Map of Cuba | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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 eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from Spain in 1898 and, following three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba became an independent republic in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his authoritarian rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez, hand-picked by Raul CASTRO to succeed him, was approved as president by the National Assembly and took office on 19 April 2018.


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Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 110,860 km²
Land: 109,820 km²
Water: 1040 km²
Rank: 107
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 28.5 km
Border countries: (1) US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 28.5 km: note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba

Coastline: 3,735 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm

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

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast

Elevation
Mean elevation: 108 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Pico Turquino 1,974 m

Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 60.3% (2011 est.)
Forest: 27.3% (2011 est.)
Other: 12.4% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 8,700 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: 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

Geography
Note: largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles


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Population
Distribution: large population clusters found throughout the country, the more significant ones being in the larger towns and cities, particularly the capital of Havana: 11,116,396 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 82
Growth rate: -0.27% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 215
Below poverty line note: NA

Nationality
Noun: Cuban(s)
Adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups:

Languages: Spanish (official)

Religions:

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.44% (male 940,787 /female 886,996)
15-24 years: 12.1% (male 698,220 /female 646,684)
25-54 years: 43.69% (male 2,443,190 /female 2,414,119)
55-64 years: 12.54% (male 677,304 /female 716,704)
65 years and over: 15.22% (male 773,636 /female 918,756) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 43.3 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 23.3 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 19.9 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 5 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 41.8 years (2018 est.)
Male: 40.2 years
Female: 43.1 years
Rank: 36

Population growth rate: -0.27% (2018 est.)
Rank: 215

Birth rate: 10.6 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 185

Death rate: 8.9 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 63

Net migration rate: -4.5 migrant(s)/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 188

Population distribution: large population clusters found throughout the country, the more significant ones being in the larger towns and cities, particularly the capital of Havana

Urbanization
Urban population: 77.1% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.14% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 2.138 million HAVANA (capital) (2019)

Environment
Current issues: soil degradation and desertification (brought on by poor farming techniques and natural disasters) are the main environmental problems; biodiversity loss; deforestation; air and water pollution
International agreements 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.4 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 4.9 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.9 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 182

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.9 years (2018 est.)
Male: 76.6 years
Female: 81.4 years
Rank: 56

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 170

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 73.7% (2014)

Drinking water source
Urban: 3.6% of population
Rural: 10.2% of population
Total: 5.1% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 12.2% (2016)

Physicians density: 8.19 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density: 5.2 beds/1000 population (2014)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 5.6% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 10.9% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 6.8% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 77
People living with hivaids: 31,000 (2018 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 71
Deaths note: <500 (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate (2016)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A (2016)
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever (2016): note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 24.6% (2016)
Rank: 56

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 12.8% of GDP (2010)
Rank: 1

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.8%
Male: 99.9%
Female: 99.8% (2015)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 14 years (2016)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
Conventional short form: Cuba
Local long form: Republica de Cuba
Local short form: Cuba
Etymology: name derives from the Taino Indian designation for the island coabana meaning great place

Government type: communist state

Capital
Name: Havana
Geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W
Time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - Cuba has been known to alter the schedule of DST on short notice in an attempt to conserve electricity for lighting: etymology: the sites of Spanish colonial cities often retained their original Taino names; Habana, the Spanish name for the city, may be based on the name of a local Taino chief, Habaguanex

Administrative divisions: 15 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Dependent areas

Independence: 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence

National holiday: Triumph of the Revolution (Liberation Day), 1 January (1959)

Constitution
History: several previous; latest drafted 14 July 2018, approved by the National Assembly 22 December 2018, approved by referendum 24 February 2019
Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly of People’s Power; passage requires approval of at least two-thirds majority of the National Assembly membership; amendments to constitutional articles on the authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any rights and duties in the constitution also require approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on the Cuban political, social, and economic system cannot be amended (2018)

Legal system: civil law system based on Spanish civil code

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: unknown

Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 10 October 2019); Vice President Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (since 10 October 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 10 October 2019); Vice President Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (since 10 October 2019)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president and appointed by the National Assembly; it is subordinate to the 31-member Council of State, which is elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session
Electionsappointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (may be reelected for another 5-year term); election last held on 10 October 2019 (next to be held in 2024)
Election results: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.8%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.1%: em>note/em> - on 19 April 2018, DIAZ-CANEL succeeded Raul CASTRO as president of the Council of State; on 10 October 2019 he was elected to the newly recreated position of President of the Republic, which replaced the position of President of the Council of State

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly of Peoples Power or Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (605 seats; members directly elected by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - the National Candidature Commission submits a slate of approved candidates; to be elected, candidates must receive more than 50% of valid votes otherwise the seat remains vacant or the Council of State can declare another election
Elections: last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held in early 2023)
Election results: Cubas Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed; composition - men 283, women 322, percent of women 53.2%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Peoples Supreme Court (consists of court president, vice president, 41 professional justices, and NA lay judges); organization includes the State Council, criminal, civil, administrative, labor, crimes against the state, and military courts)
Judge selection and term of office: professional judges elected by the National Assembly are not subject to a specific term; lay judges nominated by workplace collectives and neighborhood associations and elected by municipal or provincial assemblies; lay judges appointed for 5-year terms and serve up to 30 days per year
Subordinate courts: Peoples Provincial Courts; Peoples Regional Courts; Peoples Courts

Political parties and leaders: Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Raul CASTRO Ruz]

International organization participation: ACP, ALBA, AOSIS, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 2,630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 797-8,518
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge dAffaires Mara TEKACH (since 20 June 2018)
From the us telephone: [53] (7) 839-4,100
From the us embassy: Calzada between L & M Streets, Vedado, Havana
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us FAX: NA

Flag description:

National symbols: royal palm; national colors: red, white, blue

National anthem
Name: La Bayamesa (The Bayamo Song)
Lyricsmusic: Pedro FIGUEREDO: note: adopted 1940; Pedro FIGUEREDO first performed 'La Bayamesa' in 1868 during the Ten Years War against the Spanish; a leading figure in the uprising, FIGUEREDO was captured in 1870 and executed by a firing squad; just prior to the fusillade he is reputed to have shouted, 'Morir por la Patria es vivir' (To die for the country is to live), a line from the anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The government continues to balance the need for loosening its socialist economic system against a desire for firm political control. In April 2011, the government held the first Cuban Communist Party Congress in almost 13 years, during which leaders approved a plan for wide-ranging economic changes. Since then, the government has slowly and incrementally implemented limited economic reforms, including allowing Cubans to buy electronic appliances and cell phones, stay in hotels, and buy and sell used cars. The government has cut state sector jobs as part of the reform process, and it has opened up some retail services to 'self-employment,' leading to the rise of so-called 'cuentapropistas' or entrepreneurs. More than 500,000 Cuban workers are currently registered as self-employed.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 79

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 167

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 128

Gross national saving:
Rank: 156

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 57% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 31.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 9.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 14.6% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -12.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4% (2017 est.)
Industry: 22.7% (2017 est.)
Services: 73.4% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Industries: petroleum, nickel, cobalt, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, construction, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, sugar

Industrial production growth rate: -1.2% (2017 est.)
Rank: 179

Labor force:
Rank: 86
By occupation agriculture: 18%
By occupation industry: 10%
By occupation services: 72% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 27

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line
Note: NA

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: 54.52 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 64.64 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -10.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 214

Taxes and other revenues: 58.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 8

Public debt:
Rank: 110

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 178

Central bank discount rate: NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 66

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 66

Stock of domestic credit: NA

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:
Rank: 50

Exports:
Rank: 132
Partners: Venezuela 17.8%, Spain 12.2%, Russia 7.9%, Lebanon 6.1%, Indonesia 4.5%, Germany 4.3% (2017)
Commodities: petroleum, nickel, medical products, sugar, tobacco, fish, citrus, coffee

Imports:
Rank: 98
Commodities: petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Partners: China 22%, Spain 14%, Russia 5%, Brazil 5%, Mexico 4.9%, Italy 4.8%, US 4.5% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 72

Debt external:
Rank: 80

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $4.138 billion (2006 est.)
Rank: 77

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2016)
Production: 19.28 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 76
Consumption: 16.16 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 75
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 124
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 138
Installed generating capacity: 6.998 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 74
Generation sources fossil fuels: 91% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 53
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 75
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 147
Generation sources other renewable sources: 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 85

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 50,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 53
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 111
Crude oil imports: 112,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 41
Crude oil proven reserves: 124 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 68

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 104,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 67
Products consumption: 175,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 60
Products exports: 24,190 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 69
Products imports: 52,750 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 78

Natural gas
Production: 1.189 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 66
Consumption: 1.189 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 90
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 90
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 113
Proven reserves: 70.79 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 57

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 26.94 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 78

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1,349,188
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 67
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4,613,782
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 123

Telephone system
General assessment: fixed-line and mobile services run by the state-run ETESCA; mobile-cellular telephone service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos; Cuban Government has opened several hundred Wi-Fi hotspots around the island, which are expensive, and launched a new residential Internet pilot in Havana and other provinces; as of 2018, 3G mobile service is available, if limited (2018)
Domestic: fixed-line density remains low at about 12 per 100 inhabitants; mobile-cellular service is expanding to about 41 per 100 persons (2018)
International: country code - 53; the ALBA-1, GTMO-1, and GTMO-PR fiber-optic submarine cables link Cuba, Jamaica, and Venezuela; January 2016 the FCC allowed US firms to do business directly with the Cuban telecom sector, satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) (2019)

Broadcast media
Date: (2019)

Internet
Country code: .cu
Users total: 4,334,022
Users percent of population: 38.8% (July 2016 est.)
Users: 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'
Users rank: 84

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 33,536 (2017 est.)
Rank: 138


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 26

Military and security forces: Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Revolutionary Army (Ejercito Revolucionario, ER, includes and Production and Defense Brigades), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR, includes Marine Corps), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (Defensas Anti-Aereas y Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria, DAAFAR); Paramilitary forces: Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT), Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT), Civil Defense Force. Ministry of Interior: Border Guards, State Security (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation for males, optional for females (2017)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 4 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 18 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,294,458 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 20,919,645
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: CU (2016)

Airports: 133 (2017)
Rank: 42
With paved runways total: 64 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 7 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 10 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 16 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4 (2017)
With paved runways under 914 m: 27 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 69 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 11 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 58 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines: 41 km gas, 230 km oil (2013)

Railways
Total: 8,367 km (2017)
Standard gauge: 8,195 km
Note: 1.000-m gauge (2017)
Narrow gauge: 172 km: note: 82 km of standard gauge track is not for public use
Rank: 26

Roadways
Total: 60,000 km (2015)
Paved: 20,000 km (2001)
Unpaved: 40,000 km (2001)
Rank: 75

Waterways: 240 km
Note: (almost all navigable inland waterways are near the mouths of rivers) (2011)
Rank: 94

Merchant marine
Total: 41
By type: general cargo 11, oil tanker 3, other 27 (2018)
Rank: 120

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Antilla, Cienfuegos, Guantanamo, Havana, Matanzas, Mariel, Nuevitas Bay, Santiago de Cuba


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Disputes international: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999