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National Map
Of |
Cuba |
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National Flag
Of |
Cuba |
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Flag Description:
five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and
bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle
based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in
the center
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Cuba |
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National Anthem
Of |
Cuba |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Cuba |
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Background:
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The
native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline
after the European discovery of the island by
Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its
development as a Spanish colony during the next several
centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported
to work the coffee and sugar plantations and Havana
became the launching point for the annual treasure
fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish
rule was severe and exploitative and occasional
rebellions were harshly suppressed. It was US
intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898
that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent
Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which
was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition
period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in
1959; his iron rule has held the regime together since
then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support,
was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during
the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly
recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990,
following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies,
worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays
its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in
place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using
homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the
southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast
Guard intercepted 1,498 individuals attempting to cross
the Straits of Florida in 2004. |
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Location:
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Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
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Geographic coordinates:
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21 30 N,
80 00 W |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
110,860 sq km
land: 110,860 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Pennsylvania |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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3,735 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical;
moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to
April); rainy season (May to October) |
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Terrain:
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mostly
flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains
in the southeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m |
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Natural resources:
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cobalt,
nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber,
silica, petroleum, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 33.05%
permanent crops: 7.6%
other: 59.35% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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870 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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the east
coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November
(in general, the country averages about one hurricane
every other year); droughts are common |
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Environment - current issues:
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air and
water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life
Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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largest
country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the
Greater Antilles |
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Population:
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11,346,670 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 19.6% (male 1,139,644/female 1,079,412)
15-64 years: 70.1% (male 3,977,110/female
3,975,818)
65 years and over: 10.4% (male 540,720/female
633,966) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
35.36 years
male: 34.73 years
female: 35.98 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.33%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.03
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.19
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.58
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
6.33 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 77.23 years
male: 74.94 years
female: 79.65 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.66
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than
0.1% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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3,300
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
200 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Cuban(s)
adjective: Cuban |
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Ethnic groups:
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mulatto
51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1% |
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Religions:
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nominally
85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are
also represented |
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Languages:
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Spanish
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97.2%
female: 96.9% (2003 est.) |
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People - note:
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illicit
migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to
depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts,
alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas;
Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US
including direct flights to Miami and overland via the
southwest border |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
conventional short form: Cuba
local long form: Republica de Cuba
local short form: Cuba |
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Government type:
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Communist
state |
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Capital:
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Havana
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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20 May
1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the
US from 1898 to 1902) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December
1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902
is the date of independence from US administration;
Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953) |
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Constitution:
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24
February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002 |
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Legal system:
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based on
Spanish and American law, with large elements of
Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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16 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 and appointed by the
National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State,
elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is
not in session
elections: president and vice presidents elected
by the National Assembly for a term of five years;
election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in
2008)
election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected
president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul
CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of
legislative vote - 100% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or
Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected
directly from slates approved by special candidacy
commissions; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be
held in NA 2008)
election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%;
seats - PCC 609 |
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Judicial branch:
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People's
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president,
vice president, and other judges are elected by the
National Assembly) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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only
party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz,
first secretary] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since
1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none;
note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss
Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ
Barrera; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss
Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009;
telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none;
note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss
Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON;
address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M
Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551
through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53]
(7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland
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Flag description:
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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; design influenced by the US flag |
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Economy - overview:
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The
government continues to balance the need for economic
loosening against a desire for firm political control.
It has undertaken limited reforms to increase enterprise
efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food,
consumer goods, and services. A major feature of the
economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient
export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The
average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower
level than before the depression of the 1990s, which was
caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic
inefficiencies. The government in 2004 strengthened its
controls over dollars coming into the economy from
tourism, remittances, and trade. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$33.92
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2004
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 6.6%
industry: 25.5%
services: 67.9% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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4.55
million
note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22%
(2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999) |
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Unemployment rate:
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2.5%
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.1%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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11.2% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $18.01 billion
expenditures: $19.06 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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sugar,
tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans;
livestock |
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Industries:
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sugar,
petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,
agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1.4%
(2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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14.41
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 93.9%
hydro: 0.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 5.4% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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13.4
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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77,900
bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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163,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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532
million bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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600
million cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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600
million cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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42.62
billion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
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$-185.1
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$2.104
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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sugar,
nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee
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Exports - partners:
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Netherlands 22.7%, Canada 20.6%, China 7.7%, Russia
7.5%, Spain 6.4%, Venezuela 4.4% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$5.296
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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Spain
14.7%, Venezuela 13.5%, US 11%, China 8.9%, Canada 6.4%,
Italy 6.2%, Mexico 4.9% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$738.6
million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$12.09
billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion
owed to Russia (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$68.2
million (1997 est.) |
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Currency (code):
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Cuban
peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC) |
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Currency code:
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CUP
(nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban
peso) |
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Exchange rates:
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Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.93
note: Cuba has three currencies in circulation:
the Cuban peso (CUP), the convertible peso (CUC), and
the US dollar (USD), although the dollar is being
withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the official
exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC
(0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises;
individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC
sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought;
enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1
ratio. |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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574,400
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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17,900
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: greater investment beginning in
1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of
Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has
resulted in improvements in the system; wireless service
is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners and
regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service
illegally with the help of foreigners
domestic: national fiber-optic system under
development; 85% of switches digitized by end of 2004;
telephone line density remains low, at 10 per 100
inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic
cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite
earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 169,
FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Radios:
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3.9
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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58 (1997)
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Televisions:
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2.64
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.cu |
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Internet hosts:
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1,529
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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5 (2001)
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Internet users:
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120,000
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" (2004) |
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Railways:
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total:
4,226 km
standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km
electrified)
note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by
sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard
gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
60,858 km
paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)
unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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240 km
(2004) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 49
km; oil 230 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,818 GRT/81,850 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker
1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)
registered in other countries: 20 (2005) |
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Airports:
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170 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
79
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
91
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 62 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army
(ER), Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense
Force (DAAFAR), Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth
Labor Army (EJT) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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17 years
of age; both sexes are eligible for military service
(2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 17-49: 2,967,865
females age 17-49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 17-49: 2,441,927
females age 17-49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
91,901
females: 87,500 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$572.3
million (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.8%
(2003) |
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Military - note:
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Moscow,
for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993 |
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Disputes - international:
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US Naval
Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate
the lease |
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Illicit drugs:
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territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment
zone primarily for marijuana bound for North America;
established the death penalty for certain drug-related
crimes in 1999 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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