The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
and
occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. It was US
intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally
overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established
Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year
transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959;
his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's
Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout
Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The
country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession 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. Some 2,500
Cubans attempted the crossing of the Straits of Florida in 2003; the
US Coast Guard apprehended about 60% of the individuals.
Geography Cuba
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:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 110,860 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 110,860 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 thus remains
part of Cuba
Coastline:
3,735 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 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: 33.05% other: 59.35% (2001) permanent crops: 7.6%
Irrigated land:
870 sq km (1998 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
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
People Cuba
Population:
11,308,764 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 20% (male 1,163,741; female 1,102,391)
15–64 years: 69.8% (male 3,949,197; female 3,948,196)
65 years and over: 10.1% (male 528,162; female 617,077) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.8 years
male: 34.2 years
female: 35.5 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.34% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
12.18 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
−1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.25 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.04 years
male: 74.77 years
female: 79.44 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,300 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban
Ethnic groups:
mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%
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
female: 96.9% (2003 est.)
male: 97.2%
total population: 97%
People