Introduction
Background
The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the arrival of Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from Spain in 1898 and, following three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba became an independent republic in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his authoritarian rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He handed off the presidency in February 2008 to his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez, hand-picked by Raul CASTRO to succeed him, was approved as president by the National Assembly and took office on 19 April 2018. DIAZ-CANEL was appointed First Secretary of the Communist Party on 19 April 2021 following the retirement of Raul CASTRO, and continues to serve as both president and first secretary.
Cuba traditionally and consistently portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source of its difficulties. As a result of efforts begun in December 2014 to reestablish diplomatic relations with the Cuban Government, which were severed in January 1961, the US and Cuba reopened embassies in their respective countries in July 2015. The embargo remains in place, and the relationship between the US and Cuba remains tense.
Illicit migration of Cuban nationals to the US via maritime and overland routes has been a longstanding challenge. On 12 January 2017, the US and Cuba signed a Joint Statement ending the so-called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy – by which Cuban nationals who reached US soil were permitted to stay. Irregular Cuban maritime migration has dropped significantly since FY 2016, when migrant interdictions at sea topped 5,000, but land border crossings continue. In FY 2022, the US Coast Guard interdicted almost 10,000 Cuban nationals at sea. Also in FY 2022, 230,000 Cuban nationals presented themselves at various land border ports of entry throughout the US.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
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
Land boundaries
total: 28.5 km
border countries (1): US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 28.5 km
note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba
Coastline
3,735 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 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
highest point: Pico Turquino 1,974 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 108 m
Natural resources
cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
Land use
agricultural land: 60.3% (2018 est.)
arable land: 33.8% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 3.6% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 22.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 27.3% (2018 est.)
other: 12.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
8,700 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
large population clusters found throughout the country, the more significant ones being in the larger towns and cities, particularly the capital of Havana
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
Geography - note
largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Cuban(s)
adjective: Cuban
Ethnic groups
White 64.1%, Mulatto or mixed 26.6%, Black 9.3% (2012 est.)
note: data represent racial self-identification from Cuba's 2012 national census
Languages
Spanish (official)
major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, Muslim <1%, other <1%, none 23.2% (2020 est.)
note: folk religions include religions of African origin, spiritualism, and others intermingled with Catholicism or Protestantism; data is estimative because no authoritative source on religious affiliation exists for Cuba
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.39% (male 926,457/female 874,347)
15-64 years: 66.81% (male 3,692,573/female 3,647,316)
65 years and over: 16.8% (2023 est.) (male 835,005/female 1,010,276)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 45.9
youth dependency ratio: 23.1
elderly dependency ratio: 22.9
potential support ratio: 4.4 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 42.3 years (2023 est.)
male: 40.8 years
female: 44.3 years
comparison ranking: total 42
Population distribution
large population clusters found throughout the country, the more significant ones being in the larger towns and cities, particularly the capital of Havana
Urbanization
urban population: 77.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.149 million HAVANA (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 187
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.9 years (2023 est.)
male: 77.5 years
female: 82.4 years
comparison ranking: total population 57
Gross reproduction rate
0.83 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
69% (2019)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 98.9% of population
rural: 97% of population
total: 98.5% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population
rural: 3% of population
total: 1.5% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
12.5% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
8.42 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
5.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 94.8% of population
rural: 87% of population
total: 93% of population
unimproved: urban: 5.2% of population
rural: 13% of population
total: 7% of population (2017 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 4.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 85
Tobacco use
total: 17.9% (2020 est.)
male: 25.5% (2020 est.)
female: 10.3% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 92
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
58% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 4.8%
women married by age 18: 29.4%
men married by age 18: 5.9% (2019 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.7% (2021)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 15 years (2021)
People - note
illicit emigration 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; the number of Cubans migrating to the US surged after the announcement of normalization of US-Cuban relations in late December 2014 but has decreased since the end of the so-called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy on 12 January 2017
Environment
Environment - current issues
soil degradation and desertification (brought on by poor farming techniques and natural disasters) are the main environmental problems; biodiversity loss; deforestation; air and water pollution
Environment - international agreements
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Climate
tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
Land use
agricultural land: 60.3% (2018 est.)
arable land: 33.8% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 3.6% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 22.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 27.3% (2018 est.)
other: 12.4% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 77.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 13.32 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 28.28 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 9.3 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,692,692 tons (2007 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 255,536 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.5% (2015 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 1.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 740 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 4.52 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
38.12 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
conventional short form: Cuba
local long form: República de Cuba
local short form: Cuba
etymology: name derives from the Taino Indian designation for the island "coabana" meaning "great place"
Government type
communist state
Capital
name: Havana
geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - Cuba has been known to alter the schedule of DST on short notice in an attempt to conserve electricity for lighting
etymology: the sites of Spanish colonial cities often retained their original Taino names; Habana, the Spanish name for the city, may be based on the name of a local Taino chief, HABAGUANEX
Administrative divisions
15 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana (Havana), Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, 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); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence
National holiday
Triumph of the Revolution (Liberation Day), 1 January (1959)
Constitution
history: several previous; latest drafted 14 July 2018, approved by the National Assembly 22 December 2018, approved by referendum 24 February 2019
amendments: proposed by the National Assembly of People’s Power; passage requires approval of at least two-thirds majority of the National Assembly membership; amendments to constitutional articles on the authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any rights and duties in the constitution also require approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on the Cuban political, social, and economic system cannot be amended
Legal system
civil law system based on Spanish civil code
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: unknown
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 19 April 2018); Vice President Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (since 10 October 2019)
head of government: Prime Minister Manuel MARRERO Cruz (since 21 December 2019); Deputy Prime Ministers Ramiro VALDES Menendez, Ines Maria CHAPMAN Waugh, Jorge Luis TAPIA Fonseca, Alejandro GIL Fernandez, Ricardo CABRISAS Ruiz (since 21 December 2019), and Jorge Luis PERDOMO DI-LELLA (since 20 April 2021)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president and appointed by the National Assembly
elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 19 April 2023 (next to be held NA)
election results:
2023: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) reelected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 97.7%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) reelected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 93.4%
2019: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) reelected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.8%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.1%
note - on 19 April 2018, DIAZ-CANEL succeeded Raul CASTRO as president of the Councils of State and Ministers; on 10 October 2019 he was elected to the newly created position of President of the Republic, which replaced the position of President of the Councils of State and Ministers
Legislative branch
description: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (605 seats; (586 seats filled in 2021); members directly elected by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms); note 1 - the National Candidature Commission submits a slate of approved candidates; to be elected, candidates must receive more than 50% of valid votes otherwise the seat remains vacant or the Council of State can declare another election; note 2 - in July 2019, the National Assembly passed a law which reduces the number of members from 605 to 474, effective with the 2023 general election
elections: last held on 26 March 2023 (next to be held in early 2028)
election results:
Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed; composition (as of June 2021) - men 273, women 313, percent of women 53.4%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): People's Supreme Court (consists of court president, vice president, 41 professional justices, and NA lay judges); organization includes the State Council, criminal, civil, administrative, labor, crimes against the state, and military courts)
judge selection and term of office: professional judges elected by the National Assembly are not subject to a specific term; lay judges nominated by workplace collectives and neighborhood associations and elected by municipal or provincial assemblies; lay judges appointed for 5-year terms and serve up to 30 days per year
subordinate courts: People's Provincial Courts; People's Regional Courts; People's Courts
Political parties and leaders
Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez]
International organization participation
ACP, ALBA, AOSIS, CELAC, EAEU (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Lianys TORRES RIVERA (since 14 January 2021)
chancery: 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 797-8515
FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521
email address and website:
recepcion@usadc.embacuba.cu
https://misiones.cubaminrex.cu/en/usa/embassy-cuba-usa
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Benjamin G. ZIFF (since 14 July 2022)
embassy: Calzada between L & M Streets, Vedado, Havana
mailing address: 3200 Havana Place, Washington DC 20521-3200
telephone: [53] (7) 839-4100
FAX: [53] (7) 839-4247
email address and website:
acshavana@state.gov
https://cu.usembassy.gov/
Flag description
five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; the blue bands refer to the three old divisions of the island: central, occidental, and oriental; the white bands describe the purity of the independence ideal; the triangle symbolizes liberty, equality, and fraternity, while the red color stands for the blood shed in the independence struggle; the white star, called La Estrella Solitaria (the Lone Star) lights the way to freedom and was taken from the flag of Texas
note: design similar to the Puerto Rican flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed
National symbol(s)
royal palm; national colors: red, white, blue
National anthem
name: "La Bayamesa" (The Bayamo Song)
lyrics/music: Pedro FIGUEREDO
note: adopted 1940; Pedro FIGUEREDO first performed "La Bayamesa" in 1868 during the Ten Years War against the Spanish; a leading figure in the uprising, FIGUEREDO was captured in 1870 and executed by a firing squad; just prior to the fusillade he is reputed to have shouted, "Morir por la Patria es vivir" (To die for the country is to live), a line from the anthem
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 9 (7 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Old Havana (c); Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios (c); San Pedro de la Roca Castle (c); Desembarco del Granma National Park (n); Viñales Valley (c); Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations (c); Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (n); Historic Cienfuegos (c); Historic Camagüey (c)
Economy
Economic overview
still largely state-run planned economy, although privatization increasing under new constitution; widespread protests due to lack of basic necessities and electricity; massive foreign investment increases recently; known tobacco exporter; unique oil-for-doctors relationship with Venezuela; widespread corruption
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$137 billion (2017 est.)
$134.8 billion (2016 est.)
$134.2 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2016 US dollars
comparison ranking: 81
Real GDP per capita
$12,300 (2016 est.)
$12,200 (2015 est.)
$12,100 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 US dollars
comparison ranking: 128
GDP (official exchange rate)
$93.79 billion (2017 est.)
note: data are in Cuban Pesos at 1 CUP = 1 US$; official exchange rate
Credit ratings
Moody's rating: Caa2 (2014)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 4% (2017 est.)
industry: 22.7% (2017 est.)
services: 73.4% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 58; industry 126; agriculture 138
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 57% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 31.6% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 9.6% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 14.6% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -12.7% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
sugar cane, cassava, vegetables, plantains, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, milk, pumpkins, mangoes/guavas, rice
Industries
petroleum, nickel, cobalt, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, construction, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, sugar
Labor force
5.135 million (2021 est.)
note: state sector 72.3%, non-state sector 27.7%
comparison ranking: 82
Unemployment rate
2.76% (2021 est.)
2.62% (2020 est.)
1.74% (2019 est.)
note: data are official rates; unofficial estimates are about double
comparison ranking: 200
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 7.4% (2021 est.)
male: 7.6%
female: 7%
comparison ranking: total 173
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: $54.52 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: $64.64 billion (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Exports
$2.63 billion (2017 est.)
$2.546 billion (2016 est.)
note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
comparison ranking: 150
Exports - partners
China 38%, Spain 11%, Netherlands 5%, Germany 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
cigars, nickel, sugar, rum, zinc (2021)
Imports - partners
Spain 19%, China 15%, Italy 6%, Canada 5%, Russia 5%, United States 5%, Brazil 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
poultry meat, wheat, soybean products, corn, concentrated milk (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$11.35 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$12.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 77
Debt - external
$30.06 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$29.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 83
Exchange rates
Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
1 (2017 est.)
1 (2016 est.)
1 (2015 est.)
1 (2014 est.)
22.7 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 7.479 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 16,097,460,000 kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.429 billion kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: imports 167; exports 159; installed generating capacity 75; transmission/distribution losses 60; consumption 79
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 95.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 4,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 4,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 38,400 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 164,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 48,500 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 124 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 976.023 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
consumption: 976.023 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 70.792 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
16.478 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 28,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 14.636 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 1.814 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 94
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 1,539,269 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 61
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 7,103,296 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 63 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 110
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: internet availability has increased substantially over the past few years, but only about 64 percent of Cubans have Internet access, and even fewer Cubans--about 60 percent of the population--have access to cell phone service; in 2021 the Cuban Government passed a decree that strengthened its authority to censor Internet and telephonic communications; state control of the telecom sector hinders development; Cuba has the lowest mobile phone and Internet subscription rates in the region; fixed-line density is also very low; thaw of US-Cuba relations encouraged access to services, such as Wi-Fi hot spots; access to sites is controlled and censored; DSL and Internet are available in Havana, though costs are too high for most Cubans; international investment and agreement to improve Internet access through cost-free and direct connection between networks (2021)
domestic: fixed-line density remains low at a little over 14 per 100 inhabitants; mobile-cellular service has expanded to about 63 per 100 persons (2021)
international: country code - 53; the ALBA-1, GTMO-1, and GTMO-PR fiber-optic submarine cables link Cuba, Jamaica, and Venezuela; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) (2019)
Broadcast media
government owns and controls all broadcast media: eight national TV channels (Cubavision, Cubavision Plus, Tele Rebelde, Multivision, Educational Channel 1 and 2, Canal Clave, Canal Habana), two international channels (Cubavision Internacional and Canal Caribe), multiple regional TV stations, 7 national radio networks, and multiple regional stations; the Cuban Government beams over the Radio-TV Marti signal; although private ownership of electronic media is prohibited, several online independent news sites exist; those that are not openly critical of the government are often tolerated; the others are blocked by the government; there are no independent TV channels, but several outlets have created strong audiovisual content (El Toque, for example); a community of young Youtubers is also growing, mostly with channels about sports, technology and fashion; Christian denominations are creating original video content to distribute via social media (2023)
Internet users
total: 7.81 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 71% (2021 est.)
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"; issues relating to COVID-19 impact research into internet adoption, so actual internet user figures may be different than published numbers suggest
comparison ranking: total 77
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 231,654 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 115
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 18
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 560,754 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 17.76 million (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
64
civil airports: 7
military airports: 3
joint use (civil-military) airports: 2
other airports: 52
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
69
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Pipelines
41 km gas, 230 km oil (2013)
Railways
total: 8,367 km (2017)
standard gauge: 8,195 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 172 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge
note: As of 2013, 70 km of standard gauge and 12 km of narrow gauge track were not for public use
comparison ranking: total 26
Roadways
total: 60,000 km (2015)
paved: 20,000 km (2001)
unpaved: 40,000 km (2001)
comparison ranking: total 75
Waterways
240 km (2011) (almost all navigable inland waterways are near the mouths of rivers)
comparison ranking: 103
Merchant marine
total: 64 (2022)
by type: general cargo 13, oil tanker 10, other 41
comparison ranking: total 111
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Antilla, Cienfuegos, Guantanamo, Havana, Matanzas, Mariel, Nuevitas Bay, Santiago de Cuba
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Revolutionary Army (Ejercito Revolucionario, ER), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR, includes Marine Corps), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (Defensas Anti-Aereas y Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria, DAAFAR); Paramilitary forces: Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT), Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT), Civil Defense Force
Ministry of Interior: Border Guards, State Security, National Revolutionary Police (2023)
Military expenditures
4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
2.9% of GDP (2018 est.)
2.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 15
Military and security service personnel strengths
limited available information; estimated 50,000 active personnel, including approximately 40,000 Army (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory is comprised of aging Russian and Soviet-era equipment (2023)
Military service age and obligation
17-28 years of age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military service; conscripts serve for 24 months (2023)
Military - note
the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) are a central pillar of the Cuban regime and viewed as the guardian of the Cuban revolution; it has a large role in the country’s politics and economy; many senior government posts are held by military officers, and a FAR-controlled umbrella enterprise known as the Armed Forces Business Group (Grupo de Administración Empresarial or GAESA) has interests in banking and finance, construction, import/export, ports, real estate, retail, shipping, transportation, and tourism
the FAR is largely focused on protecting territorial integrity and the state, and perceives the US as its primary threat; the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent end of Soviet military aid had far-reaching consequences for the FAR, transforming it from one of the largest and most capable militaries in the region, as well as one that was heavily involved in foreign missions during the Cold War, particularly in Africa, into a much smaller, home-based and defensive force with limited capabilities; the Army, once over 200,000 strong, but now estimated to have about 40,000 troops, is a conscript-based force armed with Soviet-era weapons and equipment and reportedly organized into 3 regional commands or armies, each with an undetermined number of divisional headquarters and brigades of artillery, light infantry, mechanized infantry, and tanks; the Army also has a special forces brigade, an airborne brigade, and a security brigade that faces the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay; the Navy once boasted several Soviet-made frigates and attack submarines but now maintains a small combat force of aging coastal patrol and mine warfare craft, as well as a midget attack submarine; its largest vessels are two former fishing trawlers that were converted into warships in the late 1970s; the Border Guards also have patrol vessels; the Air Defense force has surface-to-air missiles and hundreds of air defense artillery guns, while the Air Force has a few dozen operational Soviet-era fighter aircraft attack helicopters (2023)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease
Trafficking in persons
tier rating:
Tier 3 — Cuba does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government made some efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict sex traffickers, and identify victims; however, there was a government policy or pattern to profit from labor export programs with strong indications of forced labor, particularly in its foreign medical missions program; the government continued to deploy Cuban workers to foreign countries using deceptive and coercive tactics, and failed to address an increasing number of allegations from credible NGOs and foreign governments of labor violations and trafficking, and of Cuban officials’ involvement in abuses; Cuban law did not explicitly prohibit labor trafficking as defined in international law (2022)
trafficking profile: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Cuba and Cubans abroad; individuals are forced or coerced into participating and threatened to stay in labor export programs, most notably foreign medical missions; sex trafficking and sex tourism, including child victims, occur within Cuba; traffickers exploit Cubans in sex trafficking and forced labor in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Latin America, and the United States; foreigners from Africa and Asia are subject to sex trafficking and forced labor in Cuba to pay off travel debts; officials identified children, young women, elderly, and disabled persons as the most vulnerable to trafficking; the government uses high school students in some rural areas to harvest crops without pay, claiming that the work is voluntary (2022)
Illicit drugs
Cuba is not a major consumer, producer, or transshipment point for illicit drugs; domestic production and consumption curbed by aggressive policing; prescription drug abuse remains low