Cuba: a country of freedom, cheerful people and sunny resorts. Cuba - country, state, attractions, cultural features, cuisine, shopping Which country does Cuba belong to

Republic of Cuba Consular section of the embassy: Havana, Vedado district, st. 8, 306, between st. 13 and st. 15, tel. 360-18, 339-34. Consulate General: Santiago de Cuba, Vista Alegre district, st. 4, 202, corner on the street. 7, tel. 423-46. Consulate General: Cienfuegos, Buena Vista, avenida 64, 11103,

Cuba is a large island in the Caribbean Sea and the island nation of the same name. Cuba is famous all over the world for the beautiful beaches of the northern coast, magnificent ancient cities, incomparable and incendiary Latin American music and, finally, hand-rolled cigars. This contrast makes the country unique and interesting for tourists to visit.

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Where is Cuba located on the world map

The official name of the state is the Republic of Cuba, the unofficial name is Liberty Island. The capital of Cuba is Havana. In the western part of the hemisphere, this is the only state where the socialist form of government.

Cuba is located on the island of Youth (the seventh largest in the world) between North and South America. All the islands and coral reefs that are located on the map around Cuba belong to the country. There are about 1500 of them. All of them belong to the group of large Antilles.

On the map, the country is shown as a narrow strip of land that stretches from west to east and its length is 1250 km. Outwardly, the island looks like a crocodile, whose head looks at the Atlantic, and the tail rushes to the Gulf of Mexico.

Cuba is an island, so it is washed on all sides:

• Atlantic Ocean in the northeast;
• Gulf of Mexico in the northwest;
• Caribbean Sea in the south.

The total area of ​​the state is 114,524 square kilometers. Sierra Maestro mountains located on the southeastern part of the map of the state and are the highest point of the state (Turkino peak - 1973 meters).

Distance from Cuba to Moscow - 9580 km, up to - 215 km, to Jamaica - 150 km, to the USA - 185 km, to Haiti - 78 km.

All about Cuba

Cuba is an island state, so the features of nature and weather largely depend on the ocean and sea that wash the country.

Relief

The landscape of Cuba is mostly flat. Mountains and small hills occupy about a third of the entire territory of the island. There are three main mountain systems in the state:

• in the west, the Cordillera de Guaniguanico;
• in the center - Escambray;
• in the east, the Sierra Maestro.

Very much in Cuba many small and large caves. The largest cave is Santo Tomas, it contains many so-called underground galleries, 25 km long. And also there are hills with steep slopes and flat tops. Areas that are slightly hilly have been developed and settled. The shores are often swampy, low, even in some places overgrown with mangroves. Sandy beaches are not uncommon in Cuba and usually stretch for several kilometers. For example, in the most famous resort of Varadero (Hicacos Peninsula), there is such a sandy beach.

Climate

Cuba is magnificent: warm and soft, which is due to the geographical position of the country. The American state of Florida is separated from Cuba by a small Strait of Florida. Its width is only 150 km. Warm water currents pass through this strait, which are referred to as the Gulf Stream.

Thanks to such warm currents, the water temperature on the beaches in winter does not fall below 22 degrees, in summer - 28-30 degrees. In general, the climate in the country is trade wind-tropical and indicates that there is a clear division into dry and rainy seasons. The rainy period in Cuba lasts from May to October, and dry and sunny weather, respectively, November-April.

By sea, Cuba is separated from the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) by a short distance. But also around the Republic of Cuba there are such magnificent corners as Jamaica, the Bahamas and. Cuba is separated from these states by small straits with a width of 80 to 170 km.

Population

The population of the country is 11.5 million people. Most of the population - descendants of immigrants from Spain, the rest are mestizos, mulattoes, blacks, but a large number of Chinese also live on the island. The indigenous people were completely exterminated during the development and colonization of the island by the Spaniards.

The Spaniards needed more manpower, so slaves were brought to the island from Africa. Over 1 million slaves were imported over 350 years. For the same reason, the Chinese were also brought from Asia (120,000 people) between 1854 and 1875. Indian slaves were also brought in to work on the plantations, but their numbers were small. A constant flow of migrants was represented by European states (France, England, Germany, Spain).

Very big wave of migration began during and after World War II. The main settlers of that time were Jews. Thus, the Cuban nation has absorbed the characteristics of many peoples of the world.

Most of the believers are:

• 47% are Catholics;
• 4% are Protestants.

The rest are the so-called santeria. This belief based on the cult of African pagans, which is mixed with the Christian cult. The church is not subordinate to the state, the constitution states that every citizen has the right to freedom of religion.

What language is spoken in Cuba? Of course, the official language is Spanish. However, the staff in many hotels is fluent in German, English, Italian.

State structure

Under the 1992 Constitution of Cuba is a socialist republic in which the main place is occupied by the Communist Party. The first secretary of the party is the president of the country.

Parliament consists of 609 deputies, elected for a term of 5 years. The executive power is the Council of Ministers and the State Council.

The country is divided into 15 provinces, which, in turn, are divided into municipalities (168) and a separate municipality of Huventud.

A brief excursion into history

Island discovered by Columbus in 1492, then it was inhabited by the Indians. The island was captured in the 16th century by the Spaniards, who exterminated most of the indigenous population and brought slaves to the island from different continents. Slavery continued on the island until 1887.

As a result of a difficult and long confrontation (1868-1878) of the Cuban people against the colonial yoke, the independence of the island of Cuba was proclaimed. But in fact the country was under the yoke of the United States. The withdrawal of American troops took place in 1901, but even after that, the American government more than once resorted to an armed seizure of power in Cuba. In 1934 dictator Batista established a pro-American regime in the country.

Under the command of Fidel Castro in 1959 the dictator was overthrown. The USSR provided special economic assistance in the formation of statehood. During this period, the United States imposed an embargo. During the Cold War (Caribbean Crisis), the Soviet Union deployed nuclear warheads in Cuba. In 1975, Cuba was proclaimed an independent socialist state, and Castro became the leader of the country. And he is still pursuing a policy of blockade of Cuba, thereby causing economic damage to the island.

A long period of Spanish colonization, attempts to take possession of the island by the British and Americans could not turn Cuba into an overseas country. Therefore, the Cubans proudly mark the island on the map and call it the Island of Freedom.

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the northern Caribbean. Cuba occupies the territory of the island of the same name as part of the Greater Antilles, the Island of Youth and many smaller islands.

The relief of Cuba is predominantly flat. Hills and mountains occupy about a third of the territory. The highest mountain range Sierra Maestra stretches along the southeast coast for 250 km. Its highest point is Turquino Peak (1974 m). Approximately 2/3 of the entire area of ​​Cuba is occupied by slightly hilly plains.

State

State structure

Socialist Republic. The head of state is the chairman of the State Council. The highest organ of state power and the country's legislative body is the unicameral National Assembly of People's Power. The highest executive and administrative body, which is the government of the republic, is the Council of Ministers.

Language

Official language: Spanish

English, German, Italian are widely used in resort areas.

Religion

The majority of believers are Catholics (47%), Protestants (4%) and adherents of the so-called "santeria" - a syncretic cult based on African pagan beliefs, mixed with the cult of some Christian saints.

Currency

International name: CUP

You can exchange currency at bank exchange offices, as well as in most hotels. Hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards of the world's leading payment systems, except for North American ones. No credit card issued by any US bank will be accepted for payment, but cards and traveler's checks in other currencies are freely accepted. Traveler's checks in US dollars and pounds sterling are accepted indefinitely on one condition - if they are not issued by an American bank.

There are two types of pesos - "non-convertible" (for internal circulation) and "convertible" (CUC or "convertible", used for settlements with tourists, pegged to the US dollar at a ratio of 1: 1.08). Often change is given to both.

All goods and services, including transport and departure tax, must be paid for in convertible pesos. The circulation of the US dollar in Cuba has been stopped. When carrying out exchange transactions with US dollars, a commission fee of 10% of the exchanged amount is charged (no fee is charged when exchanging other currencies). All credit card transactions are taxed at 11.24%.

History of Cuba

The settlement of the island of Cuba occurred quite late, about four thousand years ago. By the time the Europeans arrived, the Indians were still at the stage of the primitive communal system and did not seek to resist the small detachment of Christopher Columbus, who landed in October 1492 in one of the bays of the island. Colonized by Spain in the 16th century. The Spanish conquerors destroyed most of the indigenous population of the Indians and imported slaves from Africa to work on the plantations (slavery persisted until 1886).

In 1902, Cuba was proclaimed an independent republic, but in fact it turned into a semi-colony of the United States, which resorted to occupation more than once in 1906-1922.

In the mid-1950s, a struggle began in Cuba against the regime of F. Batista. January 1, 1959 Batista was forced to flee Cuba. The Cuban leadership, headed by F. Castro, gradually began to focus on the USSR, which provided economic assistance to Cuba.

The irreconcilable position of the Cuban leadership towards the United States during the Cold War (in 1961 the United States severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, in 1962 Cuba was expelled from the Organization of American States) led to Cuba being drawn into the so-called. Caribbean crisis (October 1962), caused by the deployment of Soviet missiles in Cuba.

In 1975, at the first congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, the country was proclaimed a socialist state with a one-party regime. Since the early 1990s, economic difficulties in Cuba have sharply worsened.

The settlement of the island of Cuba occurred quite late, about four thousand years ago. By the time the Europeans arrived, the Indians were still at the stage of the primitive communal system and did not seek to resist the small detachment of Christopher Columbus, who landed in October 1492 in one of the bays of the island. Colonized by Spain in the 16th century. The Spanish conquerors destroyed most of the indigenous population of the Indians and imported slaves from Africa to work on the plantations (slavery persisted until 1886)....

Cuba map

Popular Attractions

Cuba Tourism

Where to stay

In Cuba, there are many hotels of famous world chains, mostly Spanish. Almost all coastal hotels are on the first line of the beach.

Most of the hotels are 4 star. They are all equipped with private bathroom with hairdryer, air conditioning, mini-fridge, safe, cable TV and telephone. Along with this, vacationers are provided with a huge selection of two- and three-star hotels. There are not so many high-level hotels - five-star and five-star Deluxe in the country. Before choosing a hotel, you need to consider that the level of service here is low, below European or Asian.

Most of the hotels located in the beach resorts of Cuba operate on an all-inclusive basis, that is, the room rate includes the possibility of eating in the bars and restaurants of the hotel around the clock.

In resorts such as Varadero, Holguin, Cayo Largo and Cayo Coco, all hotels operate on an all-inclusive basis. In such hotels there are no mandatory surcharges. Meals for guests are provided, as a rule, in the form of a buffet. Almost all Cuban hotels are equipped with a pool. Animation programs for adults and children are available only in the largest hotels in Cuba.

Cuban hotels are quite expensive, so it will be cheaper to stay in the private sector, the so-called casa particular. These are rooms in a private house, which are equipped with a double bed, air conditioning, toilet, bathroom with shower and hot water.

Another option for living in Cuba is campismos (camping) - neat houses, usually located by the sea. They cost a little less than the private sector.

Popular hotels

Tours and attractions in Cuba

Cuba is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean. Its rich history and national traditions, magnificent colonial architecture and other cultural, historical and natural attractions, wonderful climate, warm sea and excellent beaches will make your trip to Cuba unforgettable.

The capital of Cuba, Havana, is a picturesque city located on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The heart and main attraction of the city is its historical part "Old Havana" with many cultural and architectural monuments. Among the most interesting places in the capital, it is worth highlighting the Prado Boulevard, the Cathedral, the oldest stone fortress of America, La Fuerza (Real Fuerza), the Santa Clara Monastery, the Cathedral of St. Cristobal, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, the National Capitol, the City Hall, the National Museum and the Palace of Fine Arts Arts (National Art Museum). No less interesting are the Ernest Hemingway House Museum, the Museum of the Revolution, the Roma Museum, the Historical Museum of Guanabocoa, the Great Theater of Havana and the magnificent Botanical Garden. Havana is also famous for its numerous festivals and celebrations, among which the most impressive are the International Jazz Festival, the Latin American Film Festival and, of course, the national holiday - Revolution Day, which takes place on a grand scale.

The second largest city in the country, Santiago de Cuba, is famous for its magnificent fortress of San Pedro de la Roca (Castillo del Morro), which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the territory of the fortress there is an interesting Museum of the history of piracy. Santiago de Cuba is located in a cozy bay surrounded by high picturesque mountains. And in its vicinity are the beautiful Gran Piedra National Park, on the territory of which the tourist center of the same name is located, and the original Baconao National Natural Park (declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve). Bakanao is famous all over the world for the Prehistoric Valley, the Sculpture Meadow and the Lagoon. Not far from Santiago de Cuba, in the small village of El Cobre, on a picturesque green hill, there is a snow-white Abode of the Blessed Virgin of Mercy. In the city itself, the magnificent Cathedral, the House of Diego Velasquez, Cespedes Park, the Ethnographic and Historical Museums are of particular interest.

While vacationing in Cuba, you should definitely visit the magnificent karst caves of Belyamar and Saturn in the tourist area of ​​Mantanzas, the cities of Trinidad and Camaguey with magnificent colonial architecture and the Ernesto Che Guevara Memorial in Santa Clara. No less interesting is the magnificent garden in Soroa (province of Pinar del Rio) with a unique collection of orchids and one of the main temples of Cuba - the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the city of Cienfuegos.

Fans of beach holidays and water activities will certainly be interested in the picturesque island of Juventud (Pinos) with its unique natural landscapes, magnificent beaches and cozy bays. This place is also considered one of the best diving in the world. The resort town of Varadero is also popular, which is a fashionable recreation area with luxurious hotels, excellent diving centers and picturesque surroundings, and its beach is recognized by UNESCO as one of the cleanest in the world. Also famous are the resorts of Elgea with its mineral springs, Holguin with the magnificent bay of Nipe and the picturesque island of Guam (the southernmost island of the Marianas archipelago).

Among the main natural attractions of Cuba are the beautiful Vinales Valley, surrounded by the picturesque mountains of the Sierra de los Organos, the Zapata Natural Reserve with unique flora and fauna, the Topes de Collantes Park in the Sierra del Escambray mountains and the waterfall located on its territory. Salto del Caburni (one of the largest in the country) and the Alexander Humboldt National Park.

Tips

Tipping in most cases is up to 10% of the cost of the service. Porter and maid at the hotel - up to 1 USD. It is better to give tips in person, as tips are usually given to the general cashier.

Visa

Office Hours

Banks are open on weekdays from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 15:00 on Saturday - from 8:30 to 10:30.

Shops are open from 9 am to 6 pm (some until 8 pm) on weekdays, on Saturdays - from 9 am to 3 pm (some until 6 pm). Supermarkets and shops in resort areas are usually open from 10:00 to 20:00. Most small shops have separate opening hours. Almost all shops close for "siesta" around noon.

Souvenirs

As souvenirs from Cuba, you can bring black coral and jewelry from it, products from tortoise shell (especially bracelets and hairpins). Don't forget to buy one or two bottles of unique Cuban rum and real Cuban cigars. A good gift from Cuba would also be tumbadora or bongos - percussion musical instruments used in African melodies. Another gift is the guayabera, a shirt worn by officials in the tropics.

Medicine

High risk of hepatitis, malaria and sunburn. It is recommended to drink bottled water and use sunscreen. It is better to take essential medicines with you.

Safety

Dangerous reptiles are found in Cuba - caimans and boas, sea urchins, some types of tropical fish and jellyfish, as well as sand fleas, mosquitoes and malarial mosquitoes can cause a lot of trouble.

Emergency Phones

National Police: 82-0116
Fire brigade: 81-1115
Ambulance: 24-2811

Photo and video shooting

Photographing military equipment, military personnel and industrial enterprises is strictly prohibited.

Photos of Cuba

Questions and opinions about Cuba

Question answer

Question answer

Question answer

Question answer

Cuba(Spanish Cuba), the official name is the Republic of Cuba (Spanish República de Cuba), unofficial since 1959 - Liberty Island) is an island nation in the northern Caribbean Sea. The country occupies the territory of the island of Cuba as part of the Greater Antilles, Isle of Youth and many smaller islands. Cuba is separated from North America by the Strait of Florida to the north and the Yucatan Strait to the west.

The capital and largest city is Havana.

Geographical position

Cuba is located at the junction of North, Central and South America, on the island of Cuba (the largest in the West Indies), the island of Youth, as well as on the adjoining about 1600 small islands and coral reefs belonging to the Greater Antilles group. The coast is characterized by deep bays and many convenient bays. The island is framed by reefs and other coral formations.

The territory of Cuba is 111 thousand km². The island, stretching from west to east for 1250 km, is often compared to a lizard, whose body is facing the Atlantic, and the tail is located at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. In the south, Cuba is washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, in the northwest by the Gulf of Mexico, and in the northeast by the Atlantic Ocean. The distance from Cuba to the United States at the narrowest point of the Florida Strait is 180 km, to the island of Haiti through the Windward Strait - 77 km, to the island of Jamaica through the Strait of Colon - 140 km, to Mexico through the Yucatan Strait - 210 km.

Relief

The relief of Cuba is predominantly flat. Hills and mountains occupy about a third of the territory. The highest mountain range Sierra Maestra stretches along the southeast coast for 250 km. Its highest point is Turkino Peak (1972 m). The picturesque low mountains located in the west of the island are intricately dissected and poorly populated.

In Cuba, karst is developed everywhere, in connection with this, many caves are known, including large ones. So, in the west, the cave of Santo Tomas has an extensive network of underground galleries with a total length of 25 km. Often there are so-called "mogotes" - forms of tropical karst, which are hills with almost vertical slopes and flat tops. Approximately 2/3 of the entire area of ​​Cuba is occupied by slightly hilly plains. They are the most populated and developed. The shores are usually low, sometimes swampy, in many cases overgrown with mangroves. Often there are sandy beaches that stretch for many kilometers (for example, on the Hicacos Peninsula, where the famous resort of Varadero is located).

Minerals

Cuba occupies one of the leading places in the world in nickel mining (2nd place in the world in terms of reserves and 3rd in production), has significant reserves of chromium, manganese, iron and copper ores, asbestos, rock salt, and phosphorites. Oil and gas fields have been discovered in the west of the country.

Climate

The climate of Cuba is tropical, trade winds. The average annual temperature is 25.5 °C. The average temperature of the coldest month (January) is 22.5°C and the hottest (August) 27.8°C. The temperature of surface waters off the coast in winter is 22-24 °C, in summer - 28-30 °C. The average annual amount of precipitation, which usually falls in the form of showers, is 1400 mm, but dry years also occur frequently.

There are two distinct climatic seasons in Cuba: rainy (May-October) and dry (November-April). The rainy season accounts for 3/4 of the total annual precipitation.

A feature of Cuba's climate is typical high humidity throughout the year. The combination of high humidity and high temperature has a generally unfavorable effect on people's lives. However, on the coast, the wind from the sea moderates the heat, brings freshness, and in the evenings, coolness. In any place, the winds are distinguished by a certain constancy, so you can often see trees whose trunks also have a corresponding slope.

Cuba is subject to the action of tropical cyclones, which originate in the summer-autumn period (June - mid-November) east of the Lesser Antilles and in the west of the Caribbean Sea, then moving towards Florida. Typhoons are accompanied by heavy rains and strong winds that can cause great damage to the economy and the population of the island. The rivers in Cuba are short and shallow. Forests, covering about 10% of the territory, have been preserved only in mountainous and swampy areas. The fauna of the land is relatively poor. At the same time, in the waters surrounding Cuba there are valuable commercial fish, molluscs, lobsters, shrimps, and sponges.

Administrative division

Cuba is a unitary state. For political and administrative purposes, the national territory is divided into 14 provinces and the special municipality of Isle of Youth.

• Isla de la Juventud (Spanish: Isla de la Juventud)
• Pinar del Rio (Spanish: Pinar del Rio)
• Havana (Spanish: La Habana)
• City of Havana (Spanish: Ciudad de La Habana)
• Matanzas (Spanish Matanzas) Cienfuegos (Spanish Cienfuegos)
• Villa Clara (Spanish: Villa Clara)
• Sancti Spiritus (Spanish: Sancti Spiritus)
• Ciego de Avila (Spanish: Ciego de Avila)
• Camagüey (Spanish Camagüey) Las Tunas (Spanish Las Tunas)
• Granma (Spanish: Granma)
• Holguin (Spanish Holguin)
• Santiago de Cuba (Spanish: Santiago de Cuba)
• Guantanamo (Spanish: Guantanamo)

The island of Cuba has a railway (Cuban Railway, Ferrocarriles de Cuba) and a network of roads. Maritime and air communications have been established with other countries. Cuba's leading airline, Cubana de Aviación, has offices in 32 countries around the world.

Connection

After Castro came to power, the development of telecommunications on the island turned out to be extremely difficult. Cuba, however, received a lot of help from the Soviet Union, which provided some resources, such as communication channels.

In 2003, there were 2 ISPs operating on the island. National domain.cu.

Today, Cuba has a single mobile operator - ETECSA under the brand name Cubacel. An interesting fact is that until 2008 the use of mobile services for ordinary residents of the country was prohibited. Mobile communication services were allowed to be used only by foreign citizens and senior officials of the country. After Raul Castro abolished the rules for using mobile phones in the country, the national telecom operator - the company ETECSA - from April 14, 2008 began to provide communication services for ordinary citizens. Cuba currently operates the GSM 900 standard, and in some areas of Havana and the resort of Varadero - GSM 850.

Population

Cubans are a people of mixed origin. By the time the Spaniards arrived here, Cuba was inhabited by the tribes of Siboney, Arawak Indians, Guanachanabeys and Indians who had migrated from Haiti. But as a result of the Spanish colonization, the Indians were mostly exterminated.

Since the Spanish colonists needed a lot of labor, primarily to work on plantations, they began to import slaves from central Africa (mainly Yoruba, Ashanti, Ewe, Congo). Over 350 years, more than 1 million African slaves were imported by the Spaniards, their descendants make up 40% of the population. For the same reason, between 1853 and 1874, more than 125,000 Chinese were imported from Asia. Until now, in Havana, "China Town" has been preserved. In addition, Indian slaves were imported, but in small quantities, from the Yucatan, Central and South America. In the same period, 850,000 immigrants arrived from Spain, mostly Galicians, Castilians, Navarrese, Catalans, although it should be noted that not all of them remained to live in Cuba. They are collectively called the Gallego (Galicians). From the end of the XVIII century. a large stream of French from Haiti and Louisiana also arrived here. A fairly intense flow of immigrants was also from Germany, Italy and Britain. At the beginning of the 20th century, many Americans settled in Cuba, who created their colonies on about. Pinos (present. Isle of Youth). There were very strong waves of immigration to Cuba during and after the first and second world wars, primarily Jews moved here.

Data on the racial composition of Cuba is contradictory. According to official data, the population of Cuba consists of whites - 65.1%, mulattoes - 24.8%, blacks - 10.1% (according to the 2002 census). According to the Institute for Cuban Studies at the University of Miami, 68% of Cubans are blacks and mulattoes. Minority rights group International claims that 51% of the population is mulatto.

In 1953, the proportion of the white population was 84%, but then decreased, mainly as a result of emigration after the revolution.

Story

The first European to arrive here was Columbus, who landed in the east of the archipelago in October 1492. In 1511, Diego Velasquez de Cuellar subjugated the indigenous population of the islands, built Fort Baracoa, and became the first Spanish governor of Cuba. By 1514, seven settlements had been founded. In 1515, Cuellar moved his headquarters to Santiago de Cuba, which became the first capital of Cuba. Colonization took place in the conditions of struggle with the indigenous population of the island - the Taino Indians, who made up 75% of the population.
In 1823, the first independence uprising was put down.
In 1868, the Ten Years' War for Cuban Independence began; The rebels were backed by the US. Hostilities culminated in 1872-1873, but then the rebels fought only in the eastern provinces, Camagüey and Oriente. In 1878, a peace agreement was signed that eliminated the most unpleasant legislative acts for the inhabitants of the island.
In 1895, a detachment of Cuban patriots landed in Cuba under the leadership of José Marti. This event was the starting point of a new war with the Spaniards, during which the Cubans gained control over almost the entire territory of the island, excluding major cities (see War of Independence of Cuba).
In 1898, the United States began a war with Spain, in which they won. Cuba becomes dependent on the US. The constitution stipulated the right of the United States to send troops to the territory of the country. This clause was abolished in 1934.
In 1933, as a result of a coup organized by revolutionaries led by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista, the dictator Gherardo Machado y Morales was overthrown and a democratic regime was established.
On March 10, 1952, Fulgencio Batista carried out a coup d'état and established a personal dictatorship.
On July 26, 1953, a group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro attempted to take over the Moncada barracks. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the participants in the assault ended up in prison, but this event became the starting point of the Cuban revolution. In 1955 the revolutionaries were granted amnesty. On December 2, 1956, a new group of revolutionaries landed from the Granma yacht in the east of the island and began military operations against the Batista government.
On January 1, 1959, the dictator Batista fled Cuba. At that moment, the rebel forces occupied the city of Santa Clara in the center of the island and controlled large areas of the area in the east, although the capital was not in immediate danger, and Batista remained at the disposal of significant military forces. Amid the power vacuum created by Batista's flight, on January 8, the rebel column entered Havana, where it was greeted with popular rejoicing.

As a result of the victory of the revolution, the government of the "left" orientation, headed by Fidel Castro, received power in Cuba, which then leaned towards the path of building socialism and is in power to this day. The ruling and only permitted party of the country is the Communist Party of Cuba. The government of Fidel Castro carried out agrarian reform, the nationalization of industrial assets, launched broad social transformations, which alienated many groups of the population, the result of the same process was the mass emigration of dissatisfied people, mainly to the United States, where a large diaspora of opponents of Castro and his policies was created.
In April 1961, Cuban emigrants, with the active support of the United States, landed an armed landing on the southern coast of the island with the goal of organizing a mass uprising against the policy of the new government in the future, but the intervention was quickly suppressed, and the expected social explosion did not occur. Subsequently, emigrant organizations repeatedly organized terrorist attacks and small-scale landings on Cuba, but without much result.

From the early 1960s to the early 1990s, Cuba was an ally of the USSR, which provided significant financial, economic and political support, actively supported the Marxist rebels and the Marxist regimes of Latin America (Puerto Rico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Bolivia, Peru , Brazil, Argentina, Chile), Africa (Ethiopia, Angola) and Asia, and also pursued a policy of providing humanitarian assistance to various countries of the world. In the late 1980s, more than 70,000 Cubans were abroad on military and humanitarian missions.

Immediately with the revolution of 1959, political repressions began (see repressions during the reign of Castro), primarily directed against the figures of the overthrown regime of the dictator Batista and CIA agents.

Castro reacted negatively to the perestroika policy in the USSR and even banned the distribution of a number of Soviet publications in Cuba (Moscow News, Novoye Vremya, etc.), and at the same time supported Gorbachev's main opponent, Yeltsin. According to Yeltsin's memoirs, Castro expressed sympathy for him both during the years of disgrace and later, after he came to power, despite the obvious anti-socialist nature of the reforms in Russia.

With the collapse of the USSR, Cuba suffered huge economic losses (up to half of GDP), and analysts predicted the imminent fall of the Castro government, but by 1994 the situation had basically stabilized, and the country's economic condition is currently assessed by international organizations as quite satisfactory.

On February 19, 2008, through the Granma newspaper, Fidel Castro announced his resignation from the post of chairman of the State Council and commander-in-chief of the Cuban troops. “To my dear fellow citizens, who have given me the immeasurable honor of electing me as a member of Parliament, in which the most important decisions for the fate of the revolution will be made, I inform you that I do not intend and will not give my consent to take the post of Chairman of the State Council and Commander-in-Chief,” it says. in circulation.

Certain fears for the political stability of Cuba among observers are caused by the process of transfer of power from Fidel Castro to his heirs.

State structure

State administration is a republic. The legislature is a unicameral parliament (National Assembly).

Executive power belongs to the Chairman of the State Council (Head of State) and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Head of Government).

Economy

Advantages: The tourism industry attracts foreign investors. Export of sugar and nickel. Elite cigars. The banking sector is strengthening.

Weaknesses: Due to the US embargo, lack of access to important markets and investments. Acute currency deficit. Fluctuations in world prices for sugar and nickel. Sophisticated trade restrictions and a lack of regulation discourage investment. Bad infrastructure. Shortage of fuel, fertilizers and spare parts. Hurricane damage in 2001

There are different points of view regarding the level of development of Cuba before the revolution. According to a number of sources, in terms of GNP per capita, Cuba was ahead of Spain and Japan at that time. Robin Blackburn also wrote that Cuba was one of the richest countries in the underdeveloped category. Professor Maurice Halperin, who worked in Cuba immediately after the revolution, objected to the use of the term "underdeveloped" for pre-revolutionary Cuba, which, in his words, caused false associations with truly backward countries, and suggested calling it "medium developed." On the other hand, the Groningen Growth and Development Centre, having carried out their own retrospective calculations using a special method, received data stating that Cuba in 1958 was inferior to these countries and a number of Latin American ones.

According to statistics, in 1951 there were 122 thousand cars in Cuba for 5.5 million people, that is, 1 car for 41 people. At the same time, according to the authors of the Area Handbook for Cuba, “all this, as a fact, does not matter, since there were de facto two Cubas, in one the elite lived beautifully and comfortably, and in the other the most necessary things for life were not available ".

In 1960, a massive nationalization of the private sector was carried out. Currently, Cuba has one of the most state-owned economies in the world. In the second half of the 1960s. the government has been trying to abandon central planning in favor of sectoral planning and is moving towards experiments involving morale incentives and the widespread use of free forced labor. The fall in the level of production and the avoidance of forced labor forced a return to Soviet-style central planning. In the 1970s - 80s. with the help of the countries of the socialist block in Cuba, the basis of the industry is being created.

After the collapse of the USSR, there was a reduction in purchases of Cuban sugar and the cessation of economic assistance. For 1989-1993 Cuba's GDP has shrunk by a third. Economic collapse was averted by opening up the country to foreign capital in industry and tourism.

Venezuela (Hugo Chavez is a personal friend of Fidel Castro) provides Cuba with cheap oil; Cuba provides Venezuela with medical care.

According to official data, in 2006 GDP growth amounted to 12.5%. According to the CIA handbook, in 2007 real GDP growth was 7%.

The main branch of the Cuban economy is the sugar industry. The capacities of sugar factories in Cuba are capable of processing 670 thousand tons of sugar cane per day (production of 9-9.5 million tons of sugar per year). In the past, the industry developed extensively thanks to the support of the CMEA.

The Cuban government, in order to attract foreign investment, creates free economic zones (FEZs). In 1996, a law was adopted on the procedure for the creation and functioning of free economic zones. The term of the concession for the right to operate in the SEZ is 50 years. In 1997, three SEZs (Mariel, Havana City and Wahai) began to operate.

Exports ($3.8 billion in 2008) - sugar, nickel, tobacco, seafood, medical products, citrus fruits, coffee. The main export partners are China (28%), Canada (25%), Spain (6%), the Netherlands (5%), Iran (4%).

In November 2004, during a visit to Cuba by Chinese President Hu Jintao, an agreement was reached that China would invest $500 million in Cuba's nickel industry. In January 2008, Brazilian President Lula da Silva and the head of the state oil company Petrobras, Jose Sergio Gabrielli, who visited Cuba, announced their intention to invest $500 million in the exploration of Cuban hydrocarbon deposits in the Gulf of Mexico and the construction of an industrial oil plant in Cuba.

Cuba imports ($14.5 billion in 2008) oil products, foodstuffs, industrial equipment, chemical products. The main import partners are Venezuela (31.5%), China (11.8%), Spain (10.6%), Canada (6.7%), USA (6.6%).

The banking system of Cuba consists of the Central Bank, 8 commercial banks, 13 non-banking financial institutions, 13 representative offices of foreign banks and 4 representative offices of foreign financial institutions. There are 2 types of currency in Cuba. Citizens of Cuba receive black and white Cuban pesos, foreigners receive colored (convertible) pesos when exchanging currency. The Western media reported on the currency fraud of the top Cuban leadership and the F. Castro family.

Since 1962, a card system has been operating in Cuba, products are issued according to the same norms for the whole country. According to Cuban experts, at present, the population receives from 40 to 54 percent of the minimum required calories from products distributed by cards. Milk is given free of charge by the state to children under 6 years of age or purchased by the population in the market. During all the post-revolutionary years, there was a black market in Cuba. A number of goods, the distribution of which by cards is carried out irregularly or intended only for beneficiaries, are still purchased on the black market.

In 2008, Cubans were allowed to buy cell phones, computers, and DVD players, as well as 19- and 24-inch televisions, electric pressure cookers and electric bicycles, car alarms, and microwave ovens (but only with convertible currency). About 100 thousand cars are registered in the country, of which 60 thousand are old American cars that were on the island before the revolution.

According to the BBC broadcaster, there is an increase in prostitution and corruption in Cuba. The average monthly salary in Cuba is $12, but there are many government benefits. For example, free clothes are given to workers. There is a system of free medical care and free higher and secondary education.

Foreign policy

Panama

August 23, 2004 - President of Panama Mireya Moscoso announced the recall of the Panamanian ambassador from Cuba in response to a warning made on August 22 by the Cuban Foreign Ministry about its readiness to break off diplomatic relations with Panama if its authorities pardon the criminals who were preparing an assassination attempt on Fidel Castro. At the same time, the President of Panama noted that the recall of the Panamanian ambassador from Havana does not mean a break in diplomatic relations between the two countries.
August 25, 2004 - Cuban Ambassador to Panama Carlos Zamora, at the request of the Panamanian authorities, left for his homeland. Before leaving, he made a statement to the press, in which he noted that "Cuba considers it its duty to achieve an exemplary punishment of the terrorists" who were preparing an assassination attempt on Fidel Castro. In March 2004, the Supreme Court of Panama sentenced six conspirators detained in Panama in 2000 to prison terms. The new President of Panama, Martin Torrijos, who takes office on September 1, expressed the hope that the Panama-Cuban conflict would be resolved on the basis of mutual "respect and common sense."

Russia

From the very beginning of the revolution in Cuba, the attitude of the leadership of the CPSU towards the Island of Freedom was ambiguous, in a sense similar to the position regarding the SFRY. First, neither the Castro brothers nor their associates were formally Leninists. Their theoretical base was limited to the legacy of Marx and Engels. Secondly, among other things, Cuba was fundamentally not part of military blocs. Highly appreciating freedom, Cuba, starting from the Belgrade Conference (Yugoslavia, September 1-6, 1961), was one of the most active participants in the Non-Aligned Movement. She joined the CMEA only in 1972.

January 21, 1964 - The USSR and Cuba signed a long-term agreement on the supply of sugar to the USSR.

Relations between Cuba and Russia changed after the collapse of the USSR, which, in particular, was caused by the cessation of economic assistance to Cuba and the reduction of the Soviet (Russian) military presence on the island. Soviet military bases were placed here in the early 1960s. Their existence was based on an agreement between the Soviet and American leadership reached after the "Caribbean crisis" in 1962. In 2001, the last Russian military base in Cuba was closed, and all remaining Russian troops were withdrawn from Liberty Island. Recently, since November 2008, there has been a revival of interest in building relations between Russia and Cuba that are economic, political, scientific and social in nature.

The United States owns the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba. The military base of Guantanamo Bay is located on the territory of southeastern Cuba, occupied by the United States under a 1901 treaty, which the Cuban authorities later abandoned. In January 2002, a prison for suspected international terrorism was established at the base, where the first 20 people accused of participating in hostilities on the side of the Taliban were brought from Afghanistan.

In relation to Cuba in 1961, the United States introduced an embargo regime, any ties with Cuba were prohibited, US sanctions against Cuba continue to operate as of 2008; this blockade is regularly condemned by the UN General Assembly.

However, now the US share in Cuba's imports is 6.6% (in 2008).

In 1962, the US Department of Defense planned Operation Northwoods, the purpose of which was to prepare American public opinion for an armed invasion of Cuba and the overthrow of the government of Fidel Castro. The operation was part of the Mongoose operation, developed by the US government at the initiative of President John F. Kennedy, directed against Cuba, and involved the implementation of terrorist acts with imaginary and / or real victims in the United States, Cuba and other countries, including hijacking, imitation of hostile actions under a false flag, state-organized acts of terror. However, Kennedy rejected the project.

In 2001, five Cuban agents (the "Cuban Five") were sentenced to long prison terms in the United States. According to them, they transmitted information about the upcoming terrorist attacks against Cuba.

In 2006, a committee was created at the US State Department, whose task is to develop US policy towards Cuba in the event of the death of Fidel Castro.

Participation in international organizations

Cuba is a member of the WTO and the World Customs Organization. Participates in international agreements - the New York Convention on International Arbitration, the Paris Convention and the Madrid Protocol.

healthcare

On the eve of the revolution, there were 6,000 doctors in Cuba, that is, 1 doctor per 1,000 people, which was equal to France. However, unlike developed countries, Cuba did not have a system of health insurance and cheap or free social medicine. Therefore, for example, the infant mortality rate was 100-110 per 1,000, which corresponded to the level of the most backward countries of Western Europe—Spain and pre-war Italy.

Immediately after the revolution, about 3 thousand doctors left the country. However, this shortcoming was filled by the organization of the medical education system.

Currently, the Cuban health care system is considered one of the best in the world and has extensive primary health care and scientific development programs. A 2009 CIA estimate put the average life expectancy in Cuba at 77.45 years. Cuba has the lowest infant mortality rate among Latin American countries. All types of medical care are free.

Public spending on health care (2004): 5.5% of GDP.

Education

Cuba has a traditionally high educational level of the population. Since the beginning of the 20th century, there has been a system of state free 9-grade elementary education for children from 6 to 14 years old (the ninth grade was optional, the rest are mandatory). In 1932, elementary schools (state and church) were attended by 90% of school-age children. In 1951, illiterates accounted for 22% of the adult population, which was lower than in Spain and pre-war Italy.

In 1961, a massive campaign to eradicate illiteracy began. As a result, in 1980 the number of illiterates was only 2%, and in 1990 Cuba became a country of complete literacy. A public secondary and higher school was created. During the 1960s, the number of students doubled (from 717,000 to 1.5 million) with a population growth of 1-2% per year. In total, counting all stages of education, the number of people covered by them has tripled.

At present, Cuba has a compulsory nine-grade education (the average is a 12-grade education). There are 50 higher education centers. Education at all levels is free.

The main educational institution of the country is the University of Havana, located in different parts of the capital. Until 1999, Russian was also taught there as the main foreign language (faculty of the Pais brothers). The work of this faculty was supervised by the Central Moscow State University. After 1999, English became such. Other universities in Cuba: Agrarian University of Havana.

Budget spending on education (2002-05): 9% of GDP.

culture

Painting

Independent Cuban painting arose only at the end of the 19th century. In the 1930s, artists who visited Europe got acquainted with modern artistic trends there and brought them to Cuba. So, Marcelo Pogolotti used cubism to create images on topics related to the poverty of the Cuban people. The most famous Cuban artist, Wifredo Lam, painted in a surrealist style. Mario Carreño was greatly influenced by the work of Mexican muralists. Jorge Arche is known for his portraits, similar in style to those of other Latin American artists of the 1930s.

The science

Illiteracy was virtually eradicated in Cuba in 1961. Education here is free at all levels - from elementary school to higher education - and is compulsory up to the end of the ninth grade. All graduates of primary, secondary, high school and technical schools are guaranteed the opportunity to continue their studies, and graduates of higher educational institutions are guaranteed the right to work. Since 1959, higher education in Cuba has been made available to everyone. Now there are about 700,000 people with higher education in the country. Out of every seven Cuban workers, one has a diploma from a higher educational institution.

There are about 9,500 primary schools, about 2,000 secondary and 48 higher educational institutions in the country. The school is considered the basic cultural institution.

There are more than 170 research institutes in Cuba.

After the victory of the Revolution, up to the present day, about 630 thousand people graduated from higher educational institutions in various specialties in Cuba, and millions have received secondary education. The illiteracy rate (among the population aged ten years and over) is 3.8 percent.

There are 1,115 kindergartens in the country attended by 145.1 thousand children. Kindergarten services are used by 135,000 working mothers.

The total number of primary school students - 1,028,900 children of secondary school students - 778 thousand; students of higher educational institutions - 127 thousand. More than 100 thousand people are covered by the system of secondary and higher evening and correspondence education.

There are 9,487 elementary schools, 1,943 secondary schools and 48 institutions of higher education in Cuba. There are a total of 17.8 teachers for every thousand inhabitants. 9 percent of GDP is allocated for education. The country allocates significant funds for scientific research, in particular, related to human health, in the field of biotechnology and genetic engineering, the production of vaccines and numerous medicines; the results of these studies have received universal recognition. All this became possible thanks to the existence of significant human resources, including highly qualified specialists trained within the framework of the national education system.

Cuba also ranks 4-5 among the countries of Latin America (and 51 in the world) according to the UN classification in terms of Human Development.

Religion

In Cuba, the church is separated from the state, and the Cuban Constitution guarantees freedom of religion for the people. The most common religion is Catholic.

Despite the peculiarities of socialism as a socio-political system that has dominated the country for many decades, Cubans are quite religious. Even members of the Cuban Communist Party are not prohibited from attending churches. Catholic churches exist throughout the country. Even after the victory of the revolution, masses are celebrated daily and solemn services are held on national or local religious holidays.

With the arrival of black slaves on the island, various beliefs of African origin spread. Over time, three main currents were formed from them, which still exist and are popular today. These are Regla de Ocha (Spanish: Regla de Ocha) or Santeria (Spanish: Santeria), Las Reglas de Palo (Spanish: Las Reglas de Palo) and La Sociedad Secret Abakua (Spanish: La Sociedad Secreta Abacu). As a result of the historical process, a mixture of Catholic dogmas and African cults was also formed. For example, the Most Pure Virgin of Mercy of Cobra is considered by Catholics to be the patroness of Cuba. In Santeria, she goes by the name Ochun.

In recent years, Protestant churches have begun to appear, especially in the provinces.

Sport

Sport in Cuba is available to everyone and this mass nature of it allows you to constantly replenish national teams in various sports, which brought important world and Olympic awards to the small Caribbean island. Cuba is the birthplace of world famous athletes. Baseball, boxing, athletics and volleyball stand out among the sports.

Armed forces

The Cuban Army (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias - FAR) is the main armed formation of Cuba, providing its national defense.

The Cuban constitution indicates that the president of the country is the supreme commander and determines the structure of its army.

The Cuban army includes the following units:
Ground troops
Navy
Air Force and Air Defense.

The Cuban army is under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Raul Castro.

The daily newspaper of the Island of Freedom "Granma", bears the name of the yacht of the same name, on which a group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro landed in Cuba to carry out a guerrilla struggle against the Batista regime. The newspaper is the official guide and promoter of the policies pursued by the Cuban Communist Party (CCP). Once a week, Granma Internacional is published in English. Also, the press of Cuba is represented by such publications devoted to the problems of economy, tourism, finance, culture, politics, such as Opciones, Bohemia, Juventud Rebelde, Trabajadores.