Country name conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
conventional short form: Cuba
local short form: Cuba
local long form: Republica de Cuba Background Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the country 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, or falsified visas - is a continuing problem. Some 2,500 Cubans attempted the crossing of the Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard apprehended about 60% of the individuals.Location Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida Area total: 110,860 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 110,860 sq km Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania Coastline 3,735 km 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 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 air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation Geography - note largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles Population 11,263,429 (July 2003 est.) Age structure 0-14 years: 20.1% (male 1,164,376; female 1,103,061)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 3,932,604; female 3,909,523)
65 years and over: 10.2% (male 531,608; female 622,257) (2003 est.) Median age total: 34.5 years
male: 33.9 years
female: 35.1 years (2002) 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: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 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 Languages Spanish Internet country code .cu Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 96.9% (2003 est.)
male: 97.2%
total population: 97% Government type Communist state 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) Legal system based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction International organization participation ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Economy - overview The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has undertaken limited reforms in recent years to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services but is unlikely to implement extensive changes. 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 severe economic depression of the early 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. High oil import prices, recessions in key export markets, damage from Hurricanes Isidore and Lili, and the tourist slump after 11 September 2001 hampered growth in 2002. Exports - partners Netherlands 19.1%, Russia 18.1%, Canada 14.3%, Spain 9.5%, China 7.3% (2002) Currency Cuban peso (CUP) Currency code 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 27 pesos by the Government of Cuba (2002) Airports 161 (2002) Airports - with paved runways total: 70
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
under 914 m: 31 (2002) Airports - with unpaved runways total: 91
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 63 (2002) 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 |
