Map of Cuba | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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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: 1,040 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Country comparison total: 28.5 km
Country comparison border countries: (1) US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 28.5 km
Country comparison note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba

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
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 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
Highest point: Pico Turquino 1,974 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 108 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 60.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 33.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 3.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 22.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 27.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 12.4% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 8,700 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 1.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 740 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 4.52 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 38.12 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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
Total: 10,966,038
Male: 5,441,507
Female: 5,524,531 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: -0.17% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Cuban(s)
Adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups: White 64.1%, Mulatto or mixed 26.6%, Black 9.3% (2012 est.)
Note: data represent racial self-identification from Cuba's 2012 national census

Languages: Spanish (official)
Major-language samples: La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, Muslim <1%, other <1%, none 23.2% (2020 est.)
Note: folk religions include religions of African origin, spiritualism, and others intermingled with Catholicism or Protestantism; data is estimative because no authoritative source on religious affiliation exists for Cuba

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 918,066/female 866,578)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 3,670,531/female 3,623,658)
65 years and over: 17.2% (2024 est.) (male 852,910/female 1,034,295)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 45.9
Youth dependency ratio: 23.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 22.9
Potential support ratio: 4.4 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 42.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 41 years
Female: 44.4 years

Population growth rate: -0.17% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 9.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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: 77.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 2.149 million HAVANA (capital) (2023)

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 13.32 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 28.28 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 9.3 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 39 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 77.8 years
Female: 82.6 years

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 69% (2019)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 98.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 3% of population
Unimproved total: 1.5% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 1.1% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 5.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 94.8% of population
Improved rural: 87% of population
Improved total: 93% of population
Unimproved urban: 5.2% of population
Unimproved rural: 13% of population
Unimproved total: 7% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 24.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 4.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 1.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 17.9% (2020 est.)
Male: 25.5% (2020 est.)
Female: 10.3% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.4% (2019)

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.7%
Male: 99.6%
Female: 99.7% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 15 years (2021)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 3.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 2.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
Conventional short form: Cuba
Local long form: República 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 (Havana), 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

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 19 April 2018)
Head of government: Prime Minister Manuel MARRERO Cruz (since 21 December 2019)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president and appointed by the National Assembly
Elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 19 April 2023 (next to be held in 2,028)
Election results: 2023: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) reelected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 97.7%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) reelected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 93.4%; 2018: 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%
Note: on 19 April 2018, DIAZ-CANEL succeeded Raul CASTRO as president of the Councils of State and Ministers; on 10 October 2019 he was elected to the newly created position of President of the Republic, which replaced the position of President of the Councils of State and Ministers

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (474 seats; (470 seats filled in 2023); members directly elected by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 26 March 2023 (next to be held in early 2,028)
Elections results: Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed; composition- men 208, women 262, percent of women 55.7%
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

Judicial branch
Highest courts: People's 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: People's Provincial Courts; People's Regional Courts; People's Courts

Political parties and leaders: Cuban Communist Party or PCC

International organization participation: ACP, ACS, ALBA, AOSIS, CABEI, CELAC, EAEU (observer), 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, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Lianys TORRES RIVERA (since 14 January 2021)
In the us chancery: 2,630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 797-8,515
In the us fax: [1] (202) 797-8,521
In the us email address and website: recepcion@usadc.embacuba.cu; [link]
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Mike HAMMER (since 14 November 2024)
From the us embassy: Calzada between L & M Streets, Vedado, Havana
From the us mailing address: 3,200 Havana Place, Washington DC 20,521-3,200
From the us telephone: [53] (7) 839-4,100
From the us fax: [53] (7) 839-4,247
From the us email address and website: acshavana@state.gov; [link]

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; the blue bands refer to the three old divisions of the island: central, occidental, and oriental; the white bands describe the purity of the independence ideal; the triangle symbolizes liberty, equality, and fraternity, while the red color stands for the blood shed in the independence struggle; the white star, called La Estrella Solitaria (the Lone Star) lights the way to freedom and was taken from the flag of Texas
Note: design similar to the Puerto Rican flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

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

National anthem
Name: 'La Bayamesa' (The Bayamo Song)
Lyrics/music: 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
Total world heritage sites: 9 (7 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: still largely state-run planned economy, although privatization increasing under new constitution; widespread protests due to lack of basic necessities and electricity; massive foreign investment increases recently; known tobacco exporter; unique oil-for-doctors relationship with Venezuela; widespread corruption

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $137 billion (2017 est.); $134.8 billion (2016 est.); $134.2 billion (2015 est.)
Note: data are in 2016 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 1.77% (2022 est.); 1.25% (2021 est.); -10.95% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $12,300 (2016 est.); $12,200 (2015 est.); $12,100 (2014 est.)
Note: data are in 2016 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 59.6% (2022 est.)
Government consumption: 32.5% (2022 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 11.5% (2022 est.)
Investment in inventories: 5.1% (2022 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 40% (2022 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -48.8% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.8% (2022 est.)
Industry: 23.8% (2022 est.)
Services: 74.6% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: sugarcane, cassava, plantains, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, milk, pumpkins/squash, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: -6.73% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 5.317 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 1.16% (2023 est.); 1.25% (2022 est.); 1.37% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 3.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 2.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

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.)

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

Public debt: 47.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.06% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.5% (2017 est.); 4.5% (2016 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $985.4 million (2017 est.); $2.008 billion (2016 est.)

Exports: $8.769 billion (2020 est.); $12.632 billion (2019 est.); $14.53 billion (2018 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 40%, Spain 13%, Germany 5%, Portugal 4%, Switzerland 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: tobacco, nickel, zinc ore, liquor, raw sugar (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $8.067 billion (2020 est.); $10.971 billion (2019 est.); $12.567 billion (2018 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Spain 23%, China 12%, US 10%, Brazil 8%, Netherlands 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: poultry, wheat, milk, plastic products, soybean oil (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $11.35 billion (31 December 2017 est.); $12.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:
Note: official exchange rate of 24 Cuban pesos per US dollar effective 1 January 2021


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 7.667 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 14.559 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.688 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 95.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 2.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 4,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 165,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 124 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 659.434 million m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 659.434 million m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 70.792 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 21.693 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 7,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 20.46 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 1.226 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 32.255 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1.574 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 7.6 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 68 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 4.2% of GDP (2020 est.); 3.2% of GDP (2019 est.); 2.9% of GDP (2018 est.); 2.9% of GDP (2017 est.); 3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military and security forces: Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Revolutionary Army (Ejercito Revolucionario, ER), 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, National Revolutionary Police (2023)

Military service age and obligation: 17-28 years of age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military service; conscripts serve for 24 months (2024)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 18
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 560,754 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 17.76 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: CU

Airports: 123 (2024)

Heliports: 4 (2024)

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

Railways

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

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

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: Cuba is not a major consumer, producer, or transshipment point for illicit drugs; domestic production and consumption curbed by aggressive policing; prescription drug abuse remains low