Spain 14.7%, Venezuela 13.5%, US 11%, China 8.9%, Canada 6.4%,
Italy 6.2%, Mexico 4.9% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$738.6 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external:
$12.09 billion (convertible currency); another $15–20 billion owed
to Russia (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$68.2 million (1997 est.)
Currency (code):
Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC)
Currency code:
CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso)
Exchange rates:
Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.93
note: Cuba has three currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso
(CUP), the convertible peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although
the dollar is being withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the
official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC
(0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals
can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban
pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP
and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Cuba
Telephones - main lines in use:
574,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
17,900 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the
establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners
and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally
with the help of foreigners
domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of
switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains
low, at 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
3.9 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
58 (1997)
Televisions:
2.64 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.cu
Internet hosts:
1,529 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)
Internet users:
120,000
note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or
accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may
access the Internet in large hotels, but are subject to firewalls;
some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market, or take
advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the
government-controlled "intranet" (2004)
Transportation Cuba
Railways:
total: 4,226 km
standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)
note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;
about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge
(2004)
Highways:
total: 60,858 km
paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)
unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
240 km (2004)
Pipelines:
gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas
Merchant marine:
total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,818 GRT/81,850 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, passenger 2,
petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)
registered in other countries: 20 (2005)
Airports:
170 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 79 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 62 (2004 est.)
Military Cuba
Military branches:
Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER),
Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth Labor Army (EJT)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 17–49: 2,967,865
females age 17–49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17–49: 2,441,927
females age 17–49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 91,901
females: 87,500 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$572.3 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2003)
Military - note:
Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993
Transnational Issues Cuba
Disputes - international:
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease
Illicit drugs:
territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment