Cuba

Communist stateIndependence 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898

Cuba as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalHavana

Area110,860 km2

Populationas each edition published it

10.62 million July 1990 · 10.06m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 34.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 76.72 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.9 children per woman 1990 · 1.49 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

12 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 5.2 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $1,370 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -15% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Land useshare of 110,860 km2

arable land 23%permanent crops 6%meadows and pastures 23%forest and woodland 17%other 31%includes 10% irrigated

Total area

110,860km2

land area: 110,860 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Coastline

3,735km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundary

29.1 km with US Naval Base at Guantanamo; note--Guantanamo is leased and as such remains part of Cuba

Disputes

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

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

Natural resources

cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica

Note

largest country in Caribbean; 145 km south of Florida

People

14 fields

Population

10,620,099

(July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

18Death

Ethnic divisions

mulatto 51%white 37%black 11%Chinese 1%

Literacy

98.5%

Religion

at least 85% nominally Roman Catholic before Castro assumed power

Labor force

3,400,000 in state sector;
30% services and government, 22% industry, 20% agriculture, 11% commerce, 10% construction, 7% transportation and communications (1988);
economically active population 4,500,000 (1987)

Organized labor

Workers Central Union of Cuba (CTC), only labor federation approved by government;
2,910,000 members;
the CTC is an umbrella organization composed of 17 member unions

Government

Communist state

17 fields

National Assembly of the People's Power, 510 seats, elected NA December 1986seats by party

PCC (indirectly elected) 510

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 Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)

Legal system

based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

president of the Council of State, first vice president of the Council of State, Council of State, president of the Council of Ministers, first vice president of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly of the People's Power (Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular)

Judicial branch

People's Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (became Prime Minister in January 1959 and 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)

Political parties and leaders

only party--Cuban Communist Party (PCC), Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary

Suffrage

universal at age 16 National Assembly of the People's Power--last held NA December 1986 (next to be held December 1991);
results--PCC is the only party;
seats--(510 total) PCC 510 (indirectly elected)

Communists

about 600,000 full and candidate members

Member of

CEMA, ECLA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB (nonparticipant), IAEA, IBEC, ICAO, IFAD, ICO, IHO, ILO, IMO, IRC, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NAM, OAS (nonparticipant), PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

Diplomatic representation

none;
protecting power in the US is Czechoslovakia--Cuban Interests Section;
Counselor Jose Antonio Arbesu FRAGA;
2630 and 2639 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20009;
telephone (202) 797-8518 or 8519, 8520, 8609, 8610;
US--protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland--US Interests Section;
Principal Officer John J. TAYLOR;
Calzada entre L y M, Vedado Seccion, Havana;
telephone 320551 or 320543

Flag

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

The Soviet-style economy, centrally planned and largely state owned, is highly dependent on the agricultural sector and foreign trade.

16 fields

Unemployment

6%overall

10% for women (1989)

External debt

$6.8billion

(convertible currency, July 1989)

Budget

Revenues

$11.7 billionExpenditures

$13.5 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989 est.)

Overview

The Soviet-style economy, centrally planned and largely state owned, is highly dependent on the agricultural sector and foreign trade. Sugar provides about 75% of export revenues and is mostly exported to the USSR and other CEMA countries. The economy has stagnated since 1985 under a program that has deemphasized material incentives in the workplace, abolished farmers' informal produce markets, and raised prices of government-supplied goods and services.

Castro has complained that the ongoing CEMA reform process has interfered with the regular flow of goods to Cuba. Recently the government has been trying to increase trade with Latin America and China. Cuba has had difficulty servicing its foreign debt since 1982. The government currently is encouraging foreign investment in tourist facilities.

Other investment priorities include sugar, basic foods, and nickel. The annual $4 billion Soviet subsidy, a main prop to Cuba's threadbare economy, may be cut in view of the USSR's mounting economic problems.

GNP

$20.9 billion, per capita $2,000; real growth rate - 1% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Exports

$5.5 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--sugar, nickel, shellfish, citrus, tobacco, coffee;
partners--USSR 67%, GDR 6%, China 4% (1988)

Imports

$7.6 billion (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities--capital goods, industrial raw materials, food, petroleum;
partners--USSR 71%, other Communist countries 15% (1988)

Industrial production

3% (1988)

Electricity

3,991,000 kW capacity; 14,972 million kWh produced, 1,425 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

sugar milling, petroleum refining, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, paper and wood products, metals (particularly nickel), cement, fertilizers, consumer goods, agricultural machinery

Agriculture

accounts for 11% of GNP (including fishing and forestry);
key commercial crops--sugarcane, tobacco, and citrus fruits;
other products--coffee, rice, potatoes, meat, beans;
world's largest sugar exporter;
not self-sufficient in food

Aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $657.5 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $13.5 billion

Currency

Cuban peso (plural--pesos); 1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Cuban pesos (Cu$) per US$1--1.0000 (linked to the US dollar)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 91 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 62refrigerated cargo 7cargo/training 3petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 10chemical tanker 1liquefied gas 2bulk; note--Cuba beneficially owns an additional 34 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 475,864 DWT under the registry of Panama, Cyprus, and Malta 691 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 701,418 GRT/1,014,014 DWT

Airports, 197 total, 168 usable

permanent-surface runways

72runways over 3,659 m

2runways 2,440-3,659 m

14runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Railroads

14,925Inland waterways

240

Railroads: ; Cuban National Railways operates 5,295 km of 1.435-meter gauge track; 199 km electrified; 9,630 km of sugar plantation lines of 0.914-1.435-meter gauge

Railroads

14,925 km total;
Cuban National Railways operates 5,295 km of 1.435-meter gauge track;
199 km electrified;
9,630 km of sugar plantation lines of 0.914-1.435-meter gauge

Highways

about 21,000 km total; 9,000 km paved, 12,000 km gravel and earth surfaced

Ports

Cienfuegos, Havana, Mariel, Matanzas, Santiago de Cuba; 7 secondary, 35 minor

Civil air

59 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

stations--150 AM, 5 FM, 58 TV;
1,530,000 TV sets;
2,140,000 radio receivers;
1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Revolutionary Armed Forces (Ground Forces, Revolutionary Navy, Air and Air Defense Force), Ministry of Interior Special Troops, Border Guard Troops, Territorial Militia Troops, Youth Labor Army

3 fields

Military manpower

eligible 15-49

6,027,131of the males 15-49, 1,897,175 are fit for military service

3,024,385of the females 15-49, 1,879,471 are fit for military service

3,002,746males and 92,765 females reach military age (17) annually

96,319

Defense expenditures

6%of GNP

about · or $1.2-$1.4 billion (1989 est.)

Branches