Cuba
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Cuba Geography 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 AreaŃcomparative: 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 Coastline: 3,735 km 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 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 EnvironmentŃcurrent issues: pollution of Havana Bay; overhunting threatens wildlife populations; deforestation EnvironmentŃinternational 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, Marine Life Conservation GeographyŃnote: largest country in Caribbean People Population: 11,050,729 (July 1998 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 1,247,339; female 1,182,612) 15-64 years: 69% (male 3,795,310; female 3,777,454) 65 years and over: 9% (male 490,883; female 557,131) (July 1998 est.) Population growth rate: 0.42% (1998 est.) Birth rate: 13.13 births/1,000 population (1998 est.) Death rate: 7.35 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.) Net migration rate: -1.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.) 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: 0.88 male(s)/female (1998 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.89 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.64 years male: 73.29 years female: 78.13 years (1998 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.57 children born/woman (1998 est.) Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban Ethnic groups: mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1% Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 85% prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented Languages: Spanish Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 96.2% female: 95.3% (1995 est.) Government Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba Data code: CU Government type: Communist state National capital: Havana Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (provincias, singularŃprovincia) 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 Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902) National holiday: Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953); Liberation Day, 1 January (1959) Constitution: 24 February 1976 Legal system: based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; does not accept 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); noteŃthe 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); noteŃthe 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 to be held NA) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of legislative voteŃNA; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative voteŃNA 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 NA 2003) election results: percent of voteŃNA; seatsŃPCC 601 Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo Popular), president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly Political parties and leaders: only partyŃCuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary] International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: none; noteŃCuba 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; noteŃthe US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Michael G. KOZAK; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado Seccion, Havana; telephone: 33-3551 through 3559 and 33-3543 through 3547 (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 Economy EconomyŃoverview: The state plays the primary role in the economy and controls practically all foreign trade. The government has undertaken several reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase labor incentives, and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The liberalized agricultural markets introduced in October 1994, at which state and private farmers sell above-quota production at unrestricted prices, have broadened legal consumption alternatives and reduced black market prices. Government efforts to lower subsidies to unprofitable enterprises and to shrink the money supply caused the semi-official exchange rate for the Cuban peso to move from a peak of 120 to the dollar in the summer of 1994 to 23 to the dollar by yearend 1997. New taxes introduced in 1996 helped drive down the number of self-employed workers from 208,000 in January 1996 to 176,000 by September 1997. Havana announced in 1995 that GDP declined by 35% during 1989-93, the result of lost Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. The drop in GDP apparently halted in 1994, when Cuba reported 0.7% growth, followed by increases of 2.5% in 1995 and 7.8% in 1996. Growth slowed again in 1997, to 2.5%, in part due to a poor sugar harvest. Export earnings declined 3% in 1997, to $1.9 billion, the result of lower sugar export volume and lower world prices for nickel and sugar. Imports remained unchanged in 1997 at $3.2 billion. Tourism plays a key role in foreign currency earnings. The disparity between those at the top of the ladder and those at the bottom has increased markedly in the past 10 years. Living standards for the average Cuban remain at a depressed level compared with 1990. GDP: purchasing power parityŃ$16.9 billion (1997 est.) GDPŃreal growth rate: 2.5% (1997 est.) GDPŃper capita: purchasing power parityŃ$1,540 (1997 est.) GDPŃcomposition by sector: agriculture: 7.6% industry: 34.8% services: 57.6% (1996 est.) Inflation rateŃconsumer price index: NA% Labor force: total: 4.5 million economically active population (1996 est.) by occupation: services and government 30%, industry 22%, agriculture 20%, commerce 11%, construction 10%, transportation and communications 7% (June 1990) note: state sector 76%, non-state sector 24% (1996 est.) Unemployment rate: 8% (1996 est.) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA Industries: sugar, petroleum, food, tobacco, textiles, chemicals, paper and wood products, metals (particularly nickel), cement, fertilizers, consumer goods, agricultural machinery Industrial production growth rate: 6% (1995 est.) ElectricityŃcapacity: 3.988 million kW (1995) ElectricityŃproduction: 10.105 billion kWh (1995) ElectricityŃconsumption per capita: 924 kWh (1995) AgricultureŃproducts: sugarcane, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes and other tubers, beans; livestock Exports: total value: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: sugar, nickel, tobacco, shellfish, medical products, citrus, coffee partners: Russia 18%, Netherlands 14% Canada 13% (1997 est.) Imports: total value: $3.2 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.) commodities: petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals partners: Spain 14%, Russia 12%, Mexico 9% (1997 est.) DebtŃexternal: $10.5 billion (convertible currency, 1996); another $20 billion owed to Russia (1996) Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $46 million (1997 est.) Currency: 1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: Cuban pesos (Cu$) per US$1Ń1.0000 (non-convertible, official rate, linked to the US dollar) Fiscal year: calendar year Communications Telephones: 229,000 Telephone system: among the world's least developed telephone systems domestic: NA international: satellite earth stationŃ1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 150, FM 5, shortwave 1 Radios: 2.14 million (1993 est.) Television broadcast stations: 58 Televisions: 2.5 million (1993 est.) Transportation Railways: total: 4,677 km standard gauge: 4,677 km 1.435-m gauge (132 km electrified) note: a large amount of track is in private use by sugar plantations Highways: total: 27,700 km paved: 15,484 km unpaved: 12,216 km (1996 est.) Waterways: 240 km Ports and harbors: Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba Merchant marine: total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 91,981 GRT/126,416 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 6 note: Cuba owns an additional 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 463,155 DWT operating under the registries of Panama, Cyprus, Malta, and Belize (1997 est.) Airports: 171 (1997 est.) AirportsŃwith paved runways: total: 77 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 36 (1997 est.) AirportsŃwith unpaved runways: total: 94 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 61 (1997 est.) Military 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), which is controlled by the Interior Ministry Military manpowerŃmilitary age: 17 years of age Military manpowerŃavailability: males age 15-49: 3,060,954 females age 15-49: 3,010,932 (1998 est.) Military manpowerŃfit for military service: males: 1,898,351 females: 1,861,976 (1998 est.) Military manpowerŃreaching military age annually: males: 67,200 females: 63,716 (1998 est.) Military expendituresŃdollar figure: $NA Military expendituresŃpercent of GDP: roughly 4% (1995 est.) MilitaryŃnote: Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993 Transnational Issues DisputesŃinternational: 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: territory serves as lesser transshipment zone for cocaine bound for the US