Cuba
 |
República de Cuba | |
|---|---|
| Motto: Patria y Libertad (Spanish: Homeland and Freedom) | |
| Anthem: La Bayamesa (The Bayamo Song) | |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | La Habana |
| Official languages | Spanish |
| Government | Communist state |
| Independence | |
• Water (%) | negligible |
| Population | |
• 2005 estimate | 11,346,670 (70th) |
• 2002 census | 11,177,743 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2004 estimate |
• Total | $33.9 billion (89th) |
• Per capita | $3,000 (128th) |
| Currency | Peso (CUP) Convertible peso 1 (CUC) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 ((Starts April 1, end date varies)) |
| Calling code | 53 |
| ISO 3166 code | CU |
| Internet TLD | .cu |
1 1993–2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso. | |
The Republic of Cuba consists of the island of Cuba (the largest of the Greater Antilles), the Isle of Youth and various adjacent small islands. It is located in the northern Caribbean at the confluence of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. To the north is found the United States, to the northeast the Bahamas, to the east the Turks and Caicos Islands, to the west Mexico, to the south the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, and to the southeast Haiti.
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Caribbean portal |
History
Cuba and its Amerindian population came under Spanish control in the 16th century, after Christopher Columbus' arrival in 1492. Tens of thousands of natives died by the encomienda system of forced labor and the smallpox brought in by the Europeans. Intermarriages resulted in Mestizos but by the end of the 17th century the Taino and Siboney peoples had been wiped out. The natives showed the Spanish the practice of smoking (named cohiba) and how to grow tobacco. The Spanish introduced sugar cane, which became the major Cuban crop, and it still is today.
Spanish mercantilism caused Spain to keep Cuba relatively isolated to external influences, but beginning with the year long occupation of Havana by the British in 1762 at the end of the Seven Years' War, Cuba became more open economically to both the importation of slaves and advances in sugar cultivation and processing. Between 1791 to 1804, many French fled to Cuba from the Haitian revolution, bringing with them slaves and expertise in sugar refining and coffee growing. As a result Cuba became the world's major sugar producer. By 1884, slavery was abolished.
The colony's struggle for independence lasted throughout the second half of the 19th century with the first effort with any success being the Ten Years' War beginning in 1868. The intellectual José Martí landed in Cuba with rebel exiles in 1895, but little more than a month later was killed in battle. He remains the major hero in Cuba to this day. While he initially expressed a preference for the U.S. Constitution and enjoyed some popularity in the United States, he later started fearing U.S. expansionism and even started developing ideas reminiscent of Communism, foreshadowing things to come.
Just when the revolutionaries started winning, the United States occupied the island in the Spanish-American War of 1898, until its independence was granted in 1902, though limited by the Platt Amendment, after which the United States continued to have a major influence in Cuban affairs, even occupying Cuba a second time from 1905 to 1909. The Platt Amendment was revoked in 1934, but the lease of Guantanamo Bay, against a nominal sum, was extended.
Cuba’s history in the first half of the 20th Century was typical for Latin America of the time, with many short-lived governments. In 1940, Fulgencio Batista was elected for president and started idealistic reforms, but was voted out in 1944. In 1952 he seized power in a bloodless coup three months before the planned election and instituted an oppressive dictatorship. As a result many guerrilla groups started opposing him.
In 1953, Fidel Castro attacked the Moncada barracks, was exiled to Mexico, but returned to Cuba on November 1956 with 82 fighters trained by Colonel Alberto Bayo (a former officer in the Spanish Republican Army), and with the help of popular discontent managed to overthrow Batista, who fled the country, on 1 January 1959. Castro established a Soviet-leaning Communist State, the first in the Western Hemisphere, although Castro did not officially reveal his Marxist-Leninist leanings until 1961. At the time when Batista was deposed, 75% of Cuba's farmable land was owned by foreign individuals or foreign (mostly U.S.) companies. The new revolutionary government adopted land reforms and confiscated all the private property owned by upper class Cubans and foreign companies. As a result, relations with the United States rapidly deteriorated, although the U.S. recognized the new government and refused to host a government in exile by anti-Castro Cubans. At first, Castro was reluctant to discuss his plans for the future, but eventually he declared himself a communist, explained that he was trying to build socialism in Cuba, focusing on free health care and education for all, and began close political and economic relations with the Soviet Union.
The Bay of Pigs invasion of April 1961 by U.S. backed Cuban expatriates failed because the expected popular support failed to materialize. Also, the Soviet Union heard of the plans and warned Cuba. U.S. president John F Kennedy left the invaders stranded for fear of getting officially involved.
The Cuban Missile Crisis started with the Soviet Union installing nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962, in an attempt to partly restore the nuclear balance. In response, the United States put up a blockade in international waters, not knowing that some Soviet submarines carried nuclear missiles. This is generally believed to be the closest the world ever came to a nuclear holocaust. The Soviet Union backed down, in return for the United States promising to remove nuclear missiles in Turkey and never to invade Cuba again. After this, the United States never openly threatened Cuba again, but did engage in covert activities to assassinate Castro, as well as sheltering and funding Castro opponents who carried out many violent attacks such as the 1976 bombing of Cubana Flight 455, killing 73.
In April 1980, over 10,000 Cubans stormed the Peruvian embassy in Havana seeking political asylum. In response to this, Castro allowed anyone who desired to leave the country to do so through the port of Mariel. Under the Mariel boatlift, over 125,000 Cubans migrated to the United States. Eventually the United States stopped the flow of vessels and Cuba ended the exodus.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 dealt Cuba a giant economic blow. This led to another exodus of economic asylum seekers to the United States in 1994, which was again stopped bilaterally by Cuba and the United States. The United States has over the years since Castro come to power progressively enacted legislation intended to isolate Cuba economically via the U.S. embargo and other measures, such as prosecuting U.S. citizens who travel to Cuba. For more on these issues see the Economy section below.
Politics
Cuba is a Single-party state with the Communist Party of Cuba as the only legal party. The Cuban constitution states that, "[t]he Communist Party of Cuba […] is the superior guiding force of society and the state". The party is selective in who it chooses to accept as members. Prospective members are thoroughly scrutinized and those accepted are deemed strong supporters of the revolution and model citizens. However, the Communist Party of Cuba is not an electoral party, and laws are carried out by the Cuban National Assembly.
Fidel Castro has been the head of state and head of government since 1959, first as prime minister and, after the abolition of that office in 1976, as president of the Councils of State and Ministers. He is also a member of the National Assembly of People's Power from the municipality of Santiago de Cuba since 1976, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, and commander in chief of the armed forces. This is Fidel Castro's sixth five-year term since direct elections were started in 1976. [1]
The National Assembly of People's Power (Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular) is the Cuban parliament. The Assembly serves five-year terms and meets twice each year. Once established, it nominates and elects the Council of State including the President. The Council of State represents the National Assembly when it is not in session and is accountable for its actions to the National Assembly. The vast majority of candidates are members of the Communist Party compared to approximately one-tenth of the adult population. Critics of the Cuban government say this is because of the Communist Party's control over Cuba, while supporters say it shows that the Party has wide support among the populace.
Delegates are nominated by municipal assemblies and put to a yes/no vote; citizens are to vote for several candidates at both levels of government and may vote for none, some, or all of them. If the candidates do not receive more than 51% of the votes, new elections will be scheduled; however, near unanimous "unity" (yes for all candidate) votes are continually reported by the government.
In 2001 an attempt was made by Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas and others from the Christian Liberation Movement, operating as the Varela Project, to have a national plebiscite using provisions in the Constitution of Cuba which provided for citizen initiative. If accepted by the government and approved by public vote, the amendments would have established such things as freedom of association, freedom of speech, freedom of press, as well as starting private businesses. The petition was however refused by the National Assembly on the grounds that a citizen initiative could not be used to change the constitution.
In March 2003, the government of Cuba arrested dozens of people, and charged them with sedition due to their alleged contacts with James Cason, head of the U.S. interest section in Havana. In all, 75 were tried and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 28 years. Amnesty International described the closed-door trials as "hasty and manifestly unfair." [2] During the trials, evidence was presented that the defendants had received funds from the U.S. Interests Section. Cuban officials claim that the goal of this funding was to undermine the Cuban state, disrupt internal order, and damage the Cuban economy. For his part, Cason denies offering funds to anyone in Cuba.
Education
According to UNESCO research, Cuba's primary school students have almost twice as much knowledge as the average student in the rest of Latin America. In a 1998 study by UNESCO, Cuban third and fourth graders were better educated in basic language and mathematics skills than children in all other Latin American countries that took part in a study. All students regardless of age and gender wear school uniforms (colours denote grades level)
Healthcare
Since Fidel Castro's bloody ascension to power on January 1, 1959, Cuba's healthcare has steadily deteriorated. Prior to the revolution, Cuba's healthcare system was widely recognized as one of the best in the world. Since the revolution, Cuba, struggling with its command economy, ill-defined foreign policy, and constant repression of dissidents at home, has consistently maintained the fiction around the world that it's "free" healthcare is one of the best in the world. Unfortunately, recent arrivals have spoken truth to that lie and and have made it clear that "great healthcare" is all a fiction perpetrated around the world by propagandists and fellow travelers.
As can be seen in the photo to the right, and accompanying an article (in Spanish) by journalists Carlos Wotzkow and María Elena Morejón [[3]], healthcare for the normal Cuban citizen is far from "one the best in the world." On the contrary, the Cuban government routinely sends medicine, doctors and teachers to the third world as a way of promoting its Communist ideology, while its own citizens lack even the most basic medical necessities -- some even having to bring their own pillows and aspirins to the hospitals!
Cuba's dual healthcare system, one for citizens and one for tourists -- apartheid -- continues to be one of the great tragedies of the Western Hemisphere.
For more information on what really goes on in Cuba today, go to The Real Cuba [[4]] and Babalu Blog [[5]] for daily updates.
Provinces
Cuba is divided into 14 provinces, and one special municipality (the Isla de la Juventud).
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| 1 | Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth) | ||
| 2 | Pinar del Río | 9 | Ciego de Ávila |
| 3 | La Habana (Havana) | 10 | Camagüey |
| 4 | Ciudad de la Habana (Havana City) | 11 | Las Tunas |
| 5 | Matanzas | 12 | Granma |
| 6 | Cienfuegos | 13 | Holguín |
| 7 | Villa Clara | 14 | Santiago de Cuba |
| 8 | Sancti Spíritus | 15 | Guantánamo |
Geography
The elongated island of Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and is bounded to the north by the Straits of Florida and the greater North Atlantic Ocean, to the northwest by the Gulf of Mexico, to the west by the Yucatan Channel, to the south by the Caribbean Sea, and to the east by the Windward Passage. The Republic comprises the entire island, including many outlying islands such as the Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth), previously known as the Isla de los Pinos (Isle of Pines). Guantanamo Bay, is a naval base that has been leased by the United States since 1903, a lease that has been contested since 1960 by Castro.
The mainland is the world's 16th largest island.
The island consists mostly of flat to rolling plains, with more rugged hills and mountains primarily in the southeast and the highest point is the Pico Real del Turquino at 2,005 m. The local climate is tropical, though moderated by trade winds. There is a drier season from November to April, and a rainier season from May to October.
Havana is the largest city and capital; other major cities include Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey. Some of the well-known smaller towns are Baracoa which was the first Spanish settlement on Cuba, as well as Trinidad and Bayamo.
Demographics
According to the CIA's World Factbook, Cuba is 51% mulatto (mixed white and black), 37% white, 11% black, and 1% Chinese. However, in the melting pot that Cuba is, it is difficult to say which 'race' someone belongs to. It is said that some 70% of Cubans have some trace of black heritage, which would make them mulattos. By some standards this would classify them as blacks, but in Cuba that term is not used to refer to having some trace of black ancestry, but to actually having a 'black' skin. Cuba has historically been more heavily European than other Caribbean islands, and in 1950 was said to have a 75% white majority. It should be mentioned that between 1900 and 1930 close to a million white Spaniards arrived in the Island from Spain. Some people believe that a good portion of Cuban whites were actually mulatto. It highlights the shock that Castro's rise to power had on the white upper class, a large portion of whom moved to Florida in the 1960s and 1970s. Also, economic shock caused their birthrate to fall precipitously, even as the poorer black and mulatto populations soared. This is not hard to understand when one considers that the white population was 4 million during the second half of the twentieth century (with low birthrates and heavy emigration), while blacks and mulattos increased from 1.5 million to over 6 million, very similar to the growth in the predominately black and mulatto Dominican Republic.
The Chinese population in Cuba derives mostly from Chinese sent to Cuba during the 19th century to build railroads and work in the mines, as was also occurring in the United States at this time. Once the work was completed, however, most of them could not afford the passage back to China and remained in the Island. Historical papers show that, while considered inferior to Cubans of European descent, they were considered to be superior to blacks because they had lighter skin.
In Cuba there is little racial tension in the attitude of people towards each other. Still, in Santiago de Cuba there is a sizeable Jamaican population that suffers from an image of being lazy. Also, lighter skinned people often have 'higher' jobs (although in socialist Cuba this does not translate in a high difference in income). The melting pot is expressed not only in a racial sense, but also in religion (see below) and the music of Cuba.
Cuba has the lowest birthrate of any Latin American or Caribbean country, perhaps influenced by its socialist government's policy of free health care and abortion, which was similar to the situation in Eastern Europe. The current fertility rate of about 1.6 children per woman is the lowest of any country in the western hemisphere save Canada. The infant mortality rate in Cuba is down to 5.8 per thousand births. (State of the World's Children 2005)
Economy
Cuba's socialist model is based on state ownership with some small scale private enterprise existing. Hiring labour, however, is not allowed, on the theory that private employment will lead to worker exploitation. For 2005, 68% of the state budget spending is to be directed to raising the levels of education, public health, social security, culture, sports and science and technology. [6]
Traditionally, sugar, tobacco and (later) nickel were the main sources of income for Cuba. But in the 1990's tourism saw an explosive growth. In 1993 the U.S. dollar was made legal tender (the country operated under a dual-currency system); this arrangement was, however, revoked on 25 October 2004. At that time, use of the dollar in business was officially banned, and a 10% surcharge was introduced for the conversion of dollars to convertible pesos, the island's new official currency. Other currencies, including the Euro, were not affected. See details at the Ludwig Van Mises Institute.
The Cuban economy was hit hard in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Comecon economic bloc, with which it had traded predominantly. For several decades, Cuba received what was effectively a Soviet subsidy, whereby Cuba provided the Soviet Union with sugar and the Soviets provided Cuba with petroleum at unrealistic prices. In response, Cuba opened up to tourism, which is now a major source of income.
More recent problems include high oil prices, and faltering world economic conditions. Since 2003, both tourism levels and nickel prices increased. One other factor in the recovery of the Cuban economy is the remittances of Cuban-Americans (which constitute almost 3% of the Cuban Economy, by some estimates). However, Cuba owes billions in Paris Club debt to nations such as France, Japan and Germany.
Cuba currently trades with almost every nation in the world, albeit at a very small scale because under the U.S. embargo any company that deals with Cuba is barred from dealing with the United States, so internationally operating companies are forced to choose between Cuba and the United States, which is a much bigger market. This extraterritorial U.S. legislation is considered highly controversial, and the U.S. embargo was condemned for the 13th time in 2004 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, by 179 countries (out of 183). The main current trading partners of Cuba are: Spain, Venezuela and Canada. In time as China normalises relations with the Caribbean, China may also become a more important Cuban trading partner.
Although United States citizens are not officially banned from travelling to Cuba, they are generally prohibited from spending money there (exceptions are made for students studying in Cuba, diplomats, and people with family members in Cuba), which amounts to a de facto travel ban, as Cuba requires that foreign visitors spend a minimum of three nights in a hotel; moreover, the only direct U.S.-Cuba flights are strictly for those with family members in Cuba. Nevertheless, U.S. citizens can visit Cuba by travelling through other countries (like Mexico, Canada or the Bahamas) because Cuban immigration does not stamp the passports (the visum is a separate leaflet). However, U.S. citizens are liable to fines if discovered and prosecuted by the U.S. Government, although it has been reported that U.S. authorities are not overly strict with this.
Although struggling with its economy since the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba has seen substantial improvements since the early 1990s.
A major problem is damage from hurricanes. In 2004, Hurricane Charley, (August 12) caused an estimated 1 billion dollars economic damage, followed by Hurricane Ivan (September 13). In 2005, Hurricane Dennis (July 8) struck south-central Cuba. This is a problem that all Caribbean islands suffer from and an argument Castro uses to urge the islands to cooperate, promoting an agreement that is a sort of international insurance, so that if one island gets hit the other islands will help it out. He says that if the United States get hit, the economy of other parts of the country will take the blow, but if a Caribbean island gets hit, that may devastate the entire economy.
Over 7,300 homes have been completed in 2005. During the remaining months of this year the majority of homes partially affected by Hurricane Dennis will be repaired. No less than 10 thousand of the homes destroyed will be built again as new and the plans to finish and construct new homes to cover the most urgent requirements will continue, up to at least 30,000 additional housing.
Cuba is notable for its national organic agriculture initiative. In the early 1990s, post-Soviet Union, Cuba lost over 70% of agricultural chemical imports, over 50% of food imports, and an equally significant amount of oil. Its agricultural sector, built on a large-scale, mechanized, chemical-based model, was instantly crippled. By restructuring its agricultural industry, and focusing scientific efforts on organic solutions, Cuba managed to rapidly and successfully convert the country to entirely organic production. Currently, only organic agriculture is permitted by law. Today, Cuba is a leading nation in Biotechnology
On a total population of 11 million, Cuba has 250,000 educators, 67,500 medical doctors, and 34,000 physical education and sports professors and technicians.[7]
Culture
Cuban culture is much influenced by the fact that it is a melting pot of cultures, mostly from Spain and Africa. It has produced its fair share of literature, most notably from a non-Cuban, Ernest Hemingway. But best known is Cuban music, the most central form of which is Son, which has been the basis of many other musical styles like salsa. Cha-cha-cha was invented to make it possible for 'Yankees' to dance to Cuban music. A musical instrument invented in Cuba is the Tres.
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Liberation Day | Triunfo de la Revolución | The day of the victory of the Revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959 - after Fulgencio Batista fled the night before - which established the government in Cuba that reigns to this day. |
| May 1 | Labor Day | Día de los trabajadores | International Labour Day |
| July 26 | Commemoration of the Attack of the Moncada Barracks | Asalto al cuartel Moncada | The date after which the revolutionary movement (M 26-7) was named. In the morning of July 26, 1953, some 160 men under the command of Fidel Castro attacked the Moncada army garrison in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba's second-largest city. Although this action crushingly failed, it is seen as the beginning of the Castro-led insurrection that expelled Fulgencio Batista. |
| 10 October | Independence Day | Día de la Independencia | This day in 1868, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, "Father of the Homeland", gave freedom to his slaves and started the independence war against the Spanish colonial power, which led to the Ten Years' War |
| December 25 | Christmas | Navidad | Prohibited for decades in revolutionary Cuba, the Christmas celebration (and the corresponding holiday) was reinstalled in 1998 after Pope John Paul II visited Cuba. |
Religion
The religious landscape of Cuba is strongly marked by syncretisms of various kinds. In the post-revolutionary era religious practice was discouraged, and Cuba, from 1962, was officially an atheist state until 1992 which it amended its constitution to become formally a secular state. While the papal visit to Cuba has strengthened official Catholicism, most Cubans share a motley of faiths that include popular Catholicism, over 50 versions of Protestantism, spiritism, African-derived beliefs. The most important currents of these are Regla de Ocha (known as Santería), which derives from Yoruban religion, Regla de Palo Monte, which derives from Congo-based religions, and the Sociedad Secreta Abakuá, which derives from the secret men's societies in the region of Calabar, in south-eastern Nigeria.
It is assumed that Santería and popular Catholicism are the most widely followed religious beliefs in Cuba, though these are by no means exclusive, and one can easily be a follower of several religious currents at the same time, as well as being a member of the communist party. Pentecostalism is also growing rapidly, and the Assemblies of God alone claims a membership of over 100,000 people.
Cuba once had a small but vibrant Jewish population, and Havana still has one or two active synagogues.
Freemasonry is also practised (although this is not a religion).
In Cuba January 6th is the "Dia de los Reyes Magos" which in English means "Day of Kings" is celebrated to commemorate the day that the Three Wise Men came to visit Jesus according to the Gospels. As in most Latin American countries as well as Spain, this day is celebrated in conjunction with, or sometimes instead of Christmas Day.
Important religious festivals include various days dedicated to the saints such as the "Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre" (the Virgin of Cobre, Cuba's patron saint, syncretised with Santería's Ochún) on September 8, and San Lázaro (Lazarus) (syncretised with Babalu Ayé), on December 17.
See also
- Communications in Cuba
- Cuba Coalition
- Foreign relations of Cuba
- List of Cuban newspapers
- Military of Cuba
- Transportation in Cuba
- Women in Cuba
External links
- Wikitravel Guide — Wikitravel visiting guide
General
- Information about Cuba — Culture, history, demography, geography, religion, etc.
- Cuba Maps — Maps of all the provinces of Cuba, and maps of the major cities.
- Cubamusic — All about Cuban music
- CUBANET — News articles from Cuba's independent journalists and a digest of Cuban news by international newspapers
- Encuentro en la Red — Independent news and cultural site on Cuban matters
- Discover Cuba through a collection of old Photos & Vintage Postcards.
- Link guide to Cuba. Discover Cuba through a collection of sorted links.
- Cuba AIDS Project HIV and AIDS in Cuba
- Spain and the Spaniard A contemporary opinion of the Cuban uprising
- UN HDI — Human Development Index for Cuba from UN
- IFEX — Freedom of expression in Cuba from IFEX
- The Electoral process in Cuba — Democracy in Cuba
- U.S. Department of State — Cuba, from the U.S. government's point of view
- The Infoportal of Cuba A lot of Informations in English, French and German
Official
- Granma — Communist Party of Cuba Newspaper (in English)
- Republic of Cuba — (in English)
- Prensa Latina — Cuban World News (in English)
- Cuban News Agency — Cuban News (in English)
Opposition
- CANF — Cuban-American National Foundation, the largest political party of Cubans in exile
- Details the Cuban dissident situation
- Movimiento Humanista Evolucionario Cubano (Cuban Evolutionary Humanist Movement)
- No Castro nor his regime — the website of anti-Castro opposition