North & Central America and Caribbean

Cuba
Last reviewed: 10 May 2010

Country information

See entire profile

Map of Cuba

CUBA TODAY

Country Facts

Area: 110,860 sq km (42,803 sq miles)
Population: 11.2 million (2009 estimate)
Capital City: Havana (population over 2 million)
People: Ethnically mixed population (white 65.1%; mixed race 24.8%; black 10.1% according to 2002 census)
Language: Spanish
Religion: The State is secular in Cuba; the main religions are, Catholicism, Santeria (an informal mixture of Christianity and African religions brought over by slaves), and Protestantism.
Currency: Cuban Peso (Moneda Nacional - CUP) and Convertible Cuban Peso (CUC) (1 CUC = 25 Cuban Pesos)
Major Political Parties: Only party – Cuban Communist Party or PCC (Fidel Castro Ruz, First Secretary; Raúl Castro Ruz, Second Secretary)
Government: Cuba has a one party system of government and is the only country in the western hemisphere with a communist government. For 49 years after the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro remained Head of State and leader of the Communist Party. The Vth Party Congress in October 1997 reaffirmed the Revolution's political direction and named Raúl Castro as Fidel's chosen successor. On February 24th 2008 Fidel Castro was succeeded by his brother Raúl Castro after announcing that he would not seek another term as President.
President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers: Raúl Castro Ruz
First Vice-President of the Council of State: José Ramón Machado Ventura
Foreign Minister: - Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla
Membership of international groups/organisations: Cuba's memberships include United Nations (UN), Non-Aligned Movement, ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America), IAEA, WHO, WTO, WO and others.