Country Facts - Cuba

The People

Nationality

Cuban(s)

Ethnic Composition

Mixed (Black and White)	51%
White	37%
Black African	11%
Chinese	1%

Religious Composition

Roman Catholic (pre-Castro)	85%
Other and nonaffiliated	15%

Languages Spoken

Spanish is the official language of business and government.

Education and Literacy

Elementary education is compulsory for five years. The literacy rate for the adult population is 95.7 percent.

Labor Force

Total: 4.3 million (2000)
By occupation:

Services	51%
Industry	25%
Agriculture	24%

Geography

Land Mass Total

42,803 sq mi (110,860 sq km)

Land

42,803 sq mi (110,860 sq km)

Land Boundaries

Total: 18 mi (29 km)

Border countries: U.S. Naval Base at Guant ánamo Bay 18 mi (29 km)

Note: Guant ánamo Naval Base is leased by the United States and thus remains part of Cuba.

Coastline

2,320 mi (

3,735 km)

Maritime claim

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate/Weather

Tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October).

Terrain

Flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast.

Elevation extremes

Lowest: Caribbean Sea 0 ft (0 m)
Highest: Pico Turquino 6,578 ft (2,005 m)

Natural Resources

Cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

Land use

Arable land	33%
Permanent crops	8%
Permanent pastures	59%

(1998)

Natural hazards

The east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common.

Environment - current issues

Pollution of Havana Bay; over-hunting threatens wildlife populations; deforestation.

Geography Note

Largest country in Caribbean, and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles.

Demographics

Population

11,224,321 (July 2002

)

Age structure

0-14 years:	20.6%	Male: 1,188,125	Female: 1,125,743
15-64 years:	69.3%	Male: 3,902,162	Female: 3,880,531
65 years and over:	10.1%	Male: 520,849	Female: 606,911

(2002)

Growth Rate

0.35% (2002)

Life Expectancy

76.6 years (2002)
female: 79.15 years
male: 74.2 years

GDP Per Capita

Purchasing power parity
US$2,300 (2001)

Infant Mortality

7.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2002)

Sex ratio

At birth:	1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15 years:	1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:	1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over:	0.86 male(s)/female
Total population:	1 male(s)/female

(2002)

Net migration rate

-1.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002)

Economy & Trade

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 subsequently depreciated the peso by approximately 30 percent.
The slow recovery of the U.S. in 2002 had its effect on Cuba, as its exiles in the U.S. decreased their remittances by 30 percent to family members back on the island. The Cuban government has fallen behind in repaying US$500 worth of debt to private firms and banks in France, Spain, Japan, Canada, Chile and Venezuela. It has also been quietly renegotiating over $US1 billion in commercial loans, which represents about 10 percent of total debt. Though American businesses (especially tourism) are keen to set up shop on the island, current U.S. leadership has pushed a review of its economic policy towards Cuba far down the "to do" list for 2003.

Unemployment

4.1% (2001)

Inflation Rate

0.5% (2001)

Industries

Sugar, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, services, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology

Exports

US$1.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports

US$4.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Total Trade

Purchasing power parity
GDP US$25.5 billion (2001)

Top Export Partners

Russia 18%, Canada 16%, Netherlands 12% (2000)

Top Import Partners

Spain 16%, Venezuela 13%, Italy 8% (2000)

Top Exports

Sugar, nickel, tobacco, shellfish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Top Imports

Petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, transport equipment, consumer goods

Debt - external

$11 billion (convertible currency, 2000); another $15 billion -$20 billion owed to Russia (2001)

Economic aid

US$68.2 million (1997)

Fiscal Year:

Calendar year

Business Workweek

	Monday - Friday	Saturday - Sunday
Offices	8:30a.m. to 12:30p.m. and 1:30p.m. to 5:30p.m.	Closed
Retail	8:30a.m. to noon and 1:30p.m. to 5p.m. with	Slightly shorter hours on weekends. Until recently, it was customary to be closed on Sundays, but more retail stores are staying open on Sundays now.
Banks	9a.m. to 5p.m.	Closed
Government	8:30a.m. to noon and 1:30p.m. to 5p.m.	Closed

Holidays

Official Holidays

Holidays	2002	2003	2004
Liberation Day	January 1	January 1	January 1
New Year's Day	January 1	January 1	January 1
Victory Day	January 2	January 2	January 2
Baire Proclamation	February 24	February 24	February 24
Labor Day	May 1	May 1	May 1
Independence Day	May 20	May 20	May 20
Anniversary of the Eve of the Revolution	July 25	July 25	July 25
Anniversary of the Day of the Revolution	July 27	July 27	July 27
War of Independence Remembrance Day	October 10	October 10	October 10
Christmas Day¹	December 25	December 25	December 25

¹	Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. In A.D.320, Pope Julius I fixed the date at December 25 based on the Gregorian calendar. The Orthodox church calculates Christmas using the Julian calendar and celebrates 13 days later on January 7.

Country information used by permission of World Trade Press