| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Central America and the Caribbean |
| Geographical Location |
21° 30' North Latitude
80° 00' West Longitude |
| Surface Area |
110,860 sq km |
| Climate |
Tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October) |
| Natural Resources |
Cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Republic of Cuba |
| Capital City |
Havana |
| Government Type |
Communist state |
| 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 |
| Independence Day |
20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
11,346,670 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Cuban |
| Ethnic Groups |
Mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1% |
| Religion |
Nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented |
| Languages |
Spanish |
| Population Growth Rate |
0.33% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC) |
| Industries |
Sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals |
| Labor Force |
4.55 million (2004 est.)
note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999) |
| Agriculture Products |
Sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock |
| Export Commodities |
Sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee |
| Export Partners |
Netherlands 23.5%, Canada 21.9%, China 8.3%, Russia 7.8%, Spain 6.6% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals |
| Import Partners |
Spain 15.4%, Venezuela 13.7%, US 11.5%, China 8%, Canada 6.6%, Italy 6.5%, Mexico 4.9%, Germany 4.2% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
4,226 km |
| Highways |
60,858 km |
| Pipelines |
Gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2004) |
| Airports |
170 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+53 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.cu |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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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