US:
protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland - US Interests Section, Swiss
Embassy; Principal Officer Alan H. FLANIGAN; Calzada entre L Y M, Vedado
Seccion, Havana (mailing address is USINT, Swiss Embassy, Havana, Calzada
Entre L Y M, Vedado); telephone 32-0051, 32-0543
Flag:
five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white;
a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white
five-pointed star in the center
:Cuba Economy
Overview:
The economy, centrally planned and largely state owned, is highly dependent
on the agricultural sector and foreign trade. Sugar provided about
two-thirds of export revenues in 1991, and over half was exported to the
former Soviet republics. The economy has stagnated since 1985 under policies
that have deemphasized material incentives in the workplace, abolished
farmers' informal produce markets, and raised prices of government-supplied
goods and services. In 1990 the economy probably fell 5% largely as a result
of declining trade with the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Recently
the government has been trying to increase trade with Latin America and
China. Cuba has had difficulty servicing its foreign debt since 1982. The
government currently is encouraging foreign investment in tourist facilities
and in industrial plants idled by falling imports from the former Soviet
Union. Other investment priorities include sugar, basic foods, and nickel.
The annual Soviet subsidy dropped from $4 billion in 1990 to about $1
billion in 1991 because of a lower price paid for Cuban sugar and a sharp
decline in Soviet exports to Cuba. The former Soviet republics have
indicated they will no longer extend aid to Cuba beginning in 1992. Instead
of highly subsidized trade, Cuba has been shifting to trade at market prices
in convertible currencies. Because of increasingly severe shortages of
fuels, industrial raw materials, and spare parts, aggregate output dropped
by one-fifth in 1991.
GNP:
$17 billion, per capita $1,580; real growth rate -20% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Budget:
revenues $12.46 billion; expenditures $14.45 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
Exports:
$3.6 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
sugar, nickel, medical products, shellfish, citrus, tobacco, coffee
partners:
former USSR 63%, China 6%, Canada 4%, Japan 4% (1991 est.)
Imports:
$3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
petroleum, capital goods, industrial raw materials, food
partners:
former USSR 47%, Spain 8%, China 6%, Argentina 5%, Italy 4%, Mexico 3% (1991
est.)
External debt:
$6.8 billion (convertible currency, July 1989)
Industrial production:
growth rate 0%; accounts for 45% of GDP (1989)
Electricity:
3,889,000 kW capacity; 16,272 million kWh produced, 1,516 kWh per capita
(1991)
Industries:
sugar milling, petroleum refining, food and tobacco processing, textiles,
chemicals, paper and wood products, metals (particularly nickel), cement,
fertilizers, consumer goods, agricultural machinery
Agriculture:
accounts for 11% of GNP (including fishing and forestry); key commercial
crops - sugarcane, tobacco, and citrus fruits; other products - coffee,
rice, potatoes, meat, beans; world's largest sugar exporter; not
self-sufficient in food (excluding sugar)
:Cuba Economy
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$710 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $18.5 billion
Currency:
Cuban peso (plural - pesos); 1 Cuban peso (Cu$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
Cuban pesos (Cu$) per US$1 - 1.0000 (linked to the US dollar)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Cuba Communications
Railroads:
12,947 km total; Cuban National Railways operates 5,053 km of 1.435-meter
gauge track; 151.7 km electrified; 7,742 km of sugar plantation lines of
0.914-m and 1.435-m gauge
Highways:
26,477 km total; 14,477 km paved, 12,000 km gravel and earth surfaced (1989
est.)
Inland waterways:
240 km
Ports:
Cienfuegos, Havana, Mariel, Matanzas, Santiago de Cuba; 7 secondary, 35
minor
Merchant marine:
77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 537,464 GRT/755,824 DWT; includes 46
cargo, 10 refrigerated cargo, 1 cargo/training, 11 petroleum tanker, 1
chemical tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 4 bulk; note - Cuba beneficially owns an
additional 45 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 574,047 DWT under the
registry of Panama, Cyprus, and Malta
Civil air:
88 major transport aircraft
Airports:
189 total, 167 usable; 73 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways
over 3,659 m; 12 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 18 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - 150 AM, 5 FM, 58 TV; 1,530,000 TVs; 2,140,000 radios;
229,000 telephones; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
:Cuba Defense Forces
Branches:
Revolutionary Armed Forces (including Ground Forces, Revolutionary Navy
(MGR), Air and Air Defense Force[DAAFR]), Ministry of Interior and Ministry
of Defense Special Troops, Border Guard Troops, Territorial Militia Troops,
Youth Labor Army, Civil Defense, National Revolutionary Police
Manpower availability:
eligible 15-49, 6,130,641; of the 3,076,276 males 15-49, 1,925,648 are fit
for military service; of the 3,054,365 females 15-49, 1,907,281 are fit for
military service; 97,973 males and 94,514 females reach military age (17)
annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1.2-1.4 billion, 6% of GNP (1989 est.)
:Cyprus Geography