Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m
Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese,
salt, timber, silica, petroleum
Land use:
arable land: 23%
permanent crops: 6%
meadows and pastures: 23%
forest and woodland: 17%
other: 31%
Irrigated land: 8,960 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues: pollution of Havana Bay; overhunting threatens
wildlife populations; deforestation
natural hazards: the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August
to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane
every other year); droughts are common
international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified -
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Marine Life
Conservation
Geographic note: largest country in Caribbean
People ———
Population: 10,951,334 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 1,256,674; female 1,191,652)
15-64 years: 68% (male 3,753,343; female 3,736,043)
65 years and over: 10% (male 478,630; female 534,992) (July 1996
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.44% (1996 est.)