1987 Edition

Boundary disputes

none; Guantanamo (US Naval Base) leased to US

Climate

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

Coastline

3,735 km

Comparative area

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Continental shelf

200 m

Environment

averages one hurricane every other year

Extended economic zone

200 nm

Land boundary

29.1 km with Guantanamo (US Naval Base)

Land use

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

Special notes

largest country in Caribbean; 145 km south of Florida

Terrain

mostly flat to rolling plains with some hills and mountains

Territorial sea

12 nm

Total area

5 Santiago U.S. Caribbaan Sea de Cuba ted Se

110,860 km?; land area: 110,860 km?

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

15/1,000 (1985)

Labor force

3.0 million; 47% industry and commerce, 28% services and government, 25% agriculture (1982)

Language

Spanish

Life expectancy

74

Literacy

96%

Nationality

noun—Cuban(s); adjective— Cuban Cuba (continued)

Population

10,259,473 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 0.90%

Religion

at least 85% nominally Roman Catholic before Castro assumed power

Administrative divisions

14 provinces and 169 municipalities

Branches

executive; legislature (National Assembly of the People’s Power); controlled judiciary

Capital

Havana

Communists

about 500,000 party members

Elections

National People’s Assembly (indirect election) every five years; last election held December 1986 Political parties and leaders: Cuban Communist Party (PCC), First Secretary Fidel] Castro Ruz, Second Secretary Ranl Castro Ruz

Government leader

Fidel CASTRO Ruz, President (since January 1959)

Legal system

based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; new constitution 2 December 1976; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Member of

CEMA, ECLA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB (nonparticipant), JAEA, ICAO, IFAD, ICO, IHO, [LO, IMO, IRC, ISO, ITU, [WC—International Wheat Council, NAM, OAS (nonparticipant), PAHO, Permanent Court of Arbitration, Postal Union of the Americas and Spain, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

National holiday

Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 January

Official name

Republic of Cuba

Suffrage

universal but not compulsory over age 16

Type

Communist state

Agriculture

sugar, tobacco, rice, potatoes, tubers, citrus, coffee

Budget

$15.1 billion (1986 est.)

Crude steel

412,900 metric tons produced (1985); 40 kg per capita

Electric power

3,461,000 kW capacity; 14,030 million kWh produced, 1,370 kWh per capita (1986)

Exports

$6.5 billion (f.0.b., 1985); sugar, nickel, shellfish, tobacco, coffee, citrus

Fiscal year

calendar year

Fishing

catch 198,400 metric tons (1984); exports $102 million (1984 est.)

Imports

$8.6 billion (c.i.f., 1985); capital goods, industrial raw materials, food, petroleum

Major industries

sugar milling, petroleum refining, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, paper and wood products, metals, cement

Major trade partners

exports—72% USSR, 17% other Communist countries; imports—66% USSR, 18% other Communist countries (1984)

Monetary conversion rate

0.93 peso=US$1 (December 1986 official)

Natural resources

cobalt, nickel, iron, copper, manganese, salt, forests

Shortages

spare parts for transportation — and industrial machinery, consumer goods

Airfields

202 total, 186 usable; 66 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m, 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 18 with runways 1,220-2,489 m

Civil air

59 major transport aircraft

Highways

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

Inland waterways

240 km

Ports

10 major, 26 secondary, 34 minor

Railroads

14,925 km total; Cuban National Railways operates 5,295 km of ].485-meter gauge track; 199 km electrified; 9,630 km of sugar plantation lines of 0.914-1.485-meter gauge

Telecommunications

143 AM, 5 FM, 52 TV stations; 1,525,000 TV sets; 2,140,000 receiver sets; 1 satellite ground station

Branches

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

Military manpower

eligible 15-49, 5,765,000; of the 2,893,000 males 15-49, 1,819,000 are fit for military service; of the 2,871,000 females 15-49, 1,802,000 are fit for military service; 112,000 males and 108,000 females reach military age (17) annually