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NAVIGATION
Republic of Cuba
Republica de Cuba
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
conventional short form: Cuba local short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de 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 |
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Constitution:
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24 February 1976, amended July 1992 |
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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
elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2007) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100% cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly; note - there is also a Council of State whose members are elected by the National Assembly 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 |
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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 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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CCC, ECLAC, 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), OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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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 (since August 2001); 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 Seccion, Havana; telephone: 33-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: 33-3700; 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 |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a concern for firm political control. It has undertaken limited reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase enterprise efficiency, and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services, but is unlikely to implement extensive changes. 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 severe economic depression of the early 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. High oil prices, recessions in key export markets, and damage from Hurricane Michelle hampered growth in 2001. Cuba paid high prices for oil imports in the face of slumping prices in the key sugar and nickel industries and suffered a slowdown in tourist arrivals following September 11. The government aimed for 3% growth in 2002, but growth was held back by hurricanes, depressed tourism, and faltering world economic conditions, including low world sugar prices and a shortage of external financing. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $25.9 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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0% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 8%
industry: 35% services: 58% |
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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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7.1% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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4.3 million
note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (1999) (2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999) (1999) |
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Unemployment rate:
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4.1% (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $14.9 billion
expenditures: $15.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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sugar, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, services, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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0.2% (2001 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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14.87 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 95%
hydro: 0% other: 5% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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13.829 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock |
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Exports:
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$1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 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 22.4%, Russia 13.3%, Canada 13.3%, Spain 7.3%, China 6.2% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$4.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 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 12.7%, France 6.5%, Canada 5.7%, China 5.3%, Italy 5.0% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$12.3 billion (convertible currency, 2000 est.); another $15 billion -$20 billion owed to Russia (2001) (2002 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$68.2 million (1997 est.) |
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Currency:
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Cuban peso (CUP) |
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Currency code:
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CUP |
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Exchange rates:
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Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate, for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar); convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 1.00 US dollar per 27 pesos by the Government of Cuba (January 2002) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |