signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater
Antilles
People Cuba
Population:
11,346,670 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 19.6% (male 1,139,644/female 1,079,412)
15–64 years: 70.1% (male 3,977,110/female 3,975,818)
65 years and over: 10.4% (male 540,720/female 633,966) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 35.36 years
male: 34.73 years
female: 35.98 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.33% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
12.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
−1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.23 years
male: 74.94 years
female: 79.65 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2005 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
total population: 97%
male: 97.2%
female: 96.9% (2003 est.)
People - note:
illicit migration 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
overland via the southwest border
Government Cuba
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
conventional short form: Cuba
local long form: Republica de Cuba
local short form: Cuba
Government type:
Communist state
Capital:
Havana
Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special
municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla
de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara
Independence:
20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US
from 1898 to 1902)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898 is
the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of
independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)
Constitution:
24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002
Legal system:
based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist
legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of
the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President of the Council of State and President
of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the
Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the
31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its
behalf when it is not in session
elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National
Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003
(next to be held in 2008)
election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of
legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;
percent of legislative vote - 100%
Legislative