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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 186 usable: 166 with permanent-surface runways: 73 with runways over 3,659 m: 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 19

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

26,477 km total; 14,477 km paved, 12,000 km gravel and earth surfaced (1989 est.)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

240 km

Merchant marine [time series]

73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 511,522 GRT/720,270 DWT; includes 42 cargo, 10 refrigerated cargo, 1 cargo/training, 11 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 4 bulk; note - Cuba beneficially owns an additional 38 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 529,090 DWT under the registry of Panama, Cyprus, and Malta

Ports [time series]

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

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

12,947 km total; Cuban National Railways operates 5,053 km of 1.435-meter gauge track; 151.7 km electrified; 7,742 km of sugar plantation lines of 0.914-m and 1.435-m gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

broadcast stations - 150 AM, 5 FM, 58 TV; 1,530,000 TVs; 2,140,000 radios; 229,000 telephones; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) - including Ground Forces, Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Ministry of the Armed Forces Special Troops, Border Guard Troops, Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth Labor Army (EJT)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $1.2-1.4 billion; 10% of GNP in 1990 plan was for defense and internal security

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 3,087,255; females age 15-49 3,064,663; males fit for military service 1,929,698; females fit for military service 1,910,733; males reach military age (17) annually 90,409; females reach military age (17) annually 87,274 (1993 est.)

Note [time series]

the breakup of the Soviet Union, the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, has resulted in substantially less outside help for Cuba's defense forces

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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 (excluding sugar); sector hurt by growing shortages of fuels and parts

Budget [time series]

revenues $12.46 billion; expenditures $14.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $710 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $18.5 billion

Electricity [time series]

3,889,000 kW capacity; 16,248 million kWh produced, 1,500 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: sugar, nickel, shellfish, tobacco, medical products, citrus, coffee partners: Russia 30%, Canada 10%, China 9%, Japan 6%, Spain 4% (1992 est.)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$6.8 billion (convertible currency, July 1989)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$2.2 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals partners: Russia 10%, China 9%, Spain 9%, Mexico 5%, Italy 5%, Canada 4%, France 4% (1992 est.)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GNP - exchange rate conversion - $14.9 billion (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$1,370 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-15% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Since Castro's takeover of Cuba in 1959, the economy has been run in the Soviet style of government ownership of substantially all the means of production and government planning of all but the smallest details of economic activity. Thus, Cuba, like the former Warsaw Pact nations, has remained in the backwater of economic modernization. The economy contracted by about one-third between 1989 and 1992 as it absorbed the loss of $4 billion of annual economic aid from the former Soviet Union and much smaller amounts from Eastern Europe. The government implemented numerous energy conservation measures and import substitution schemes to cope with a large decline in imports. To reduce fuel consumption, Havana has cut back bus service and imported approximately 1 million bicycles from China, domesticated nearly 200,000 oxen to replace tractors, and halted a large amount of industrial production. The government has prioritized domestic food production and promoted herbal medicines since 1990 to compensate for lower imports. Havana also has been shifting its trade away from the former Soviet republics and Eastern Europe toward the industrialized countries of Latin America and the OECD.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 110,860 km2 land area: 110,860 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate [time series]

tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)

Coastline [time series]

3,735 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

averages one hurricane every other year

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

8,960 km2 (1989)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 29 km, US Naval Base at Guantanamo 29 km note: Guantanamo is leased and as such remains part of Cuba

Land use [time series]

arable land: 23% permanent crops: 6% meadows and pastures: 23% forest and woodland: 17% other: 31%

Location [time series]

in the northern Caribbean Sea, 145 km south of Key West (Florida)

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean, North America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

largest country in Caribbean

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to rolling plains with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality*, (municipio Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las, Tunas, Matanzas, Clara

Capital [time series]

Havana

Constitution [time series]

24 February 1976

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Principal Officer Alfonso FRAGA Perez (since August 1992) chancery: 2630 and 2639 16th Street NW, US Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 797-8518 or 8519, 8520, 8609, 8610

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

National Assembly of People's Power: last held December 1986 (next to be held February 1993); results - PCC is the only party; seats - (510 total; after the February election, the National Assembly will have 590 seats) indirectly elected from slates approved by special candidacy commissions

Executive branch [time series]

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, Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

People's Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo Popular)

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and 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)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

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

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba

National holiday [time series]

Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

16 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

Communist state

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Principal Officer Alan H. FLANIGAN US Interests Section: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada entre L Y M, Vedado Seccion, Havana mailing address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada Entre L Y M, Vedado, Havava telephone: 32-0051, 32-0543 FAX: no service available at this time note: protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland - US Interests Section, Swiss Embassy

People

Birth rate [time series]

17.08 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.5 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

10.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

4,620,800 economically active population (1988); 3,578,800 in state sector by occupation: services and government 30%, industry 22%, agriculture 20%, commerce 11%, construction 10%, transportation and communications 7% (June 1990)

Languages [time series]

Spanish

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 76.72 years male: 74.59 years female: 78.99 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 94% male: 95% female: 93%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

10,957,088 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

nominally Roman Catholic 85% prior to Castro assuming power

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.83 children born/woman (1993 est.)