Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power: (Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular) elections last held February 1993 (next to be held NA); seats - 589 total, elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions
Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo Popular)
Political parties and leaders: only party - Cuban Communist Party
(PCC), Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary
Member of: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS,
ILO, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO,
ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS (excluded from formal
participation since 1962), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Principal Officer Alfonso FRAGA PEREZ (since August
1992) represented by the Cuban Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy
in Washington, DC
chancery: 2630 and 2639 16th Street NW, Cuban Interests Section, Swiss
Embassy, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 797-8609, 8610, 8615
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Principal Officer Joseph G. SULLIVAN
US Interests Section: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada Entre L Y M,
Vedado Seccion, Havana
mailing address: use street address
telephone: 33-3551 through 3559, 33-3543 through 3547, 33-3700
(operator assistance required)
FAX: Telex 512206
note: protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland - US Interests Section,
Swiss Embassy
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: Cuba's heavily statist economy remains severely depressed as the result of its own inefficiencies and the loss of massive amounts of economic aid from the former Soviet Bloc. Total output in 1994 was only about half the output of 1989. The fall in output and in imports is reflected in the deterioration of food supplies, shortages of electricity, inability to get spare parts, and the replacement of motor-driven vehicles by bicycles and draft animals. Higher world market prices for sugar and nickel in 1994, however, resulted in a slight increase in export earnings for the first time in six years, despite lower production of both commodities. The growth of tourism slowed in late 1994 as a result of negative publicity surrounding the exodus of Cubans from the island and other international factors. The government continued its aggressive search for foreign investment and announced preliminary agreements to form large joint ventures with Mexican investors in telecommunications and oil refining. In mid-1994, the National Assembly began introducing several new taxes and price increases to stem growing excess liquidity and restore some of the peso's value as a monetary instrument. In October the government attempted to stimulate food production by permitting the sale of any surplus production (over state quotas) at unrestricted prices at designated markets. Similar but much smaller markets were also introduced for the sale of manufactured goods in December. The various government measures have influenced a remarkable appreciation of the black market value of the peso, from more than 100 pesos to the dollar in September 1994 to 40 pesos to the dollar in early 1995. Policy discussions continue in the bureaucracy over the proper pace and scope of economic reform.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $14 billion (1994 est.)