CUBA-SOME FACTS

CUBA: SOME FACTS

• It is the largest Caribbean island, bound on the south by the Caribbean Sea and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean and covers 110,861 sq km.
• The current population is estimated to be over 11million with an ethnic mix predominately of African and European ancestry. The indigenous Taino who inhabited Cuba before Columbus's arrival were wiped out by Spanish invasion and European diseases.
•  The population is around 51% mixed race, 37%white,11% black and 1% Asian. We were told that race is not an issue.
• Cuba is a republic with a centralized socialist government. We were told that it is neither communism or socialism. It is Fidelism. However, the Communist party is enshrined in the constitution as the only legal political party.
• Tourism is the biggest industry,  with British tourists currently the largest number. Sugar is the second main industry. It is estimated that 3% of the economy is made up by remittances sent to family members by Cuban-Americans. More of that later.
• According to UNICEF, Cuba has 100% adult literacy rate, the highest in all of Latin America.
• Education and health are free to all at the point of delivery. Medicines prescribed in hospital are free. Those prescribed by GPs can be bought relatively cheaply.
• Life expectancy at birth is 79 years, also the highest in Latin America. (cf 78.4% men, 82.4% women in the UK in 2010)