Cuba

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

21 30 N, 80 00 W

Central America and the Caribbean

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

3,735 km

tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)

mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast

cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land

8,700 sq km (2012)

large population clusters found throughout the country, the more significant ones being in the larger towns and cities, particularly the capital of Havana

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

largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

White 64.1%, Mulatto or mixed 26.6%, Black 9.3% (2012 est.)

Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, Muslim <1%, other <1%, none 23.2% (2020 est.)

-0.6% (2025 est.)

7.78 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

11.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

large population clusters found throughout the country, the more significant ones being in the larger towns and cities, particularly the capital of Havana

2.149 million HAVANA (capital) (2023)

35 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.49 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.72 (2025 est.)

9.54 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

4.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

24.6% (2016)

2.4% (2019 est.)

58.6% (2019 est.)

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

communist state

civil law system based on Spanish civil code

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

16 years of age; universal

Cuban Communist Party or PCC

ACP, ACS, ALBA, AOSIS, CABEI, 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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

20 May 1902 (from US administration); 10 December 1898 (from Spain); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as days of independence

Triumph of the Revolution (Liberation Day), 1 January (1959)

royal palm

red, white, blue

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

$259.781 billion (2024 est.)

sugarcane, cassava, plantains, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, milk, tomatoes, pumpkins/squash, sweet potatoes, bananas (2023)

petroleum, nickel, cobalt, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, construction, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, sugar

-0.9% (2023 est.)

4.859 million (2024 est.)

China 34%, Spain 12%, Germany 6%, Switzerland 5%, Hong Kong 4% (2023)

tobacco, nickel, liquor, zinc ore, precious metal ore (2023)

Spain 24%, China 13%, Netherlands 10%, USA 9%, Canada 6% (2023)

beer, poultry, rice, plastic products, soybean oil (2023)

government owns and controls all broadcast media: 8 national TV channels (Cubavision, Cubavision Plus, Tele Rebelde, Multivision, Educational Channel 1 and 2, Canal Clave, Canal Habana), 2 international channels (Cubavision Internacional and Canal Caribe), multiple regional TV stations, 7 national radio networks, and multiple regional radio stations; the government uses the Radio-TV Marti signal; private ownership of electronic media is officially prohibited, with several online independent news sites tolerated but blocked if critical of the government; YouTube popular; Christian denominations create original video content to distribute via social media (2023)

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CU

120 (2025)

4 (2025)

limited available information; estimated 50,000 active Armed Forces  (2025)

the military's inventory is comprised of Russian and Soviet-era equipment (2025)

military service is mandatory for all men and voluntary for women (ages 17-28); service obligation is 24 months with the Armed Forces or the Ministry of Interior; reserve commitment for men until age 45 (2025)

the Cuban military is largely focused on protecting territorial integrity and the state; it perceives the US as its primary threat; the military is 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 the FAR reportedly has interests in agriculture, banking and finance, construction, import/export, ports, industry, real estate, retail, shipping, transportation, and tourism (2025)