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 that 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 the US 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 iron 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. The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,656 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2007. |
|
|
|
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 references:
|
|
|
Area:
|
|
total: 110,860 sq km
country comparison to the world: 112
land:
109,820 sq km
water:
1,040 sq km
|
|
|
Area - comparative:
|
|
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
|
|
|
Land boundaries:
|
|
total: 29 km
border countries:
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 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 extremes:
|
|
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:
Pico Turquino 2,005 m
|
|
|
Natural resources:
|
|
cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
|
|
|
Land use:
|
|
arable land: 27.63%
permanent crops:
6.54%
other:
65.83% (2005)
|
|
|
Irrigated land:
|
|
8,700 sq km (2003)
|
|
|
Total renewable water resources:
|
|
38.1 cu km (2000)
|
|
|
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
|
total: 8.2 cu km/yr (19%/12%/69%)
per capita:
728 cu m/yr (2000)
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
Environment - current issues:
|
|
air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation
|
|
|
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation
|
|
|
Geography - note:
|
|
largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles |
|
|
|
Population:
|
| 11,451,652 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
|
|
|
Age structure:
|
|
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,077,745/female 1,020,393)
15-64 years:
70.4% (male 4,035,691/female 4,030,103)
65 years and over:
11.2% (male 584,478/female 703,242) (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Median age:
|
|
total: 37.3 years
male:
36.6 years
female:
38 years (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Population growth rate:
|
|
0.233% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
|
|
|
Birth rate:
|
|
11.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
|
|
|
Death rate:
|
|
7.24 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
|
|
|
Net migration rate:
|
|
-1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
|
|
|
Urbanization:
|
|
urban population: 76% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
|
|
|
Sex ratio:
|
|
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.83 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
|
total: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 181
male:
6.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
5.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
|
total population: 77.45 years
country comparison to the world: 55
male:
75.19 years
female:
79.85 years (2009 est.)
|
|
|
Total fertility rate:
|
|
1.61 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
|
|
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
|
less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
|
|
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
|
6,200 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
|
|
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
|
fewer than 100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
|
|
|
Major infectious diseases:
|
|
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases:
dengue fever (2009)
|
|
|
Nationality:
|
|
noun: Cuban(s)
adjective:
Cuban
|
|
|
Ethnic groups:
|
|
white 65.1%, mulatto and mestizo 24.8%, black 10.1% (2002 census)
|
|
|
Religions:
|
|
nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented
|
|
|
Languages:
|
|
Spanish
|
|
|
Literacy:
|
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
99.8%
male:
99.8%
female:
99.8% (2002 census)
|
|
|
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
|
|
total: 16 years
male:
15 years
female:
17 years (2006)
|
|
|
Education expenditures:
|
|
9.1% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 9
|
|
|
People - note:
|
|
illicit emigration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border |
|
|
|
|
