Cuba

Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) includes ground forces, Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Territorial Troops Militia (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT); Interior Ministry Border Guards (TGF)

exchange rate conversion - $NA, roughly 4% of GDP (1995 est.)

Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

males age 15-49: 3,053,431 females age 15-49: 3,009,852 males fit for military service: 1,898,644 females fit for military service: 1,866,313 males reach military age (17) annually: 65,182 females reach military age (17) annually: 61,960 (1996 est.)

AM 150, FM 5, shortwave 0

2.14 million (1993 est.)

among the world's least developed telephone systems domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)

430,000 (1987 est.)

58

2.5 million (1993 est.) Defense

sugarcane, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes and other tubers, beans; livestock

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos

recipient: ODA, $NA

The state retains a primary role in the economy and controls practically all foreign trade. The government has undertaken several reforms in recent years designed to stem excess liquidity, raise labor incentives, and increase the availability of food, consumer goods, and services from depressed levels. The liberalized agricultural markets introduced in October 1994, where state and private farms are authorized to sell any above-quota production at unrestricted prices, have broadened legal consumption alternatives and reduced black market prices. The government's efforts to reduce subsidies to loss-making enterprises and shrink the money supply caused the black market exchange rate to move from a peak of 120 pesos to the dollar in the summer of 1994 to 25-30 pesos to the dollar at yearend 1995. The number of self-employed workers licensed by the government increased more slowly in 1995, from 160,000 at yearend 1994 to 190,000 in July 1995 and to about 210,000 in January 1996. Discussions continue within the leadership over the relative affluence of self-employed workers and the growing inequality of income in what has historically been a strictly egalitarian society. The government released new economic data in 1995 which showed a 35% decline in GDP during 1989-1993, a drop precipitated by the withdrawal of massive Soviet aid and prolonged by Cuba's own economic inefficiencies. The decline in GDP apparently was halted in 1994, and government officials claim that GDP increased by 2.5% in 1995. Export earnings rose by 20% in 1995 to $1.6 billion, largely on the strength of higher world prices for key commodities and increased production of nickel through joint ventures with a Canadian firm. Higher export revenues and new credits from European firms and Mexico enabled Havana to increase its imports for the first time in six years. Imports rose 21% to almost $2.4 billion, or 30% of the 1989 level. Officials have sharply criticized provisions of legislation under consideration in the US Congress, which aims to curtail third-country investment in expropriated US properties in Cuba and deny official assistance to Havana.

capacity: 3,990,000 kW production: 12 billion kWh consumption per capita: 1,022 kWh (1993)

Cuban pesos (Cu$) per US$1 - 1.0000 (non-convertible, official rate, linked to the US dollar)

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: sugar, nickel, shellfish, tobacco, medical products, citrus, coffee partners: Canada 15%, China 15%, Russia 15% (1995 est.)

$9.1 billion (convertible currency,1995); another $20 billion owed to Russia (1995)

calendar year

purchasing power parity - $14.7 billion (1995 est.)

agriculture: 7% industry: 30% services: 63% (1994)

$1,300 (1995 est.)

2.5% (1995 est.)

$2.4 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals partners: Spain 15%, Mexico 15%, Russia 10%, (1995 est.)

6% (1995 est.)

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

NA%

4.71 million economically active population (1989); 3,527,000 employed in state civilian sector (1989) by occupation: services and government 30%, industry 22%, agriculture 20%, commerce 11%, construction 10%, transportation and communications 7% (June 1990)

NA%

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

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

3,735 km

current issues: pollution of Havana Bay; overhunting threatens wildlife populations; deforestation 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 international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

21 30 N, 80 00 W

largest country in Caribbean

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

8,960 sq km (1989)

total: 29 km border country: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba

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

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Florida

Central America and the Caribbean

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

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

mostly flat to rolling plains with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

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

Havana

24 February 1976

members elected by the National Assembly

CU

none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Fernando REMIREZ DE ESTENOZ; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2639 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518 through 8520

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) and 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) were elected by the National Assembly cabinet: Council of Ministers were proposed by the president of the Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly

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

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

CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

People's Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo Popular), president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly

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

unicameral National Assembly of People's Power (Asemblea Nacional del P: elections last held NA February 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); seats - 589 total, elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions

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

Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953); Liberation Day, 1 January (1959)

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

16 years of age; universal

Communist state

none; note - the US does have an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Joseph G. SULLIVAN; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada Entre L Y M, Vedado Seccion, Havana; telephone: 33-3551 through 3559, 33-3543 through 3547 (operator assistance required); FAX: 33-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

0-14 years: 22% (male 1,256,674; female 1,191,652) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,753,343; female 3,736,043) 65 years and over: 10% (male 478,630; female 534,992) (July 1996 est.)

13.37 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

7.39 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

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

9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Spanish

total population: 75.05 years male: 72.71 years female: 77.54 years (1996 est.)

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 95.7% male: 96.2% female: 95.3%

noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban

-1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

10,951,334 (July 1996 est.)

0.44% (1996 est.)

nominally Roman Catholic 85% prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

1.52 children born/woman (1996 est.)

total: 156 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 7 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 7 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 14 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 9 with paved runways under 914 m: 87 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 31 (1995 est.)

total: 26,500 km paved: 14,575 km unpaved: 11,925 km (1996 est.)

total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 220,870 GRT/310,169 DWT ships by type: cargo 17, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 4, oil tanker 9, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 9 note: Cuba owns an additional 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 462,517 DWT operating under the registries of Panama, Cyprus, Malta, Belize, and Mauritius (1995 est.)

Cienfuegos, La Habana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba

total: 4,677 km standard gauge: 4,677 km 1.435-m gauge (132 km electrified) note: a large amount of track is in private use by sugar plantations

240 km