OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Cuba
CAPITAL: Havana
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: Unitary Socialist Republic
AREA: 114,524 Sq Km (44,218 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 12,735,400
LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY: Cuba is an island located on the
northern rim of the Caribbean Sea west of Haiti, south of
Florida and north of Jamaica. It consists of the island
of Cuba, Isla de la Juventud (Island of Youth) and 1,600
islets and cays. Topographically, 66% of Cuba is flat land
of rolling plains, with mountain systems, such as the Central
Escambray, the western Sierra de los Organos and the rugged
easterly Sierra Maestra, accounting for the remaining 34%.
Much of the southern coast is low and marshy while the northern
coast is generally steep and rocky with some of the best
harbors in the world. The rest of the land is flat or gently
rolling with many wide, fertile valleys and plains. Cuba
has over 200 rivers as well as small streams or arroyos
that are dry in summer. The country's longest river is the
Cauto. Major Cities (pop. est.); Havana 2,176,000, Santiago
de Cuba 440,100, Camaguey 294,000, Holguin 242,100, Guantanamo
207,800 (1993). Land Use; forested 24%, pastures 27%, agricultural-cultivated
30%, other 19% (1993).
CLIMATE: Cuba has a temperate semitropical climate due to the
moderating influence of the trade winds. There are two seasons, the dry
season from November to April and the wet season from May to October. Around
75% of the rainfall occurs during the wet season and is well distributed
throughout the country. The amount of rainfall varies from year to year
and droughts are also common. Cuba is subject to tropical hurricanes with
one generally occurring every year. Average temperature ranges in Havana
are from 18 to 26 degrees Celsius (64 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit) in January
to 24 to 32 degrees Celsius (75 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) in July.
PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are the Whites who account
for 66% of the population while Mulattoes who are of mixed Spanish and
Black African descent as well as Mestizos who are of mixed Spanish and
AmerIndian descent account for 22% of the population. Black Africans account
for 12% and Asians for 1%. Other ethnic minorities include East Mediterranean
and German Jews.
DEMOGRAPHIC/VITAL STATISTICS: Density; 97 persons per sq km (250
persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 72.8% urban, 27.2% rural (1990).
Sex Distribution; 50.4% male, 49.6% female (1990). Life Expectancy at Birth;
72.7 years male, 76.1 years female (1984). Age Breakdown; 23% under 15,
32% 15 to 29, 20% 30 to 44, 13% 45 to 59, 12% 60 and over (1989). Birth
Rate; 17.5 per 1,000 (1990). Death Rate; 6.5 per 1,000 (1990). Increase
Rate; 11.0 per 1,000 (1990). Infant Mortality Rate; 11.1 per 1,000 live
births (1989).
RELIGIONS: As a socialist state there is no official or state
religion. Although 85% of the population are nominally Roman Catholic while
other religious minorities include Protestants, Jews and Afro-Cuban cults
such as the Santeria (Thing of the Saints).
LANGUAGES: The official language is Spanish which is spoken by
virtually all of the population. It is described as a disfigured Castilian
with an admixture of AmerIndian, African and English words.
EDUCATION: Aged 25 or over and having attained: no formal schooling
or incomplete primary 39.6%, primary 26.6%, secondary 29.6%, higher 4.2%
(1981). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 7,200,000 or 96.0%
(1985).
MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1993: In 1953 Cuba saw the failed Castro
revolution resulting in Fidel Castro a young lawyer and many of his followers
being jailed. In 1955 Castro was released from prison and began a guerrilla
war from the mountains which the government under Fulgencio Batista attempted
to crush, however this only increased the peoples' support for the rebels.
In 1958 many Cubans lost confidence in Batista's government and in 1959
Castro's forces took control of the government with Castro later becoming
Prime Minister of Cuba. The revolutionary leaders abolished the political
and military structure of Batista's government and many former political
officials as well as army officers were tried and executed. In 1959 the
then Pres. Manuel Urrutia was removed and a nationalization program was
instituted. The Castro government grew hostile towards the US after West
European nations under US pressure refused to sell arms to Cuba. In 1960
Cuba and the USSR signed their first trade agreement while the Castro government
took over the American oil refineries in Cuba and eventually took over
all remaining US businesses in Cuba. In early 1961 the US ended diplomatic
relations with Cuba and restricted travel to Cuba by American citizens.
In April 1961 the US sponsored Bay of Pigs, an anti-Castro invasion by
Cuban exiles, failed. In Dec. 1961 Castro declared himself as a Marxist-Leninist
and Cuba a communist state. In 1962 Cuban leaders convinced the US was
planning an attack, urged the USSR to send more military aid. The USSR
responded to these requests and the US learned that Cuba had missile bases
which could launch nuclear attacks on US cities. The then US Pres. John
F. Kennedy (JFK) demanded that the USSR remove the missiles and the missile
bases while for several days the world stood still on the brink of its
first nuclear war. Finally, the USSR agreed to Kennedy's demands after
a pledge not to attack Cuba if the missiles were removed. The USSR withdrew
the missiles and became the country's principal trading partner. Today
Cuba supports rebel groups in other Latin American countries and aids countries
in Africa that support communist policies. Cuban troops fought with procommunist
groups in civil wars in Angola in 1976 and Ethiopia in 1977. US-Cuba relations
were further strained when a mass exodus of 125,000 Cubans many of which
were criminals or mentally ill landed in the US. In 1990 the wave of economic
and social reforms that sweep through Eastern Europe did not reach Cuba
and Pres. Castro re-affirmed his commitment to the socialist concepts of
central economic planning. In March 1990 the US government began trial
programs from its TV Marti propaganda station with a channel aimed at Cuban
viewers. Cuba responded by jamming the broadcasts and in April, jammed
Radio Marti which had been broadcasting since 1985. In 1991 some 11,000
Soviet troops were withdrawn from Cuba with Soviet Pres. Gorbachev stating
that relations would be based political and economic links only while Cuban
troops in Angola and Congo were also withdrawn in April and May 1991. In
Aug. 1991 the US temporarily suspended tourist visa applications due to
an influx of Cuban visitors as a result of relaxed travel restriction by
Cuban authorities. In July 1991 Pres. Castro attended the first Ibero-American
summit in Mexico. In Sept. 1991 eight small dissident groups united to
form a single democratic opposition group, although later several dissidents
were arrested. Also during 1991 further economic problems also became evident
as essential items were rationed for the first time under the "special
period in peacetime" while the government continued to support tourism
projects as a means of earning much-needed foreign exchange. In 1992 the
domestic economy was severely affected by the loss of Soviet trade and
economic support with electricity supplies being cut for 3 to 4 hours per
day while there were further shortages fuel and basic food items. In Jan.
1992 three exiles were put on trial after being caught with weapons and
explosives and sentenced to death, although later two sentences were commuted
to 30 years imprisonment while in Feb. 1992 two men were executed for murdering
three policemen while attempting to flee the country. In July 1992 Cuba
was admitted to the Caribbean Tourism Organization which provided their
industry with a boost with receipts up 23%. Also in July 1992 the National
Assembly approved constitutional reforms that included secret voting for
members and private investment in certain state companies as well as foreign
ownership in the form of joint venture operations. In Nov. 1992 the UN
General Assembly voted 59-3 with 79 abstentions in favor of a resolution
calling for the end to the US trade embargo on Cuba. Also during 1992 US
Pres. Bush authorized AT&T to install a new telephone cable to Cuba
as a result of claimed benefits in more information following into Cuba,
however, the service was severed in Aug. 1992 after Hurricane Andrew damaged
equipment while Cuba also sign bilateral trade agreements with several
Arab countries, some former Soviet republics and China. In Jan. 1993 severe
rains ruined the sugar harvest while a hurricane in March and flooding
in June further amplified the economic hardships of the country and its
people. In July 1993 the government announced in the face of the worsening
economic situation that citizens would be allowed to possess US dollars
and other convertible currencies which they could spend in special shops
while in Aug. 1993 the reform mood intensified when four key economic ministers
were replaced. In Sept. 1993 Pres. Castro signed a decree that authorized
limited private enterprise which provided a small step towards a mixed
economy. In 1993 there was no relaxation in the US trade and financial
embargo, although relations improved with the US informing Cuba of planned
naval exercises and cooperating on a joint anti-drug operation in Sept.
1993.
CURRENCY: The official currency is the Peso (CUP) divided into
100 Centavos.
ECONOMY: Gross National Product; USD $17,000,000,000 (1991).
Public Debt; N/A. Imports; USD $2,032,000,000 (1994). Exports; USD $1,235,000,000
(1994). Tourism Receipts; USD $216,000,000 (1993). Balance of Trade; USD
$ -797,000,000 (1994). Economically Active Population; 4,570,236 or 43.7%
of total population (1988). Unemployed; 6.0% (1988).
MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the former
USSR, former European communist countries, China, Canada, Japan, France,
Spain, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Beans, Cassava, Cobalt, Chrome, Coffee, Copper,
Iron Ore, Livestock, Maize, Nickel, Oranges, Rice, Sugar Cane, Sweet Potatoes,
Tobacco, Tropical Fruits.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Agriculture, Cement, Chemicals, Fertilizers, Fishing,
Food Processing, Light Consumer Production, Metal Refining, Mining, Oil
Refining, Textiles, Tobacco Products.
MAIN EXPORTS: Chemicals, Coffee, Copper, Fish, Fruit and Vegetables,
Nickel, Rum, Sugar, Tobacco.
TRANSPORT: Railroads; route length 4,843 km (3,009 mi) (1989),
passenger-km 2,891,000,000 (1,796,000,000 passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km
2,416,200,000 (1,654,855,000 short ton-mi) (1989). Roads; length 34,000
km (21,127 mi) (1985). Vehicles; cars 206,300 (1985), trucks and buses
172,800 (1985). Merchant Marine; vessels 410 (1990), deadweight tonnage
1,115,163 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 3,177,700,000 (1,974,531,000
passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km 36,500,000 (24,999,000 short ton-mi)
(1989).
COMMUNICATIONS: Daily Newspapers; total of 17 with a total circulation
of 1,315,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 3,608,000 (1994). Television; receivers
2,500,000 (1994). Telephones; units 344,200 (1993).
MILITARY: 105,000 (1995) total active duty personnel with 80.9%
army, 4.8% navy and 14.3% air force while military expenditure accounts
for 2.7% (1994) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
|
|
|
© 1993-2011, Latimer Clarke Corporation Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved
https://www.latimerclarke.com
Use of these site materials or portion thereof is restricted
Atlapedia is a trademark and in worldwide use
See our Legal Notice for Copyright and Linking conditions of use
Best viewed at 1024x768 or higher
|
|
|
|