Cuba

Alternate meanings: see Cuba (disambiguation)

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the northern Caribbean, in between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. To the north are found the United States and the Bahamas, to the west Mexico, to the south the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, and to the southeast Haiti.

República de Cuba
(In Detail)
National motto: None
Official language Spanish
Capital Havana
Largest City Havana
President Fidel Castro
Area
 - Total
 - % water
Ranked 106th
100,860 km²
Negligible
Population
 - Total (2002)
 - Density
Ranked 67th
11,184,023
101/km²
Independence
 - Declared
 - Recognised
Sp.-Am. War
October 10, 1868
May 20, 1902
Currency Cuban Peso
Time zone UTC -5
National anthem La Bayamesa
Internet TLD .CU
Calling Code53

Table of contents
1 History
2 Politics
3 Provinces
4 Geography
5 Economy
6 Demographics
7 Culture
8 Miscellaneous topics
9 External links

History

Main article: History of Cuba

Cuba and its originally Amerindian population came under Spanish control in the 16th century. The colony's struggle for independence started in 1868 and continued during the 19th century until the Spanish-American War of 1898. The US then occupied the island until recognising independence in 1902, though limited by the Platt Amendment, after which the US continued to exercise considerable control over Cuban affairs.

Fidel Castro and a rebel army in 1959 overthrew president Fulgencio Batista, and Castro has ruled the island as dictator ever since. Relations with the US deteriorated when Castro, breaking pledges he made before the 1959 coup, declared a Communist state and sought closer ties with the Soviet Union, leading a strict US trade embargo largely still in place today.

Cuba was subsequently involved in communist takeovers in Africa and Latin America, while it enjoyed close economic ties with the Soviet bloc. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 however the country suffered an economic setback, but has recovered to an extent since then, though economic and political reforms have been made only haltingly.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Cuba

Cuba is a communist dictatorship led by an un-elected president. Fidel Castro has been in power since 1959, first as prime minister and after the abolition of that office in 1976 as president. He is both head of state and head of government, as well as First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, and commander in chief of the armed forces.

The unicameral Cuban parliament is the National Assembly of People's Power or Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular. Its 609 members are appointed in mock elections, all candidates being chosen by the communist party, and they serve five-year terms. The communist party is constitutionally recognised as Cuba's only legal political party. The party and its affiliated organisations monopolise all government positions, including judicial offices. The question of who will succeed Fidel Castro presents a crisis for the republic, with power struggles likely as the death of the ailing and aged dictator approaches. Other political issues include illegal emigration to the US, and the government's torture, murder, and imprisonment of political dissidents.

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Cuba

Cuba is divided into 14 provinces (provincias, singular provincia) and 1 special municipality (municipio especial), marked by a *:

  • Camagüey
  • Ciego de Avila
  • Cienfuegos
  • Granma
  • Guantánamo
  • Havana (La Habana)
  • Havana City (Ciudad de La Habana)
  • Holguín
  • Isle of Youth * (Isla de la Juventud)
  • Las Tunas
  • Matanzas
  • Pinar del Río
  • Sancti Spíritus
  • Santiago de Cuba
  • Villa Clara

Geography

Main article: Geography of Cuba

The elongated island of Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and is bounded to the north by the Straits of Florida and the greater North Atlantic Ocean, to the northwest by the Gulf of Mexico, to the west by the Yucatan Channel, to the south by the Caribbean Sea, and to the east by the Windward Passage. The Republic comprises the entire island, including many outlying islands such as the Isle of Youth, with the exception of Guantanamo Bay, a naval base that has been leased by the United States since 1903.

The island consists mostly of flat to rolling plains, with more rugged hills and mountains primarily in the southeast and the highest point is the Pico Real del Turquino at 2,005 m. The local climate is tropical, though moderated by trade winds. There is a drier season from November to April, and a rainier season from May to October. Havana is the largest city and capital, other major cities include Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Cuba

The government continues to exert firm political control over the economy. It has undertaken limited reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase enterprise efficiency, and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services, but seems unlikely to implement extensive changes. A major feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient export and tourism enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors.

The Cuban economy was hit hard in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Comecon economic bloc, with which it had traded predominantly. A continuing United States trade embargo has had a detrimental effect on the economy since the early 1960s. More recent problems include high oil prices, recessions in key export markets such as sugar and nickel, damage from hurricanes, depressed tourism, and faltering world economic conditions.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Cuba

Cuba is a multiracial society with a population of either mixed (mulatto) or more specific Spanish and African origins. There is also a small ethnic Chinese community. The largest organised religion is the Roman Catholic Church. Afro-Cuban or Santeria religions, a blend of native African religions and Roman Catholicism, are widely practiced in Cuba. Officially, Cuba had been an atheist state for most of the Castro era, but religious restrictions have been relaxed since 1991 and the state secularised. Smaller Protestant and Jewish minorities also exist.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Cuba

Holidays
DateEnglish NameLocal NameRemarks
January 1Liberation Day
July 26Rebellion Day

Miscellaneous topics

External links


Countries of the world  |  North America
\n simple:Cuba


In the News

Radiation Degrades Nuclear Waste-containing Materials Faster Than Expe
Minerals intended to entrap nuclear waste for hundreds of thousands of years may be susceptible to structural breakdown within 1,400 years, a team from the University of Cambridge and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory reported in the journal Nature.

Weight-loss proves effective cure for sleep apnea
For obese men, a dramatic weight loss can be an effective way to improve moderate to severe sleep apnea, scientists. Those with severe sleep apnea when the study began benefited most from weight loss.

YouTube, Univision Are New Best Amigos
YouTube and Univision conclude a deal to put all sorts of new long- and short-form Spanish programming on the popular video sharing site. That means shows for Hispanic viewers and more ads for Univision.


Report recommends steps to tackle hepatitis B and C
Stepped-up vaccination requirements, a boost in resources for prevention and treatment, and a public awareness campaign similar to the effort that dispelled the stigma of HIV/AIDS are needed to curb the health threats posed by hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Specific Regions Of Brain Implicated In Anorexia Nervosa, Finds Univ.
Why those with anorexia nervosa are driven to be excessively thin and are unreasonably negligent of the seriousness of their condition could be due to over activity of a chemical system found in a region deep inside the brain. Reporting in the journal Biological Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh researchers found an over-activity of dopamine receptors in the basal ganglia, an area known to play a role in how people learn from experience and make choices.

Responsible Shopper
This website allows consumers to "[s]earch hundreds of company profiles by name or by industry and quickly compare the corporate responsibility records of companies within industries"such as beauty and body care, clothing, electronics, and food. Company profiles list any campaigns and alerts associated with the company, along with company contact information and a list of affiliated companies. From Green America (formerly Co-op America).

New Gas Sensors Patterned With Conducting Polymer
An improved method for depositing nanoporous, conducting polymer films on miniaturized device features has been demonstrated by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Described in the April 6 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society,* the method may be useful as a general technique for reproducibly fabricating microdevices such as sensors for detecting toxic chemicals.

Eleanor &Harry: The Correspondence of Eleanor Roosevelt and Harry S. T
Facsimiles and transcriptions of the 1945-1959 correspondence between Eleanor Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. The correspondence shows how "from a formal, often wary, political relationship developed also a strong friendship. Ultimately, Harry Truman designated Eleanor Roosevelt as his representative on the United Nations and 'First Lady of the World.'"Includes biographies, lesson plans, photos, and related links. A joint project of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library.

Bar Flies: Fruit Flies Help Unravel The Genetics Of Alcohol Sensitivit
New research has identified a number of genes that are associated with sensitivity to alcohol in fruit flies. It is hoped that these findings will help researchers uncover the genetic basis of drinking behaviour in humans. Fruit flies are a useful model for investigating the contribution genes make to human alcohol sensitivity because, like humans, fruit flies can get 'drunk'if exposed to high levels of alcohol.

[Funny] A referee has sent himself off in an English amateur league ma
Andy Wain had to abandon the Sunday league match between Peterborough North End and a Royal Mail side in the 63rd minute after throwing down his whistle and marching up to confront North End's keeper.




MP3 Music Downloads

Preview songs, Download Free Music,Burn CDs at ITunes.com
iTunes_RGB_9mm

 


Google




InformationQuickFind.com - Find Information Fast

Links | Privacy Policy | News |