| Background: |
Fidel CASTRO led
a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the
country together since. Cuba's communist revolution, with
Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and
Africa during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. The country is now
slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990,
following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth
$4 billion to $6 billion annually. Havana portrays its
difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since
1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts,
alien smugglers, or falsified visas - is a continuing
problem. Some 3,000 Cubans took to the Straits of Florida in
2000; the US Coast Guard interdicted only about 35% of
these. |
| Location: |
Caribbean, island
between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
south of Florida |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
21 30 N, 80 00 W |
| Map
references: |
Central America
and the Caribbean |
| Area: |
total:
110,860 sq km
land: 110,860 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than Pennsylvania |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
29 km
border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo
Bay 29 km
note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US
and thus remains part of Cuba |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical;
moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April);
rainy season (May to October) |
| Terrain: |
mostly flat to
rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the
southeast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m |
| Natural
resources: |
cobalt, nickel,
iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica,
petroleum, arable land |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
24%
permanent crops: 7%
permanent pastures: 27%
forests and woodland: 24%
other: 18% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
9,100 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
the east coast is
subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general,
the country averages about one hurricane every other year);
droughts are common |
| Environment
- current issues: |
pollution of
Havana Bay; overhunting threatens wildlife populations;
deforestation |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography
- note: |
largest country
in Caribbean |
| Population: |
11,184,023 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
20.99% (male 1,205,159; female 1,142,070)
15-64 years: 69.14% (male 3,876,432; female
3,855,878)
65 years and over: 9.87% (male 511,589; female
592,895) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.37% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
12.36
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
7.33 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-1.36 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
7.39 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 76.41 years
male: 74.02 years
female: 78.94 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.6 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.03% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
1,950 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
120 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Cuban(s)
adjective: Cuban |
| Ethnic
groups: |
mulatto 51%,
white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1% |
| Religions: |
nominally 85%
Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants,
Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.7%
male: 96.2%
female: 95.3% (1995 est.) |
| People
- note: |
illicit migration
is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island
and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers,
direct flights, or falsified visas; some 3,000 Cubans took
to the Straits of Florida in 2000; the US Coast Guard
interdicted about 35% of these migrants; Cubans also use
non-maritime routes to enter the US; some 2,400 Cubans
arrived overland via the southwest border and direct flights
to Miami |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Cuba
conventional short form: Cuba
local long form: Republica de Cuba
local short form: Cuba |
| Government
type: |
Communist state |
| Administrative
divisions: |
14 provinces (provincias,
singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio
especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de
La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*,
La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti
Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara |
| Independence: |
20 May 1902 (from
US) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
10 October (1868); note - 10 October 1868 is the date of
independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of
independence from US administration |
| Constitution: |
24 February 1976,
amended July 1992 |
| Legal
system: |
based on Spanish
and American law, with large elements of Communist legal
theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
16 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President of the Council of State and
President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz
(prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976
when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976);
First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice
President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz
(since 2 December 1976); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
head of government: President of the Council of
State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO
Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February
1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December
1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and
First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul
CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the
president of the Council of State, appointed by the National
Assembly; note - there is also a Council of State whose
members are elected by the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected
by the National Assembly; election last held 24 February
1998 (next election unscheduled)
election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz elected
president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO
Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote -
100% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del
Poder Popular (601 seats, elected directly from slates
approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 January 1998 (next to
be held in 2003)
election results: percent of vote - PCC 94.39%;
seats - PCC 601 |
| Judicial
branch: |
People's Supreme
Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice
president, and other judges are elected by the National
Assembly) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
only party -
Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first
secretary] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
CCC, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from
formal participation since 1962), OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none; note - Cuba
has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by
Principal Officer Fernando REMIREZ DE ESTENOZ; address:
Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none; note - the
US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by
Principal Officer Vicki HUDDLESTON; address: USINT, Swiss
Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado Seccion,
Havana; telephone: 33-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance
required); FAX: 33-3700; protecting power in Cuba is
Switzerland |
| Flag
description: |
five equal
horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with
white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; design
influenced by the US flag |
| Economy
- overview: |
The government,
the primary player in the economy, has undertaken limited
reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase
enterprise efficiency, and alleviate serious shortages of
food, consumer goods, and services, but prioritizing of
political control makes extensive reforms unlikely. Living
standards for the average Cuban, without access to dollars,
remain at a depressed level compared with 1990. The
liberalized farmers' markets introduced in 1994, sell
above-quota production at market prices, expand legal
consumption alternatives, and reduce black market prices.
Income taxes and increased regulations introduced since 1996
have sharply reduced the number of legally self-employed
from a high of 208,000 in January 1996. Havana announced in
1995 that GDP declined by 35% during 1989-93 as a result of
lost Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. The slide in
GDP came to a halt in 1994 when Cuba reported growth in GDP
of 0.7%. Cuba reported that GDP increased by 2.5% in 1995
and 7.8% in 1996, before slowing down in 1997 and 1998 to
2.5% and 1.2% respectively. Growth recovered with a 6.2%
increase in GDP in 1999 and a 5.6% increase in 2000. Much of
Cuba's recovery can be attributed to tourism revenues and
foreign investment. Growth in 2001 should continue at the
same level as the government balances the need for economic
loosening against its concern for firm political control. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $19.2 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5.6% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $1,700 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
7%
industry: 37%
services: 56% (1998 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
0.3% (1999 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
4.3 million (2000
est.)
note: state sector 75%, non-state sector 25%
(1998) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 25%,
industry 24%, services 51% (1998) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
5.5% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$13.5 billion
expenditures: $14.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
sugar, petroleum,
tobacco, chemicals, construction, services, nickel, steel,
cement, agricultural machinery |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
14.358 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
94.2%
hydro: 0.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 5.1% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
13.353 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
sugar, tobacco,
citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock |
| Exports: |
$1.8 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
sugar, nickel,
tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee |
| Exports
- partners: |
Russia 23%,
Netherlands 23%, Canada 13% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$3.4 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
petroleum, food,
machinery, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport
equipment, consumer goods |
| Imports
- partners: |
Spain 18%,
Venezuela 13%, Canada 8% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$11.1 billion
(convertible currency, 1999); another $15 billion -$20
billion owed to Russia (2000) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$68.2 million
(1997 est.) |
| Currency: |
Cuban peso (CUP) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Cuban pesos per
US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate, for
international transactions, pegged to the US dollar);
convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 1.00 US
dollar per 22 pesos by the Government of Cuba (January 2001) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
473,031 (2000) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
2,994 (1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: NA
domestic: principal trunk system, end to end of
country, is coaxial cable; fiber-optic distribution in
Havana and on Isla de la Juventud; 2 microwave radio relay
installations (one is old, US-built; the other newer,
Soviet-built); both analog and digital mobile cellular
service established
international: satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 169, FM 55,
shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios: |
3.9 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
58 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
2.64 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.cu |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
4 (2001) |
| Internet
users: |
60,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
11,969 km
standard gauge: 4,807 km 1.435-m gauge (147 km
electrified)
note: in addition to the 4,807 km of standard
gauge track in public use, 7,162 km of track is in private
use by sugar plantations; about 90% of the private use track
is standard gauge and the rest is narrow gauge (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
60,858 km
paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of
expressway)
unpaved: 31,038 km (1997) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Cienfuegos,
Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de
Cuba |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 54,821 GRT/78,062 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 7, liquefied gas
1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 5 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
171 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
77
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 35 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
94
914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 63 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Revolutionary
Armed Forces (FAR) includes ground forces, Revolutionary
Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Territorial
Troops Militia (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT); the Border
Guard (TGF) is controlled by the Interior Ministry |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
17 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 3,090,633
females age 15-49: 3,029,274 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 1,911,160
females age 15-49: 1,867,958 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
79,562
females: 85,650 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$NA |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
roughly 4% (FY95
est.) |
| Military
- note: |
Moscow, for
decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut
off almost all military aid by 1993 |
| Disputes
- international: |
US Naval Base at
Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or
US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease |
| Illicit
drugs: |
territorial
waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for cocaine
bound for the US and Europe; established the death penalty
for certain drug-related crimes in 1999 |
|
