Cuba

communist state

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 second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - Cuba has been known to alter the schedule of DST on short notice in an attempt to conserve electricity for lighting etymology: Spanish soldier Diego VELAZQUEZ named the city San Cristobal de la Habana, or Saint Christopher of the Habana; "Habana" may have been the name of a local ethnic group, but the meaning of the word is unknown

chief of state: President Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 19 April 2018) head of government: Prime Minister Manuel MARRERO Cruz (since 21 December 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president and appointed by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 19 April 2023 election results: 2023: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) reelected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 97.7%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) reelected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 93.4% 2018: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.8%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.1% expected date of next election: 2028

legislature name: National Assembly of the People's Power (Asamblea nacional del Poder popular) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 470 (all directly elected) electoral system: other systems scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/26/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 55.7% expected date of next election: March 2028 note: the National Candidature Commission submits a slate of approved candidates; to be elected, candidates must receive more than 50% of valid votes, otherwise the seat remains vacant or the Council of State can declare another election

highest court(s): People's Supreme Court (consists of court president, vice president, 41 professional justices, and NA lay judges); organization includes the State Council, criminal, civil, administrative, labor, crimes against the state, and military courts) judge selection and term of office: professional judges elected by the National Assembly are not subject to a specific term; lay judges nominated by workplace collectives and neighborhood associations and elected by municipal or provincial assemblies; lay judges appointed for 5-year terms and serve up to 30 days per year subordinate courts: People's Provincial Courts; People's Regional Courts; People's Courts

history: several previous; latest drafted 14 July 2018, approved by the National Assembly 22 December 2018, approved by referendum 24 February 2019 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly of People s Power; passage requires approval of at least two-thirds majority of the National Assembly membership; amendments to constitutional articles on the authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any rights and duties in the constitution also require approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on the Cuban political, social, and economic system cannot be amended

ACP, ACS, ALBA, AOSIS, CABEI, CELAC, EAEU (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC (national committees), 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, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

4.2% of GDP (2020 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2019 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Ground Troops (Tropas Terrestres), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (Defensas Anti-Aereas y Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria, DAAFAR) Paramilitary forces under the FAR: Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT), Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT), Defense and Production Brigades (Brigadas de Producci n y Defensa, BPD), Civil Defense Organization (Defensa Civil de Cuba) Ministry of Interior: National Revolutionary Police (Polic a Nacional Revolucionaria, PNR), Directorate of Border Guard Troops (Direcci n de Tropas de Guardia Fronteriza, TGF), Department of State Security (Departamento de Seguridad del Estado, DSE) (2025)

military service is mandatory for all men and voluntary for women (ages 17-28); service obligation is 24 months with the Armed Forces or the Ministry of Interior; reserve commitment for men until age 45 (2025)

the Cuban military is largely focused on protecting territorial integrity and the state; it perceives the US as its primary threat; the military is a central pillar of the Cuban regime and viewed as the guardian of the Cuban revolution; it has a large role in the country s politics and economy; many senior government posts are held by military officers, and the FAR reportedly has interests in agriculture, banking and finance, construction, import/export, ports, industry, real estate, retail, shipping, transportation, and tourism (2025)

$81.165 billion (2024 est.) $81.985 billion (2023 est.) $83.597 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars

$23,700 (2024 est.) $18,300 (2023 est.) $13,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars

-1.9% (2023 est.) 1.8% (2022 est.) 1.3% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

76.1% (2022 est.) 151.9% (2021 est.) 11.9% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

42.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

$8.768 billion (2020 est.) $12.632 billion (2019 est.) $14.53 billion (2018 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$8.067 billion (2020 est.) $10.971 billion (2019 est.) $12.567 billion (2018 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

1.6% (2024 est.) 1.8% (2023 est.) 1.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $54.52 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: $64.64 billion (2017 est.)

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

sugarcane, cassava, plantains, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, milk, tomatoes, pumpkins/squash, sweet potatoes, bananas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 10,059,519 (2025 est.) male: 4,950,615 female: 5,108,904

-0.6% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 16.3% (male 918,066/female 866,578) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 3,670,531/female 3,623,658) 65 years and over: 17.2% (2024 est.) (male 852,910/female 1,034,295)

7.78 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

11.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 80.1 years (2024 est.) male: 77.8 years female: 82.6 years

urban population: 77.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

White 64.1%, Mulatto or mixed 26.6%, Black 9.3% (2012 est.) note: data represent racial self-identification from Cuba's 2012 national census

Spanish (official) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de informaci n b sica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist 1%, Hindu 1%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 1%, none 23.2% (2020 est.) note: folk religions include religions of African origin, spiritualism, and others intermingled with Catholicism or Protestantism; data is estimative because no authoritative source on religious affiliation exists for Cuba

total population: 97.7% (2019 est.) male: 99% (2019 est.) female: 96.3% (2019 est.)

cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

tier rating: Tier 3 Cuba does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Cuba remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/cuba/

refugees: 171 (2024 est.) IDPs: 37,171 (2024 est.)

120 (2025)

total: 8,367 km (2017) standard gauge: 8,195 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified) narrow gauge: 172 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge note: As of 2013, 70 km of standard gauge and 12 km of narrow gauge track were not for public use

total: 65 (2023) by type: general cargo 13, oil tanker 10, other 42

total subscriptions: 8.01 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 73 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 71% (2023 est.) 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"; issues relating to COVID-19 impact research into internet adoption, so actual internet user figures may be different than published numbers suggest