to south-east axis, and stretches for 475 km (295 mi) from the Hicacos Peninsula and Varadero to the Bay of Nuevitas.
[1] The entire system covers more than 75,000 km2 (29,000 sq mi)[2] and is composed of approximately 2,517 cays and isles.
[2] Mangroves and coastal forests effectively create a buffer zone between the agricultural coast and the sensitive marine environment.
[3] The Sabana-Camagüey ecosystem encompasses the Bay of Buena Vista Biosphere Reserve, the Caguanes National Park, as well as wetlands of northern Ciego de Ávila Province.