Cuba

Introduction to Cuba

Cuba, or Republic of Cuba, an island country in the Greater Antilles of the West Indies. The Republic of Cuba consists of the Cuban archipelago, which is made up of the island of Cuba, the Isle of Youth (formerly the Isle of Pines), and more than 3,700 smaller islands, islets, and keys. The island of Cuba, with an area of 40,519 square miles (104,945 km2), is the largest island in the West Indies. Cuba has been called the "Pearl of the Antilles" because of its natural beauty. It lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. Key West, Florida, is 90 miles (145 km) north of Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico is 130 miles (210 km) west-southwest.

The area of the country is 42,803 square miles (110,861 km2). The main island is roughly 770 miles (1,250 km) long and as much as 120 miles (190 km) wide.

Physical Geography

Cuba forms the western end of a vast island arc that separates the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. About three-fifths of the island consists of flat to gently rolling plains and broad valleys; the remainder is hilly or mountainous land. The mountainous areas are located at the eastern and western ends of the island and in the central section. The landscape in the east is dominated by the Sierra Maestra. Here rises Turquino Peak, at 6,476 feet (1,974 m) the highest point on the island. The Trinidad Mountains, in the central part of the island, rise to more than 3,700 feet (1,128 m). To the west is the Sierra de Los Organos, with elevations of up to nearly 2,300 feet (700 m).

All of Cuba's rivers are rather shallow and short. The longest is the Cauto, which flows about 150 miles (240 km) from the Sierra Maestra to the Caribbean Sea. There are no large lakes. The coastline of the main island, approximately 3,570 miles (5,750 km) long, is indented by numerous bays and inlets. Several of the bays form sheltered harbors – the sites of Cuba's major ports.

Cuba lies just south of the Tropic of Cancer, and the weather is warm to hot all year. Average temperatures at Havana, for example, are 82° F. (28° C.) in August, the warmest month, and 72° F. (22° C.) in January, the coolest. Rarely do temperatures in Cuba rise above 100° F. (38° C.) or fall below 60° F. (16° C.). The northeast trade winds provide most of the island's rainfall, which averages 40 to 60 inches (1,000 to 1,500 mm) a year. The rainy season lasts from May to October; the rest of the year is relatively dry. Hurricanes frequently strike the island, especially during the months of August, September, and October.

Economy

Cuba has a planned economy, and virtually all of its industries are owned and operated by the government. Nationalization began in 1959 after Fidel Castro came to power. Economic development under socialism has been relatively slow. Of crucial importance to the economy was Soviet financial aid and technical assistance. This ended in 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed. Since 1993 the Cuban government has introduced measures legalizing some private enterprise, which resulted in the opening of small businesses, including restaurants and clothing stores by many Cubans. In 1995 a law was passed allowing foreign ownership of Cuban businesses.

Farming is the mainstay of the economy and employs nearly a fifth of the labor force. During the mid 20th century, almost all farms came under state control. Most farms were run as state farms, owned and operated by the government. Some farms were owned and operated by peasant cooperatives, which were owned jointly by the government and groups of farmers. Only a few small farms stayed under the control of individual owners. There is very little privately owned farmland. In any case, farmers had to sell their goods to the state at prices fixed by the government. But in 1994, farmers were authorized by the government to sell their surplus production on the open market after certain quotas had been met. In time, small farmers’ markets came up across the island and sold a variety of products, including fruits, vegetables, and other foods, directly to the public.

Sugarcane is by far the chief crop; by value, it provides about three-fourths of Cuba's exports. Cuba is one of the leading producers of sugar in the world. Tobacco is usually Cuba's second-largest agricultural export. Other important export crops include citrus fruit and coffee. Rice, corn, cassava, yams, tomatoes, bananas and potatoes are among the crops grown mainly for domestic consumption. Cattle ranching and dairy farming are becoming increasingly important. Hogs and chickens are also raised in an effort by the government to increase the production of livestock farming.

Since the revolution of the mid 20th century, Cuba's fishing industry has expanded rapidly, largely due to heavy investment in modernizing the commercial fishing fleet. State-owned Cuban fishing fleets range over the Caribbean Sea and parts of the North Atlantic Ocean. Lobster, tuna, and shrimp make up most of the catch. The important fishing ports are Caibarien, Cienfuegos, and Havana.

Mining, especially of nickel, has long been important. Cuba is a world leader in nickel production and as an export nickel is second in value only to sugar. Cuba's nickel reserves, which are located primarily near the Sierra del Cristal, on the eastern end of the island, are among the largest in the world. Other minerals produced include chromite, gold, iron ore, cement, stone, cobalt, and copper. . Small quantities of petroleum are produced in Cuba mainly for domestic use.

Manufacturing is steadily being expanded. A program of rapid industrialization around the mid 20th century, however, was unsuccessful; it was replaced in the 1970's by a program of slower, more carefully planned growth. Manufacturing employs about a fifth of the labor force. Sugar milling, petroleum products, food and beverage products, tobacco processing, the production of cement, steel, fertilizers, industrial chemicals, textiles, domestic consumer goods, and agricultural machinery are among Cuba's chief industrial activities. Nevertheless, manufacturing revolves around sugar production. Cuba has many sugar mills throughout the country. Another important business is the manufacture of cigars, whose factories are mainly in Havana. Cuba is renowned for fine hand-rolled cigars that are made from high-quality tobacco.

From around 1900 to 1960, Cuba’s main trading relations were with the United States. During the mid 20th century, about 65 per cent of Cuban exports and about 75 per cent of all imports were concerned with Cuban-U.S. trade. In the mid 20th century, Cuba’s trade was mainly with the Soviet Union and the Communist countries of Eastern Europe. By the late 20th century, about 85 per cent of all Cuban trade was with the Communist bloc. After the collapse of Communism, Cuba was in search of new trading partners. After 1991, Cuba's main trading partners became Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Venezuela and countries of the European Union.

Prior to the revolution in the mid 20th century, tourism was an important part of the economy. Largely due to a United States ban on travel to Cuba and the development of other tourist areas in the Caribbean, tourism declined rapidly during the late 20th century. The tourist industry began to revive in the late 20th century, however, and experienced steady growth throughout the 1980's, mainly due to an increase in tourists from western Europe and Canada.

Sugar has always been Cuba's principal export product. Other exports include citrus fruits, coffee, fish and shellfish, medical products, nickel, rum, and tobacco products. The chief imports of Cuba are chemical products, food, machinery, and petroleum.

Cuba's basic currency is the Cuban peso.

Cuba's highway system extends the length of the island. Highways and other paved roads make up about a third of all roads. Paved roads of more than 19,000 miles (30,000 kilometers) crisscross the island. The Central Highway extends between Pinar del Rio and Santiago de Cuba. However, automobile transportation has some problems due to gasoline rationing, problems in obtaining spare parts, and a scarcity of new vehicles. Many people in the cities travel by bicycle.

Railways connect most of the major towns. The chief ports are Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and Cienfuegos. Cuba has a sizable merchant marine. Empresa Cubana de Aviación is the national airline and Jose Marti International Airport is the country's largest airport.

The People

Mulattoes, of mixed African and white descent, make up 51 per cent of the population. Whites, mainly of Spanish descent, make up 37 per cent, blacks 11 per cent. In 1993 the population of Cuba was estimated at 10,941,000.

The official language is Spanish. Cubans are predominantly Roman Catholic. The government restricts church activities and tries to discourage religious beliefs.

Schooling is compulsory for children from 6 through 12 and is free at all levels. There is little illiteracy. The oldest and largest institution of higher learning is the University of Havana, founded in 1728.

Government

Under the constitution of 1976, the Republic of Cuba is a "socialist state". A single political party—the Partido Comunista de Cuba (Communist Party of Cuba), also known as the PCC, governs Cuba. The Communist Party was established by the Constitution as the leading authority in the government and society. The highest levels of policy are made by the Central Committee of the PCC, and it exercises control over all formal government institutions.Membership in the PCC was highly restricted until the late 20th century. The PCC aimed to attract greater numbers of young people, women, and Cubans of African descent.

The constitution provides for a popularly elected legislature called the National Assembly of People's Power. The 589 deputies of the Assembly are elected by the people to five-year terms. All candidates must have the approval of the Communist Party to appear on the ballot. The National Assembly holds two regular sessions a year. It elects the Council of State, an executive body consisting of a president, a first vice president, 5 vice presidents, a secretary, and 23 other members. The council's president serves both as president of the country (head of state) and as premier (head of government). The president, with the approval of the Assembly council elects the Council of Ministers, the highest-ranking and most powerful executive bureauas as it enforces laws, directs government agencies, and conducts Cuba's foreign policy. The Communist party is the only political party. All citizens 16 years of age and older may vote.

Cuba has 14 provinces, which are divided into about 170 municipalities, with each having its own assembly. The people elect the members of each municipal assembly. The municipal assemblies of a province elect the members of the provincial assembly. The Isle of Youth, Cuba's largest offshore island does not belong to any province and is ruled directly by the central government

Municipal assemblies supervise and control local economic enterprises, including retail operations and factories that produce goods for the local market. Municipal assemblies also exercise authority over schools, health services, motion-picture theaters and sports facilities, and all transportation within municipal boundaries.

Cuba's highest court is the People's Supreme Court. It consists of a president, a vice president, and the members of the court's five divisions. These divisions, called chambers, are civil and administrative, criminal, labor, military, and state security. Each chamber consists of a president, at least two other professional judges, and a number of lay judges. The National Assembly elects the Justices of the Supreme Court. The president and vice president of the court are nominated by the president of the Council of State and approved by the National Assembly.

Cuba also has a number of lower courts, which include 14 provincial courts and about 170 municipal courts that operate throughout the island.