2025 Edition Primary

Background

The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the arrival of Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492, as the country was developed as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement, and occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from Spain in 1898, and after three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba became an independent republic in 1902. <br><br>Cuba then experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his authoritarian rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He handed off the presidency to his younger brother Raul CASTRO in 2008. Cuba's communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez, hand-picked by Raul CASTRO to succeed him, was approved as president by the National Assembly and took office in 2018. DIAZ-CANEL was appointed First Secretary of the Communist Party in 2021 after the retirement of Raul CASTRO and continues to serve as both president and first secretary. <p>Cuba traditionally and consistently portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source of its socioeconomic difficulties. As a result of efforts begun in 2014 to reestablish diplomatic relations, the US and Cuba reopened embassies in their respective countries in 2015. The embargo remains in place, however, and the relationship between the US and Cuba remains tense. Illicit migration of Cuban nationals to the US via maritime and overland routes has been a longstanding challenge. In 2017, the US and Cuba signed a Joint Statement ending the so-called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy, by which Cuban nationals who reached US soil were permitted to stay. Irregular Cuban maritime migration has dropped significantly since 2016, when migrant interdictions at sea topped 5,000, but land border crossings continue. </p>

Area

Land

109,820 sq km

Total

110,860 sq km

Water

1,040 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate

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

Coastline

3,735 km

Continent

North America

Elevation

Highest point

Pico Turquino 1,974 m

Lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

108 m

Geographic coordinates

21 30 N, 80 00 W

Geography - note

largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles

Irrigated land

8,700 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

Border countries

US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 28.5 km

Note

<strong>note:</strong> Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba

Total

28.5 km

Land use

Agricultural land

61.7% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 28% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.)

arable land

28.02%

Forest

34.9% (2023 est.)

Other

3.5% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

6.29%

Landlocked

No

Location

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

Map links

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/1dDw1QfZspfMUTm99

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/307833

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

Contiguous zone

24 nm

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

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

Subregion

Caribbean

Terrain

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

Time zone

UTC-05:00

number of time zones

1

Age structure

0-14 years

16.3% (male 918,066/female 866,578)

15-64 years

66.5% (male 3,670,531/female 3,623,658)

65 years and over

17.2% (2024 est.) (male 852,910/female 1,034,295)

Alcohol consumption per capita

Beer

1.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

2.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

4.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

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

Child marriage

Men married by age 18

5.9% (2019)

Women married by age 15

4.8% (2019)

Women married by age 18

29.4% (2019)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.4% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

58.6% (2019 est.)

Death rate

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

adult female

73 per 1,000

adult male

127 per 1,000

Dependency ratios

Elderly dependency ratio

27.6 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

3.6 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

50.2 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

22.6 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

Improved: rural

rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 95.5% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 4.5% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

8.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

17% national budget (2022 est.)

Education expenditures

8 % of GDP

Ethnic groups

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

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represent racial self-identification from Cuba's 2012 national census

Gross reproduction rate

0.72 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

9 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

13.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

21% of national budget (2022 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.35%

Hospital bed density

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

Infant mortality rate

Female

3.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

4 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

5.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official)

Major-language sample(s)

<br>La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

number of languages

1

Life expectancy at birth

Female

82.6 years

Male

77.8 years

Total population

80.1 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

Female

96.3% (2019 est.)

Male

99% (2019 est.)

Total population

97.7% (2019 est.)

Major urban areas - population

2.149 million HAVANA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

Female

44.4 years

Male

41 years

Total

46.2 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

49 births/1,000 women 15-19

Nationality

Adjective

Cuban

Noun

Cuban(s)

Net migration rate

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

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.6% (2016)

People - note

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

Physician density

9.54 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

Female

5,108,904

Male

4,950,615

Total

10,059,519 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.6% (2025 est.)

Religions

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

note

<strong>note:</strong> folk religions include religions of African origin, spiritualism, and others intermingled with Catholicism or Protestantism; data is estimative because no authoritative source on religious affiliation exists for Cuba

Sanitation facility access

improved total

45.88%

Improved: rural

rural: 95.7% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 97.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 4.3% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 2.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Female

15 years (2023 est.)

Male

13 years (2023 est.)

Total

14 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female

At birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

Female

9% (2025 est.)

Male

24.7% (2025 est.)

Total

16.7% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.49 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Rate of urbanization

0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

77.5% of total population (2023)

Vaccination rate

measles

99%

Administrative divisions

15 provinces (<em>provincias</em>, singular - <em>provincia</em>) and 1 special municipality* (<em>municipio especial</em>); Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana (Havana), Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Pinar del Río, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Capital

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - Cuba has been known to alter the schedule of DST on short notice in an attempt to conserve electricity for lighting

Etymology

Spanish soldier Diego VELAZQUEZ named the city San Cristobal de la Habana, or Saint Christopher of the Habana; "Habana" may have been the name of a local ethnic group, but the meaning of the word is unknown

Geographic coordinates

23 07 N, 82 21 W

Name

Havana

Time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth

yes

Citizenship by descent only

yes

Dual citizenship recognized

no

Residency requirement for naturalization

unknown

Coat of arms

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/cu.svg

Constitution

Amendment process

proposed by the National Assembly of People&rsquo;s Power; passage requires approval of at least two-thirds majority of the National Assembly membership; amendments to constitutional articles on the authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any rights and duties in the constitution also require approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on the Cuban political, social, and economic system cannot be amended

History

several previous; latest drafted 14 July 2018, approved by the National Assembly 22 December 2018, approved by referendum 24 February 2019

Country name

alternative spellings

CU, Republic of Cuba, República de Cuba

Conventional long form

Republic of Cuba

Conventional short form

Cuba

Etymology

the origin of the name is disputed; it could be derived from a local Taino word, either <em>cubao</em>, meaning "where fertile land is abundant," or coabana, meaning "great place"

FIFA code

CUB

Local long form

Rep&uacute;blica de Cuba

local long form (spa)

República de Cuba

Local short form

Cuba

Diplomatic representation from the US

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d'Affaires Mike HAMMER (since 14 November 2024)

Email address and website

<br>acshavana@state.gov<br><br>https://cu.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

Calzada between L &amp; M Streets, Vedado, Havana

FAX

[53] (7) 839-4247

Mailing address

3200 Havana Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-3200

Telephone

[53] (7) 839-4100

Diplomatic representation in the US

Chancery

2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d'Affaires Lianys TORRES RIVERA (since 14 January 2021)

Email address and website

<br>recepcion@usadc.embacuba.cu<br><br>https://misiones.cubaminrex.cu/en/usa/embassy-cuba-usa

FAX

[1] (202) 797-8521

Telephone

[1] (202) 797-8515

Executive branch

Cabinet

Council of Ministers proposed by the president and appointed by the National Assembly

Chief of state

President Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 19 April 2018)

Election results

<br><em>2023: </em>Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) reelected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 97.7%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) reelected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 93.4%<em><br><br>2018: </em>Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.8%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.1%

Election/appointment process

president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)

Expected date of next election

2028

Head of government

Prime Minister Manuel MARRERO Cruz (since 21 December 2019)

Most recent election date

19 April 2023

Flag

<strong>description:</strong> five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the left side has a five-pointed white star in the center<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the blue bands stand for the islands' three former departments: Central, Occidental, and Oriental; the white bands for the purity of the independence ideal; the triangle for liberty, equality, and fraternity; the red color for the blood shed in the independence struggle; the white star, called "La Estrella Solitaria" (the Lone Star), lights the way to freedom and was inspired by the state flag of Texas

note

<strong>note:</strong> design similar to the Puerto Rican flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Flag description

The flag of Cuba is composed of five equal horizontal bands of blue alternating with white and a red equilateral triangle superimposed on the hoist side of the field. The triangle has its base on the hoist end, spans about two-fifth the width of the field and bears a white five-pointed star at its center.

Flag image

svg

https://flagcdn.com/cu.svg

Government type

communist state

Independence

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

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Highest court(s)

People's Supreme Court (consists of court president, vice president, 41 professional justices, and NA lay judges); organization includes the State Council, criminal, civil, administrative, labor, crimes against the state, and military courts)

Judge selection and term of office

professional judges elected by the National Assembly are not subject to a specific term; lay judges nominated by workplace collectives and neighborhood associations and elected by municipal or provincial assemblies; lay judges appointed for 5-year terms and serve up to 30 days per year

Subordinate courts

People's Provincial Courts; People's Regional Courts; People's Courts

Legal system

civil law system based on Spanish civil code

Legislative branch

Electoral system

other systems

Expected date of next election

March 2028

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

National Assembly of the People's Power (Asamblea nacional del Poder popular)

Most recent election date

3/26/2023

Note

<strong>note:</strong> the National Candidature Commission submits a slate of approved candidates; to be elected, candidates must receive more than 50% of valid votes, otherwise the seat remains vacant or the Council of State can declare another election

Number of seats

470 (all directly elected)

Percentage of women in chamber

55.7%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

National color(s)

red, white, blue

National heritage

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Old Havana (c); Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios (c); San Pedro de la Roca Castle (c); Desembarco del Granma National Park (n); Vi&ntilde;ales Valley (c); Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations (c); Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (n); Historic Cienfuegos (c); Historic Camag&uuml;ey (c)

Total World Heritage Sites

9 (7 cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

royal palm

Political parties

Cuban Communist Party or PCC

Start of week

Monday

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

UN Member

Yes

Agricultural products

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

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

Expenditures

$64.64 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

$54.52 billion (2017 est.)

Currency

code

CUC, CUP

name

Cuban convertible peso (CUC) [$], Cuban peso (CUP) [$]

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

24 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

24 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

24 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

24 (2024 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> official exchange rate of 24 Cuban pesos per US dollar effective 1 January 2021

Exports

Exports 2018

$14.53 billion (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$12.632 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$8.768 billion (2020 est.)

Note

<strong>note: </strong>GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

Exports of goods and services

43.5% (2023 est.)

Government consumption

25.5% (2023 est.)

Household consumption

73.3% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-64.6% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

12.3% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories

10% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Agriculture

1.3% (2023 est.)

Industry

27.5% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

70% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$259.781 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gross domestic investment

24 % of GDP

Imports

Imports 2018

$12.567 billion (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$10.971 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$8.067 billion (2020 est.)

Note

<strong>note: </strong>GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-0.9% (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

11.9% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

151.9% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

76.1% (2022 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

4.859 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

4.86 million persons

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

15.53%

industry

16.91%

services

67.56%

Public debt

Public debt 2016

42.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$83.597 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$81.985 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$81.165 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

-1.06%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

1.3% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

1.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-1.9% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$13,300 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$18,300 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$23,700 (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.75%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

1.9% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

1.8% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

1.6% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Female

3.5% (2024 est.)

Male

4.1% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

3.9% (2024 est.)

Coal

Consumption

1,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports

25 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

8,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

Consumption

11.951 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

1,102 kWh

Installed generating capacity

7.264 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

3.352 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

Biomass and waste

2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

95.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

0.77%

Hydroelectricity

0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

5.19%

Solar

1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

816 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

26.07 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

Consumption

850.133 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

850.133 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

70.792 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

Crude oil estimated reserves

124 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

118,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Renewable energy consumption

20.9%

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

per 100 inhabitants

3 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2023 est.)

Total

327,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.cu

Internet users

Note

<strong>note:</strong> private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet"; issues relating to COVID-19 impact research into internet adoption, so actual internet user figures may be different than published numbers suggest

Percent of population

71% (2023 est.)

Postal code format

CP #####

Telephone calling code

+53

Telephones - fixed lines

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

1.59 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100

70 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

73 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

8.01 million (2024 est.)

Air transport

passengers carried

136,998 passengers

registered carrier departures

1,694 departures

Airports

120 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

CU

Driving side

Right

Heliports

4 (2025)

Merchant marine

By type

general cargo 13, oil tanker 10, other 42

Total

65 (2023)

Ports

Key ports

Antilla, Bahai de la Habana, Bahia de Sagua de Tanamo, Cabanas, Casilda, Cienfuegos, Nuevitas Bay, Puerto Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba

Large

6

Medium

3

Ports with oil terminals

14

Size unknown

9

Small

10

Total ports

34 (2024)

Very small

6

Railways

Narrow gauge

172 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

Note

<strong>note: </strong>As of 2013, 70 km of standard gauge and 12 km of narrow gauge track were not for public use

Standard gauge

8,195 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified)

Total

8,367 km (2017)

Vehicle registration code

C

Land forces

armored vehicles

tanks

Military - note

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&rsquo;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)

Military and security forces

Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Ground Troops (Tropas Terrestres), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (Defensas Anti-Aereas y Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria, DAAFAR)<br><br>Paramilitary forces under the FAR: Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT), Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT), Defense and Production Brigades (Brigadas de Producción y Defensa, BPD), Civil Defense Organization (Defensa Civil de Cuba) <br><br>Ministry of Interior: National Revolutionary Police (Policía Nacional Revolucionaria, PNR), Directorate of Border Guard Troops (Dirección de Tropas de Guardia Fronteriza, TGF), Department of State Security (Departamento de Seguridad del Estado, DSE) (2025)

active duty personnel

76,000

percent of total labor force

1.54 %

Military and security service personnel strengths

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

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

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

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

3.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

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)

Military strength ranking

PowerIndex score

1.3345

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

37,171 (2024 est.)

Refugees

171 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

Tier rating

Tier 3 — Cuba does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Cuba remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/cuba/

Carbon dioxide emissions

From coal and metallurgical coke

16,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

1.58 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

18.12 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

19.716 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

soil degradation and desertification (brought on by poor farming techniques and natural disasters); biodiversity loss; deforestation; air and water pollution

International environmental agreements

Party to

Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

Methane emissions

Agriculture

249.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

23 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

146.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

13.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Protected areas

7 % of total land area

Renewable electricity output

5 % of total

Total renewable water resources

38.12 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

18 % of internal resources

Agricultural

4.519 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

740 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

1.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually

2.693 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

25.7% (2022 est.)