Cuba

Cuba

Introduction

Background

The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from the US in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959

his iron rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba’s Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba at times portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source if its difficulties. Illicit migration to the US – using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border – is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 1,000 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2011.

Geography

Location

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates

21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total: 110,860 sq km
country comparison to the world: 106 land:109,820 sq km
water:1,040 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 remains part of Cuba

Coastline

3,735 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone:24 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 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, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

Land use

arable land: 27.63%
permanent crops:6.54%
other:65.83% (2005)

Irrigated land

8,700 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

38.1 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 8.2cu km/yr (19%/12%/69%)
per capita:728cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year)

droughts are common

Environment – current issues

air and water pollution

biodiversity loss

deforestation

Environment – international agreements

party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:Marine Life Conservation

Geography – note

largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Cuban(s)
adjective:Cuban

Ethnic groups

white 65.1%, mulatto and mestizo 24.8%, black 10.1% (2002 census)

Languages

Spanish (official)

Religions

nominally Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jewish, Santeria
note:prior to CASTRO assuming power

Population

11,087,330 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.3% (male 984,607/female 931,167)
15-64 years:71.1% (male 3,947,047/female 3,932,128)
65 years and over:11.7% (male 583,757/female 708,624) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 38.4 years
male:37.6 years
female:39.2 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.104% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205

Birth rate

9.99 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192

Death rate

7.47 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117

Net migration rate

-3.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183

Urbanization

urban population: 75% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:0% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

HAVANA (capital) 2.14 million (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.83 male(s)/female
total population:0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

53 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 96

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 184 male:5.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female:4.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.7 years
country comparison to the world: 57 male:75.46 years
female:80.08 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.44 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192

Health expenditures

11.8% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 13

Physicians density

6.399 physicians/1,000 population (2007)
country comparison to the world: 2

Hospital bed density

5.9 beds/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 26

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 96% of population
rural: 89% of population
total: 94% of population
unimproved:
urban: 4% of population
rural: 11% of population
total: 6% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 94% of population
rural: 81% of population
total: 91% of population
unimproved:
urban: 6% of population
rural: 19% of population
total: 9% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

7,100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111

HIV/AIDS – deaths

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases:dengue fever (2009)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

11.8% (2002)
country comparison to the world: 50

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.9% (2000)
country comparison to the world: 95

Education expenditures

13.6% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 2

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:99.8%
male:99.8%
female:99.8% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 18 years
male:16 years
female:19 years (2009)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 3.1%
country comparison to the world: 127 male:2.8%
female:3.5% (2008)

People – note

illicit emigration is a continuing problem

Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas

Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border

Government

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

Capital

name: Havana
geographic coordinates:23 07 N, 82 21 W
time difference:UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:+1hr, begins third Sunday in March

ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions

15 provinces (provincias, singular – provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial)

Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence

20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898

administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)

not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence

National holiday

Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)

Constitution

24 February 1976

amended July 1992 and June 2002

Legal system

civil law system based on Spanish civil code

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage

16 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008)

First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008)

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 Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (president since 24 February 2008)

First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura (since 24 February 2008)
cabinet:Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State, elected by the assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term

election last held on 24 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz elected president

percent of legislative vote – 100%

Jose Ramon MACHADO Ventura elected vice president

percent of legislative vote – 100%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly of People’s Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (number of seats in the National Assembly is based on population

614 seats

members elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-year terms)
elections:last held on 20 January 2008 (next to be held in January 2013)
election results:Cuba’s Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed

Judicial branch

People’s Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice presidents, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders

Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Human Rights Watch

National Association of Small Farmers

International organization participation

ACP, AOSIS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

none

note – Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Jorge BOLANOS Suarez

address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518

FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521

Diplomatic representation from the US

none

note – the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Chief of Mission Jonathan D. FARRAR

address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana

telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required)

FAX: [53] (7) 833-1653

protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

Flag description

five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white

a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center

the blue bands refer to the three old divisions of the island: central, occidental, and oriental

the white bands describe the purity of the independence ideal

the triangle symbolizes liberty, equality, and fraternity, while the red color stands for the blood shed in the independence struggle

the white star, called La Estrella Solitaria (the Lone Star) lights the way to freedom and was taken from the flag of Texas
note:design similar to the Puerto Rican flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

National anthem

name: “La Bayamesa” (The Bayamo Song)
lyrics/music:Pedro FIGUEREDO
note:adopted 1940

Pedro FIGUEREDO first performed “La Bayamesa” in 1868 during the Ten Years War against the Spanish

a leading figure in the uprising, FIGUEREDO was captured in 1870 and executed in front of a firing squad

just prior to the fusillade he is reputed to have shouted, “Morir por la Patria es vivir” (To die for the country is to live), a line from the anthem

Economy

Economy – overview

The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. The government announced it would eliminate 500,000 state jobs by March 2011 and has expanded opportunities for self-employment. President Raul CASTRO said such changes were needed to update the economic model to ensure the survival of socialism. The government has introduced limited reforms, some initially implemented in the 1990s, to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The average Cuban’s standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late 2000, Venezuela has been providing oil on preferential terms, and it currently supplies about 100,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela including some 30,000 medical professionals.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$114.1 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65 $112.4 billion (2009 est.)
$110.8 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$57.49 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

1.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161 1.4% (2009 est.)
4.1% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$9,900 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109 $9,800 (2009 est.)
$9,700 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 4%
industry:20.9%
services:74.2% (2010 est.)

Labor force

5.147 million
country comparison to the world: 71 note:state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2010 est.)

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 20%
industry:19.4%
services:60.6% (2005)

Unemployment rate

1.6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9 1.7% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:NA%

Investment (gross fixed)

10.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184

Budget

revenues: $46.14 billion
expenditures:$48.61 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

80.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132

Public debt

34.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82 34.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102 1.4% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA%

Stock of narrow money

$11.63 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70 $11.74 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$35.98 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70 $35.61 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$NA

Agriculture – products

sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans

livestock

Industries

sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate

-2.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156

Electricity – production

16.99 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity – consumption

14.2 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

53,690 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62

Oil – consumption

176,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60

Oil – exports

6,882 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100

Oil – imports

109,500 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63

Oil – proved reserves

124 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas – production

1.16 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62

Natural gas – consumption

1.16 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas – proved reserves

70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58

Current account balance

$201.4 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59 $538.9 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$3.816 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118 $2.879 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports – partners

China 25.5%, Canada 23.3%, Venezuela 10%, Spain 5.6% (2010)

Imports

$10.41 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90 $8.91 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports – partners

Venezuela 35.2%, China 11.7%, Spain 8.5%, Brazil 4.6%, Canada 4.2%, US 4.1% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$4.847 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85 $4.647 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$19.75 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76 $19.42 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – at home

$NA (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad

$4.138 billion (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62

Exchange rates

Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar -
0.9259 (2010)
0.9259 (2009)
0.9259 (2008)
0.9259 (2007)
0.9231 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

136 (2010)
country comparison to the world:42

Airports – with paved runways

total: 65
over 3,047 m:7
2,438 to 3,047 m:9
1,524 to 2,437 m:17
914 to 1,523 m:5
under 914 m:27 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 71
914 to 1,523 m:13
under 914 m:58 (2010)

Pipelines

gas 41 km

oil 230 km (2010)

Railways

total: 8,598 km
country comparison to the world: 25 standard gauge:8,322 km 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified)
narrow gauge:276 km 1.000-m gauge
note:4,533 km of the track is used by sugar plantations

4,257 km is standard gauge

276 km is narrow gauge (2009)

Roadways

total: 60,858 km
country comparison to the world: 73 paved:29,820 km (includes 638 km of expressway)
unpaved:31,038 km (2001)

Waterways

240 km (almost all navigable inland waterways are near the mouths of rivers) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 95

Merchant marine

total: 5
country comparison to the world: 130 by type:cargo 2, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 2
registered in other countries:6 (Cyprus 1, former Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 4) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Antilla, Cienfuegos, Guantanamo, Havana, Matanzas, Mariel, Nuevitas Bay, Santiago de Cuba, Tanamo

Military

Military branches

Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Revolutionary Army (Ejercito Revolucionario, ER, includes Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT))

Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR, includes Marine Corps)

Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT) (2011)

Military service age and obligation

17-28 years of age for compulsory military service

2-year service obligation

both sexes subject to military service (2006)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,998,201
females age 16-49:2,919,107 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,446,131
females age 16-49:2,375,590 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 72,823
female:69,108 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

Military – note

the collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the Cuban military of its major economic and logistic support and had a significant impact on the state of Cuban equipment

the army remains well trained and professional in nature

while the lack of replacement parts for its existing equipment has increasingly affected operational capabilities, Cuba remains able to offer considerable resistance to any regional power (2010)

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Cuba is a source country for adults and some children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking

prostitution of children reportedly occurs in Cuba as prostitution is not criminalized for anyone above 16 years old

the scope of trafficking within Cuba is particularly difficult to gauge due to the closed nature of the government and sparse non-governmental or independent reporting
tier rating:Tier 3 – Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so

the government did not publicize information about government measures to address human trafficking through prosecution, protection, or prevention efforts during the reporting period (2011)

Illicit drugs

territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs

established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999 (2008)