1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Introduction
Background
Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959, and his guiding vision has defined Cuba's Communist revolution while his iron will has held the country together for more than four decades. CASTRO brought Cuba onto the world stage by inviting Soviet support in the 1960s, inciting revolutionary movements throughout Latin America and Africa in the 1970s, and sending his army to fight in Angola in the 1980s. At home, Havana provided Cubans with high levels of healthcare, education, and social security while suppressing the Roman Catholic Church and arresting political dissidents. Cuba is slowly recovering from severe economic recession following the withdrawal of former-Soviet subsidies, worth $4billion-$6 billion per year, in 1990.
Geography
Area
total: 110,860 sq km land: 110,860 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
Coastline
3,735 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m
Environment--current issues
pollution of Havana Bay; overhunting threatens wildlife populations; deforestation
Environment--international agreements
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Geographic coordinates
21 30 N, 80 00 W
Geography--note
largest country in Caribbean
Irrigated land
9,100 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 29 km border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba
Land use
arable land: 24% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 27% forests and woodland: 24% other: 18% (1993 est.)
Location
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Florida
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
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
Natural resources
cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica, petroleum
Terrain
mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 22% (male 1,236,899; female 1,172,560) 15-64 years: 69% (male 3,820,255; female 3,801,768) 65 years and over: 9% (male 496,772; female 568,141) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
12.9 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
7.38 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%
Infant mortality rate
7.81 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Spanish
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.78 years male: 73.41 years female: 78.3 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 96.2% female: 95.3% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban
Net migration rate
-1.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
11,096,395 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
0.4% (1999 est.)
Religions
nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.58 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Havana
Constitution
24 February 1976
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba
Data code
CU
Executive branch
chief of state: 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); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government 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); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly note: there is also a Council of State whose members are elected by the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 24 February 1998 (next election unscheduled) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of legislative vote--100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote--100%
Flag description
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
Government type
Communist state
Independence
20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
International organization participation
CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note--Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Fernando REMIREZ DE ESTENOZ; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss (202) 797-8518 Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note--the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Michael G. KOZAK; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado Seccion, Havana; telephone: 33-3551 through 3559 and 33-3543 through 3547 (operator assistance required); FAX: 33-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland
Judicial branch
People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly) Political parties and leaders: only party--Cuban Communist Party
Legal system
based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (601 seats, elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 January 1998 (next to be held in 2003) election results: percent of vote--PCC 94.39%; seats--PCC 601
National holiday
Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953); Liberation Day, 1 January (1959)
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
sugarcane, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
Budget
revenues: $12.3 billion expenditures: $13 billion , including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Currency
1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos
Debt--external
$10.1 billion (convertible currency, 1997); another $20 billion owed to Russia (1997)
Economic aid--recipient
$46 million (1997 est.)
Economy--overview
The state plays the primary role in the economy and controls practically all foreign trade. The government has undertaken several reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase labor incentives, and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The liberalized agricultural markets introduced in October 1994, at which state and private farmers sell above-quota production at unrestricted prices, have broadened legal consumption alternatives and reduced black market prices. Government efforts to lower subsidies to unprofitable enterprises and to shrink the money supply caused the semi-official exchange rate for the Cuban peso to move from a peak of 120 to the dollar in the summer of 1994 to 21 to the dollar by yearend 1998. New taxes introduced in 1996 helped drive down the number of self-employed workers from 208,000 in January 1996 to 155,000 by July 1998. Havana announced in 1995 that GDP declined by 35% during 1989-93, the result of lost Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. The drop in GDP apparently halted in 1994, when Cuba reported 0.7% growth, followed by increases of 2.5% in 1995 and 7.8% in 1996. Growth slowed again in 1997 and 1998 to 2.5% and 1.2% respectively. Export earnings declined 22% in 1998, to $1.4 billion, the result of lower sugar export volume and lower world prices for nickel and sugar. Import expenditures also fell 15% to $3.0 billion, in part due to lower world oil prices. Tourism and remittances play a key role in foreign currency earnings. Living standards for the average Cuban remain at a depressed level compared with 1990.
Electricity--consumption
14.1 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
14.1 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 98.96% hydro: 1.04% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Cuban pesos (Cu$) per US$1--1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate, linked to the US dollar)
Exports
$1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities
sugar, nickel, tobacco, shellfish, medical products, citrus, coffee
Exports--partners
Russia 27%, Canada 18%, Spain 8% (1998 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$17.3 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 7.4% industry: 36.5% services: 56.1% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,560 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
1.2% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$3 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities
petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals
Imports--partners
Spain 17%, France 9%, Canada 9% (1998 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
6% (1995 est.)
Industries
sugar, petroleum, food, tobacco, textiles, chemicals, paper and wood products, metals (particularly nickel), cement, fertilizers, consumer goods, agricultural machinery
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Labor force
4.5 million economically active population (1996 est.) note: state sector 76%, non-state sector 24% (1996 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
services and government 30%, industry 22%, agriculture 20%, commerce 11%, construction 10%, transportation and communications 7% (June 1990)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
6.8% (1997 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 150, FM 5, shortwave 1
Radios
2.14 million (1993 est.)
Telephone system
among the world's least developed telephone systems domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Telephones
229,000
Television broadcast stations
58 (1997)
Televisions
2.5 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
170 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 77 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 36 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 93 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 61 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 60,858 km paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway) unpaved: 31,038 km (1997 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 89,091 GRT/125,463 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 9, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 5 (1998 est.)
Railways
total: 4,807 km standard gauge: 4,807 km 1.435-m gauge (147 km electrified) note: a large amount of track is in private use by sugar plantations
Waterways
240 km Ports and harbors: Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba
Military and Security
Military branches
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); the Border Guard (TGF) is controlled by the Interior Ministry
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
roughly 4% (1995 est.)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 3,068,140 females age 15-49: 3,014,686 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,900,893 females age 15-49: 1,862,411 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
17 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 76,328 females: 72,551 (1999 est.)
Military--note
Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease
Illicit drugs
territory serves as transshipment zone for cocaine bound for the US and Europe