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Location: |
Caribbean island between the
Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West,
Florida
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Geographic
coordinates: |
21 30
N, 80 00 W |
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History: |
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 was severe and exploitative and
occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention
during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish
rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which
was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led
a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the regime
together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was
exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and
1980s. 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. Cuba portrays its difficulties as
the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. 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
1,498 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in 2004.
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Country name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of Cuba
conventional short form: Cuba
Local long form: Republica de Cuba
Local short form: Cuba |
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Capital: |
Havana |
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Government type: |
Communist State |
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Elections: |
Last Elections were held
October 16, 2002 . |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence: |
20 May 1902 (from Spain 10
December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December
1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of
independence from US administration.
Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)
Constitution:
24 February 1976, amended July 1992 and June 2002 |
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Legal system: |
based on Spanish and
American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction. People's Supreme Court or Tribunal
Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected
by the National Assembly)
Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal |
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Ruling Party: |
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 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
elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly
for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held
in 2008)
election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of
legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent
of legislative vote - 100% |
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Major Political Parties: |
One party - Cuban Communist
Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary] |
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Economic Summary: |
The government continues to
balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm
political control. It has undertaken limited reforms to increase
enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer
goods, and services. A major feature of the economy is the dichotomy
between relatively efficient export enclaves and inefficient domestic
sectors. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level
than before the depression of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of
Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. The government in 2004
strengthened its controls over dollars coming into the economy from
tourism, remittances, and trade. purchasing power parity - $33.92 billion
(2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.6%
industry: 25.5%
services: 67.9% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
11.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Labor force : |
4.55 million
note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2004 est.)
agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999) |
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Unemployment rate:
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2.5% (2004 est. |
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Budget: |
revenues: $18.01 billion
expenditures: $19.06 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004
est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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sugar, tobacco, citrus,
coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,
agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals |
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Electricity - production:
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14.41 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - consumption:
13.4 billion kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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77,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:
163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) Oil - proved reserves:
532 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:
600 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
600 million cu m (2001 est.) |
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Current account balance:
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$-185.1 million (2004 est.)
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Exports: |
$2.104 billion f.o.b. (2004
est.)
Exports - commodities:
sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 21.6%, Canada 17.6%, Russia 10.8%, Spain 8.6%, China 7.2%
(2003)
Imports:
$5.296 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports: |
petroleum, food, machinery
and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Spain 16.3%, Venezuela 12.3%, Italy 8.4%, US 8.3%, China 7.5%, Canada
5.3%, Mexico 5.2%, France 4.8% (2003) |
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Reserves: |
foreign exchange & gold:
$738.6 million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external: |
$12.09 billion (convertible
currency); another $15-20 billion owed to Russia (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$68.2 million (1997 est.) |
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Currency: |
Cuban peso (CUP)
Currency code: CUP
Exchange rates:
Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1 (nonconvertible, official rate, for
international transactions, pegged to the US dollar); convertible peso
sold for domestic use at a rate of 27 pesos per US dollar by the
Government of Cuba (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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main lines in use:
574,400 (2002)
cellular: 17,900 (2002) |
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Telephone, Internet, Radio:
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Radio broadcast stations:
AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: 58 (1997)
Internet country code: .cu
Internet hosts: 1,529 (2003)
Internet users: 120,000
note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing
the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the
Internet in large hotels, but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy
illegal passwords on the black market, or take advantage of public outlets
to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet" (2004)
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Military branches:
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Revolutionary Armed Forces
(FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER), Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air
Defense Force (DAAFAR), Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth Labor Army
(EJT)
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age; both sexes are eligible
for military service (2004)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 17-49: 2,967,865
females age 17-49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$572.3 million (2003) |
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Airports: |
170 (2004 est.) Airports -
with paved runways: total: 79 |
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Area: |
110,860 sq km |
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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: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate: |
tropical; moderated by trade
winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
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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 |
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Natural resources:
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cobalt, nickel, iron ore,
chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
Land use: arable land: 33.05%
permanent crops: 7.6%
other: 59.35% (2001)
Irrigated land: 870 sq km (1998 est.) |
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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 |
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Environment |
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 |
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Geography : |
largest country in Caribbean
and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles
People |
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Population: |
11,346,670 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.6% (male 1,139,644/female 1,079,412)
15-64 years: 70.1% (male 3,977,110/female 3,975,818)
65 years and over: 10.4% (male 540,720/female 633,966) (2005 est.)
Median age: total: 35.36 years
male: 34.73 years
female: 35.98 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.33% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 12.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)Life
expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.23 years
male: 74.94 years
female: 79.65 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2005 est. |
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HIV/AIDS |
adult prevalence rate: less
than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS -3,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality: |
noun: Cuban(s) adjective:
Cuban |
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Ethnic groups: |
mulatto 51%, white 37%,
black 11%, Chinese 1% |
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Religions: |
nominally 85% Roman Catholic
prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews,
and Santeria are also represented |
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Languages: |
Spanish |
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iteracy: |
age 15 and over can
read and write
total population: 97% male: 97.2%
female: 96.9% (2003 est.) |
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People: |
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;
Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct
flights to Miami and overland via the southwest border |
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Elections: |
last held 19 January 2003
(next to be held in NA 2008)
election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609 |
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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 |
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Illicit drugs: |
territorial waters and air
space serve as transshipment zone primarily for marijuana bound for North
America; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in
1999 |
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National Anthem: |
Hasten to battle, men of
Bayamo,
For the homeland looks proudly to you.
You do not fear a glorious death,
Because to die for the country is to live.
To live in chains
Is to live in dishonour and ignominy.
Hear the clarion call,
Hasten, braves ones, to battle!
Al combate corred bayameses
que la patria os comtempla orgullosa
no temais una muerte gloriosa
que morir por la patria es vivir
En cadenas vivir es morir
en afrenta y oprobio sumidos
del clarin escuchad el sonido
a las armas valientes corred
"La Bayamesa" (The Bayamo
Song) was first performed in 1868 during the battle of Bayamo, and the
author of the song played a leading part in the battle. Two years later,
he was captured by the Spaniards and executed by a firing squad.
Officially adopted in 1940, the anthem was retained even after the
communist revolution in 1959.
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National Dish: |
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