Caribbean
Country Profiles
Cuba
The largest country
in the Caribbean, Cuba’s economy has been struggling
since it lost financial support from the former Soviet Union and Eastern
European communist governments in the early 1990s. The
situation has been aggravated by a trade embargo imposed
by the United States.
Cuba covers an area of about 110,000 square kilometres. The terrain is mostly
flat with rolling hills and rugged mountains in the southeast. The climate
is tropical. The rainy season and the dry season each last about six months.
The east coast of the country is susceptible to hurricanes during the hurricane
season from August to October and droughts are common throughout the country.
Cuba is a communist state divided into 14 provinces. The capital city is Havana.
The government has been headed by Fidel Castro since 1959, first as Prime Minister,
now as President. Elections were held in March 2003 with Castro receiving 100%
of the votes. Castro ran uncontested. The next elections are scheduled for
2008.
|
People
|
|
|
Human Development Index Ranking (out of 173)
|
55
|
|
Population (millions)
|
11.2
|
|
Population growth rate (%)
|
0.3
|
|
Adult literacy rate (% age 15 and above)
|
96.7
|
|
Health
|
|
|
Life expectancy
|
76.0
|
|
Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births)
|
7
|
|
People living with HIV/AIDS (% adults 15-49)
|
---
|
|
Population using improved water sources (%)
|
95
|
|
Population using adequate sanitation facilities
(%)
|
95
|
|
Economy
|
|
|
GDP (US$ billions)
|
---
|
|
Population living below national poverty line (%)
|
---
|
Source: United Nation Human Development Reports,
Human Development Indicators 2002
--- indicates information not available
|
