Political and economic-geographical position. Economic and geographical position of Cuba, its resource potential

CUBA, Republic of Cuba (Republica de Cuba), Island state in the West Indies. Includes islands: Cuba, Juventud (formerly Pinos) and ca. 1600 small islands and coral reefs from the Greater Antilles. Separated from the Florida Peninsula by the Florida Strait. The area is 110.9 thousand km2.

The official name is the Republic of Cuba (Republica de Cuba, Republic of Cuba).

Located in the West Indies. It occupies an archipelago that is part of the Greater Antilles group. Includes the islands of Cuba (area 104.9 thousand km2), Juventud (2.2 thousand km2) and more than 1600 small islands (3.7 thousand km2). total area- 110,860 km2. Population - 11.2 million people. (2002). The official language is Spanish. The capital is Havana (2.2 million people, 2002). Public holidays- Liberation Day January 1 (1959), National Uprising Day July 26 (1953). The monetary unit is the Cuban peso (equal to 100 centavos).

Member of the UN (since 1945), Leningrad NPP (since 1975), ACG (since 1994), LAI (since 1999), WTO (since 1995), etc.

Sights of Cuba

Geography of Cuba

It is located between 19°49' and 23°15' north latitude and 74°08' and 84°57' west longitude. It is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the east, the Caribbean Sea in the south and the Gulf of Mexico in the west. The length of the coastline of the island of Cuba is 5746 km. The coast is characterized by deep-water bays (Matanzas, Nipe, Guantanamo) and many convenient bays. The island is surrounded by reefs and other coral formations.

Cuba is separated from the United States by the Florida Strait (180 km in its narrowest part), from Haiti by the Windward Strait (77 km), from Jamaica by the Colon Strait (140 km) and from Mexico by the Yucatan Strait (210 km).

Most (about 2/3 of the territory) of the island of Cuba is a flat or slightly undulating plain. The most significant hills and mountains are located in the south-east of the country. The highest points are the peaks of Turquino (1974 m), Cuba (1872) and Sweden (1734) in the Sierra Maestra mountain range.

The rivers are short and shallow. The largest (km): Cauto (370), Sagua la Grande (163), Sasa (155). There are no significant lakes.

Soils are represented by krasnozems (the most common), chernozems and brown soils.

The flora includes up to 8 thousand species of tropical flora (including 90 species of palms). Forests cover approx. 1/4 territory. The fauna is characterized by the poverty of vertebrates and the abundance of lower species (rodents, insectivores, bats), as well as the absence of predatory mammals and poisonous individuals.

Of the minerals, large deposits of nickel-cobalt and iron ores are of the greatest importance. There are also chromites, manganese, copper, lead, zinc, tungsten. Among non-metallic minerals, marls, magnesites, dolomites, refractory and ceramic clays, and marble stand out. Proven reserves: oil 283.5 million barrels, nickel 5.6 million tons, cobalt - 1 million tons.

The climate is tropical, trade wind. The average annual temperature is +25.5°С. The coldest month is January (+22.5°C), the hottest month is August (+27.8°C). The rainy season is May-October, the dry season is November-April. The average annual rainfall is 1400 mm.

Cuban population

Population dynamics (thousand people, at the middle of the year): 1990 - 10,628, 1995 - 10,964, 2000 - 11,199, 2001 - 11,230. Birth rate 12.08%, infant mortality 7.27 people. per 1000 newborns, life expectancy 76.6 years (2002 estimate). Sex and age structure of the population: 0-14 years - 20.6% (men 1,188,125, women 1,125,743), 15-64 years - 69.3% (3,902,162, 3,880,531), 65 years and older - 10 .1% (520,849, 606,911) (2002 est.). Urban population 73.3%. Population density 101.5 people. per 1 km2. Citizens who have worked for 25 years and have reached the age of 60 (men) and 55 (women) have the right to retire. Illiterate among the population aged 10 years and older is 3.8%.

Ethnic composition (%): mulattoes - 51, whites - 37, blacks - 11 and Chinese - 1. Language - Spanish.

Most believers profess Catholicism, a smaller part - Protestantism, Judaism and Afro-Cuban cults.

History of Cuba

The island of Cuba was discovered by H. Columbus on October 27, 1492. The colonization of the country by Spain began in 1511. The Indian tribes inhabiting it (Guanahatabei, Siboney, and Taino), under the leadership of their leaders Atuey and Guama, put up stubborn resistance to the conquerors, who transferred socio-political and economic feudal institutions of the metropolis. In 1596 the island received the status of captaincy general. The progressive extinction of the indigenous population forced the organization of the importation of blacks from Africa, whose labor became the basis of the slave-owning plantation economy (sugar cane, tobacco, coffee), which occupied by the middle. 18th century along with pastoral latifundia, a leading place in the economy of the colony. Gradually, a class of wealthy Creole landowners took shape. At the same time, the dissatisfaction of the population with the colonial order grew.

The independence movement arose in Cuba in the 19th century. The anti-colonial Ten Years' War (its leaders were K. M. de Cespedes and I. Agramonte - representatives of the patriotic part of the large landowners), which began on October 10, 1868 with an uprising near the town of Yara, ended with the Sankhon Pact (1878). Its main result was the abolition of slavery (1886), which contributed to the national unity of the Cubans. An attempt by the most radical elements to continue the struggle (the Little War of 1879-80) failed, and Spain retained its dominance over the island.

A new uprising for independence broke out on February 24, 1895 ("Cry from Bayre"). Its leader, organizer and inspirer was H. Marty (died in action in May 1895). A. Maceo and M. Gomez also played a prominent role in the struggle for national liberation.

In an effort to take advantage of the liberation struggle of the Cuban people, on April 25, 1898, the United States entered the war with Spain, which ended with the occupation of the island by American troops. On May 20, 1902, Cuba received formal independence. In 1901, under pressure from the United States, the so-called. the Platt Amendment, which meant the establishment of an unofficial US protectorate over the country. The latter were leased territories in the areas of Guantanamo and Bahia Honda.

In 1925, with the support of the United States, the dictatorship of J. Machado was established in Cuba, which was overthrown on August 12, 1933, as a result of a revolution. In September 1933, a provisional revolutionary government headed by R. Grau San Martin came to power, expressing the political sentiments of the national bourgeoisie and the middle urban strata. In 1934 it was overthrown as a result of a coup by Colonel F. Batista. Batista carried out a certain democratization of internal life: in 1938 the Communist Party was legalized, in 1939 the Trade Union Center of the Working People of Cuba was founded, and in 1940 a new Constitution was adopted - one of the most democratic in the world of that time.

Under the subsequent governments of R. Grau San Martin (1944-48) and especially C. Prio Socarras (1948-52), the persecution of democratic forces provoked a response in the form of the activation of the latter. Fearing the victory of these forces in the forthcoming elections in June 1952, Batista staged a preventive coup d'état on March 10 and established a military-police regime in the country. On July 26, 1953, an unsuccessful armed uprising against the dictatorship took place under the leadership of F. Castro. With the landing on December 2, 1956, on the territory of Cuba, a revolutionary detachment of 82 people. led by Castro, the insurgency in the country received a new impetus. The movement against the dictatorship took various forms, and on January 1, 1959, as a result of the joint actions of all revolutionary forces, the pro-American regime of Batista fell. February 17, 1959 Castro took over as prime minister of the Revolutionary government, which began to implement radical socio-economic and political changes. After Castro proclaimed a course towards building socialism on April 16, 1961, a brigade of American mercenaries landed in Cuba (in the Playa Giron area). The defeat of the interventionists embittered the counter-revolution supported and directed by the United States. The intervention of the USSR in the conflict led to one of the largest confrontations between "socialism and imperialism" after the 2nd World War, known as the Caribbean (or Missile) Crisis of 1962. Its outcome opened a period of peaceful development for Cuba.

State structure and political system of Cuba

The Constitution of 1976 is in force, as amended in 1992. According to the Constitution, “Cuba is a socialist, independent and sovereign state of working people, created by everyone and for the benefit of everyone in the form of a unitary democratic republic providing the conditions for political freedom, social justice, individual and collective prosperity, and human solidarity.”

Administrative division: 14 provinces (Pi nar del Rio, Havana City, Havana, Matanzas, Cien Fuegos, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las Tunas, Granma, Santiago de -Cuba, Holguin and Guantanamo), which are divided into 169 municipalities, including one special central subordination (Island of Youth).

The largest cities (thousand people, end of 1998): Havana (2192), Santiago de Cuba (440), Camaguey (304), Holguin (256), Santa Clara (210), Guantanamo (207).

The highest body of legislative power is the unicameral National Assembly of People's Power, whose deputies (609 people) are elected by universal, direct, secret suffrage. The term of office of Parliament is 5 years.

From among its deputies, the National Assembly elects the State Council (31 people), consisting of the chairman, the first deputy chairman, 5 vice-chairmen, the secretary and 23 members. The State Council is a permanent body of the National Assembly, which represents it between sessions, implements its decisions and reports to it on its activities. The term of office of the Council of State expires at the conclusion of the election of a new assembly. The Chairman of the State Council is both the head of government and the supreme commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic.

The highest executive body is the Council of Ministers (Government), whose members are nominated by the Chairman of the State Council and approved by the National Assembly. The Council of Ministers is accountable for its activities to the National Assembly of People's Power.

Local governments are represented by provincial and municipal assemblies. The term of office of the first - 5 years, the second - 2.5 years. Like the National Assembly, locals are elected through equal, direct and secret elections. The right to be elected to the provincial and municipal assemblies, as well as the bodies formed by them, have citizens who have reached the age of 16. The age limit for deputies of the National Assembly is 18 years.

Castro was the prime minister of Cuba from February 17, 1959 until February 24, 1976, when this post was legally abolished. Since December 2, 1976, Castro has been chairman of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba.

The only legal political party is the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC), founded on April 16, 1961, which has full control over the legislative, executive, and judicial powers and mass public organizations. The leading role of the CCP is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic. The highest body of the party is the congress, convened once every 5 years, which is elected by the Central Committee. The last of its members elects the Politburo (25 people). The first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba is F. Castro, the second is R. Castro. By the Fifth Congress of the CPC (1997), the party had 780,000 members.

The most massive public organization is the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (KZR), created in 1960 and uniting St. 6.6 million people National Coordinator of the KZR - J. Contino.

The Trade Union Center of the Workers of Cuba (PTK) was founded in 1939. It unites 19 sectoral trade unions with 2.7 million members (1996). Secretary General - P. Ross Leal.

The Federation of Cuban Women (FCW) was founded in 1960 and includes 3.6 million people. (82.7% of the total female population over 14, 2000). Chairman of the FCL - V. Espin de Castro.

The National Association of Small Farmers (NAMZ) was founded in 1961 and has approx. 170 thousand members. Chairman of NAMZ - O. Lugo. There are also a number of other public organizations.

The leading business organization is the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Cuba.

In foreign policy, Cuba advocates international relationships and friendly relations with all states on the basis of strict respect for equality, sovereignty, independence and national and territorial integrity. It is committed to the ideas of strengthening the role of the UN, the principles of a multipolar world and international security.

Most countries in the world maintain normal interstate relations with Cuba and are in favor of lifting the US trade embargo. Cuba's economic and trade relations are successfully developing with Canada, the EU (especially with Spain) and Latin American countries (in particular, with Venezuela).

On horseback 2002 Cuba maintained diplomatic and consular relations with 182 states.

The number of Cuban Armed Forces has decreased from 297 thousand people. in 1987 to 55 thousand in 1997. The share of military spending in GDP has declined during this time from 4.5 to 2.3%. Citizens fit for military service (persons 15-49 years old), in 2002, there were: men - 1915.6 thousand, women - 1869.9 thousand people.

Diplomatic relations with the USSR were established on October 14, 1942, interrupted on April 3, 1952, and restored on May 8, 1960. In December 1991, the Russian Federation was recognized as the legal successor of the USSR.

Economy of Cuba

The disorganization and then the collapse of the decades-old system of foreign economic relations with the USSR and the countries of Eastern Europe led to the fact that in the beginning. 1990s Cuba's economy was in a protracted crisis. Between 1989-93, Cuba's GDP shrank by 34.8%. The decline in the country's purchasing power from $8.1 billion in 1989 (the last "normal" year for the national economy) to $1.7 billion in 1993 indicated that its economy was 4/5 paralyzed. The government was forced to put into effect a program of emergency measures that provided for a wide opening of the economy to foreign capital, strict centralized control over the spending of financial resources, a shift in emphasis in favor of the development of industries working to meet urgent domestic demand (food industry, oil production) or for export.

Thanks to the "new course" Cuba in 1994 managed to reverse the declining trend in its economic development - the country's GDP for the first time in recent years grew by 0.7%. The trend towards the resumption of economic activity that emerged in that year, although it intensified later, did not acquire a sustainable character: Cuban GDP growth (%): 1995 - 2.5, 1996 - 7.8, 1997 - 2.5, 1998 - 1, 2, 1999 - 6.2, 2000 - 5.3, 2001 - 2.5, 2002 - 1.1. Sharp fluctuations in growth rates over the years are mainly due to changes in the world market conditions, as well as force majeure factors (hurricanes, droughts).

The GDP in 2002 is estimated at 27.6 billion pesos. Based on the official (clearly overvalued) exchange rate of the peso against the dollar (1:1), then GDP per capita in 2002 was approximately $2,456. However, this figure does not reflect the actual state of affairs, since the peso is an inconvertible currency, and its real purchasing power is expressed by the ratio of 26 pesos to 1 dollar.

The number of people employed in the national economy is 4.3 million people, of which 78% are in the public sector. Agriculture accounts for 24%, industry 25% and services 51% of all employed (1999). Unemployment 4.1% (2001).

According to official data, there is no inflation in the country. According to the CIA, inflation in 2002 was 7.1%.

Sectoral structure of GDP: agriculture - 8%, industry - 35%, services - 58% (2002).

The development of individual branches of the national economy is uneven. In industry, the priority sectors are the extractive industries - oil and the production of nickel-containing concentrates. In 2002, Cuba produced a total of 4.1 million tons of oil, which provides 92% of the country's need for electricity generation. Cuba's current (2003) energy demand is 100,000 barrels. per day, 53 thousand of which comes on preferential terms from Venezuela.

The extraction and processing of nickel ores remains a strategic sector of the Cuban economy, in the development of which over $400 million has been invested over the past 5 years. In 2000, nickel-containing concentrate became the country's main export product, the proceeds from which exceeded the income from sugar supplies. A year later, Cuba strengthened its position in the world economy as the 5th largest nickel producer (76.5 thousand tons). The country has 37% of the world's reserves of this metal and plans to increase its production to 100 thousand tons in the near future.

At the same time, Cuba does not yet have plants for processing the concentrate into finished products (Canada does this for it). The nickel industry is too energy-intensive for their construction to be planned in the near future in the conditions of an underdeveloped energy sector on the island. Electricity generation in 2001 was 15.3 billion kWh.

The backbone of the Cuban economy is still recognized as the sugar industry, which, in terms of income in freely convertible currency, ranks 3rd after tourism and the nickel industry.

The collapse of the former supply chain established within the framework of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and the unfavorable world market conditions caused a deep recession in the industry: the volume of raw sugar production decreased compared to the 2nd half. 1980s 2 times, varying within 3.2-4.0 million tons (in 2002 - 3.4 million tons).

Since May 2001, the government has been restructuring the industry. The main task is a significant increase in its profitability. As part of the relevant program, 71 plants out of 156 were announced to be closed or converted, and the remaining ones to be upgraded. The production potential of sugar refineries is planned to be maintained at the level of 4 million tons of products per year (0.7 million tons for domestic consumption and 3.3 million for export). OK. 40% of the area occupied by sugarcane will be allocated for other crops, for the development of livestock and the expansion of forest resources.

With the help of foreign loans, the tobacco industry is being restored, primarily the production of cigars, which was greatly reduced in the beginning. 1990s In 2002, their sales reached $240 million.

Of the science-intensive industries, biotechnology, the pharmaceutical industry and medical instrumentation enjoy the greatest attention. Of the 804 medicines on the national list, the pharmaceutical industry produces 571 (71%, 2001).

On horseback In 1997, the land fund of Cuba was 10,972.2 thousand hectares, incl. agricultural land - 6686.7 thousand ha (60.9%), of which cultivated land - 3701.4 thousand ha (33.7%), natural pastures - 2222.8 thousand ha (20.3%), unused land - 762.5 thousand hectares (6.9%); non-agricultural land - 4285.5 thousand hectares (39.1%), incl. forests - 2924.9 thousand hectares (26.6%). Irrigated areas - less than 1 thousand km2.

Of the 6686.7 thousand hectares of agricultural land, 2234.5 thousand hectares (33.4%) are in the public sector, 4452.2 thousand hectares (66.6%) are in the non-state sector, incl. in the cooperative - 4149.9 thousand hectares and at the disposal of individual peasants - 236.2 thousand hectares.

Production of certain types of agricultural products (2001, thousand tons): vegetables and root crops - 2125.2, rice - 590.6, corn - 306.7, beans - 105.6, citrus fruits - 893.8. Deliveries for slaughter (thousand tons): cattle - 143.9, small cattle - 17.3, poultry - 71.0. 1.5 billion eggs were produced.

The public sector accounts for 72.3% of the production of vegetables and root crops, 34.5% of rice, 21.3% of corn, 15.6% of beans, 50.5% of citrus fruits, 93.7% of beef, 27. 9% pork, 18.1% small ruminants, 35.0% poultry, 19.3% milk and 78.8% eggs (1998).

Cuba has a relatively dense transport network. length railways 12.0 thousand km (2000, estimate), incl. railways public use- 4.8 thousand km (of which 147 km are electrified) and the so-called. sugar lines - 7.2 thousand km (2000, estimate).

The length of highways is 60.9 thousand km, incl. with a hard surface - 29.8 thousand km.

In 2001, Cuba's specialized transport agencies carried 678.9 million passengers, of which by rail- 15.0 million, by road - 657.6 million (excluding the transportation of tourists) and by air - 1.3 million. Cargo transportation amounted to 57.7 million tons, of which 5.4 by rail, 45.4 by road, sea - 9.9 and air - 0.01 million tons.

The merchant fleet of Cuba has 14 ships with a displacement of st. 1 thousand tons. Total carrying capacity - 63.4 thousand tons (2002, estimate). The fleet includes 9 dry cargo ships (including 3 bulk carriers), 2 tankers and 3 refrigerators. The most important ports are: Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Ma-tansas, Cienfuegos, Mariel, Nuevitas, Manzan-llo. There are 32 ports in total.

There are 172 airports in the country, of which 78 have a concrete runway (2002).

In 2001, it was sent (million pieces): letters - 15.6, telegrams - 5.5. The total distribution of printed publications amounted to 282.9 million units, of which 264.5 million were newspapers. 731.8 thousand telephone lines were in operation. The number of telephone numbers per 100 inhabitants is 5 (2001). There were 3.9 million radios and 2.6 million television sets in the country (1997). Internet users - 120 thousand (2002).

The most dynamic area of ​​the Cuban economy in recent years is tourism. In 2002, this industry, although it experienced a 5% decline, brought in $2.0 billion to the treasury. Cuba was visited by 1686.7 thousand tourists, 40% of them from Europe. To receive foreign tourists, the country has 40,000 hotel rooms and 11 international airports. The sector employs 100 thousand people. The country is taking active measures to encourage cruise ship visits to its ports and ensure that St. 3 million people In 2002, 70 people visited Cuba cruise ships with 45 thousand passengers on board.

Cuba has a two-tier banking system, which includes 8 commercial banks, in whose field of activity is the provision of financial intermediation services, and the central bank, which regulates and controls their work. All Cuban banks are state-owned, their shares are owned by the central bank, established in 1997. There are also 12 representative offices of foreign banks in the country. The only bank that operates abroad on the basis of Cuban capital is Havana International Ltd. There are also representative offices of the National Bank of Cuba, founded in 1950. It retained its commercial status and inherited the country's external debt. Among the functions of the central bank: the issuance of banknotes, the regulation of the money supply in circulation and loans, the development of monetary policy, etc.

The country has a trimonetary monetary system: pesos, dollars and convertible pesos (the latter was put into circulation in 1994, equated to the US dollar and is designed to limit the circulation of the American currency in the national economy).

In 2001, the revenue side of the budget was expressed in the figure of 14,774 million pesos, the expenditure - 15,533 million pesos. The state budget deficit (759 million pesos) remained within the planned limits (2.8% of GDP), which generally confirms the correctness of the government's tax policy.

Starting from the 2nd floor. 1990s The social situation in the country has somewhat stabilized. According to data from official sources, compared with 1994, calorie intake increased by 33% (up to 2585 kcal per day), and protein - by 44% (up to 68 g per day). In nominal prices, the average monthly wage increased from 185 to 249 pesos (taking into account the fall in the exchange rate of the peso after September 11, 2001, it actually did not change and is less than 10 dollars). The extremely low level of official income results in a constant decrease in the population's motivation to work.

Although open unemployment has been gradually decreasing since 1995, underemployment has become widespread. By international standards, the majority of the population lives below the poverty line. At the same time, the social differentiation of the population is increasing. Among those with higher purchasing power are citizens who own foreign currency. St. 50% of the population receive remittances from the United States, the official amount of which is from 800 to 1100 million dollars a year.

Currently, 95% of the country's total housing stock is electrified. Gasification will be completed in 2003 largest cities- Havana and Sant'yago de Cuba.

In 2000, there were 170 inhabitants per general practitioner, and 1,129 inhabitants per 1 dentist. Number of students per teacher: primary school - 12.0, secondary school - 11.5 (2000). The number of students per 1 teacher - 5.6 (2000).

Although the Human Development Index in Cuba is 0.795 (2000), the standard of living of its population is still lower than in pre-crisis 1989.

According to official estimates, in 2001 Cuba's foreign trade turnover was determined at 6443.3 million dollars. A year later, it fell by 13.9%.

The country still spends more foreign currency on imports of necessary goods than it receives from exports, which makes the state's balance of payments very tense. The trade balance deficit ($3,120.3 million, or 11.4% of GDP) in 2001 turned out to be almost 1.9 times greater than the volume of exports. Against the backdrop of GDP growth, since 1993 there has been a constant deterioration in the balance of payments.

In 2001, exports amounted to 1661.5 million dollars. The commodity structure of exports (%): sugar - 30.1, nickel - 25.6, tobacco products - 14.5, seafood - 4.4.

Imports grew in 2001 to 4781.8 million dollars. The main purchases fall on (%): machinery and equipment - 23.6, energy carriers - 23.5, food - 14.4, chemicals - 8.8.

The main trading partners are (2001,%): in export - the Russian Federation (19.4), Canada (16.6), Spain (8.9), Germany (7.2), the Netherlands (7.0); in imports - Venezuela (18.6), Spain (15.4), China (9.2), Mexico (6.2), Italy (6.0).

The volume of trade with the Russian Federation is 322.5 million dollars, incl. export 288.0, import 34.5.

In November 2001, for the first time, Havana took advantage of an amendment passed by the US Congress to allow US companies to export food to Cuba. However, the island is forced to pay for all contracts in advance and in cash, unable to borrow from US banks. In 2002, Cuba purchased food from the United States for a total of $255 million.

A serious problem of the balance of payments remains the impossibility of carrying out international settlements in dollars associated with the ongoing embargo by the United States. Having lost only in 1998 due to the need for a constant exchange of currencies in the conditions of fluctuating rates of 260 million dollars, the National Bank of Cuba decided on the mandatory use of the euro as a monetary unit from July 1999 in transactions with 11 member countries of the European Monetary Union.

In 1987, Cuba unilaterally stopped servicing its external debt, the amount of which is at stake. 2001 was estimated at 10,893.0 million dollars (81.0% - the principal amount of the debt, 19.0% - obligations to service it). This amount does not include debts to former socialist countries, incl. THE USSR.

To stimulate the flow of foreign capital into Cuba, on September 5, 1995, a new Foreign Investment Law was adopted in the country, and on June 3, 1996, the Law on Free Zones and Industrial Parks, which contains legal norms governing their creation and operation.

All sectors of the national economy are open to foreign investors, with the exception of healthcare, education and national security(the ban does not apply to Revolutionary armed forces business system).

The total amount of foreign direct investment approved for the con. 2002, amounted to 5930 million dollars. The number of economic associations with the participation of foreign capital from 46 countries (among which Spain, Canada, Italy, Great Britain and France stand out) reached 402. In the sphere of interests of foreign investors are 32 different sectors of the Cuban economy. According to the Cuban press, more than 650 projects are at various stages of negotiations, approx. 1/2 of them belong to EU countries.

As of May 2002, Cuba has signed mutual investment promotion and protection agreements with 60 countries. Expanding the legal framework for investments, it is negotiating with a number of states on the preparation of agreements on the avoidance of double taxation. To con. 2000 such agreements were signed 4 (with Barbados, Spain, Italy and Russia).

Currently, there are 3 free zones operating on the island, located in the Havana region. More than 240 foreign operators are registered in them, 2/3 of which operate in the commercial sphere, the rest - in production and services.

Science and culture of Cuba

Scientific activity in Cuba is coordinated by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Protection environment(founded in 1994). It consists of 39 different scientific institutions, incl. Cuban Academy of Sciences (founded in 1962) and four agencies: Atomic Energy, Science and Technology, Environment and Information for Development. In recent years, the main efforts of Cuban scientists have been directed towards applied scientific research, which promises a real economic effect in the near future. From the 2nd floor. 1990s a number of scientific institutions are united in the so-called. scientific poles. One of the largest is the Science Pole of the West of Havana, established in 1996 and uniting 38 scientific institutions operating within 10 ministries. The cost of research activities in 2000 amounted to 136 million pesos, the number of employees in the field of science and technology - 64.1 thousand people, incl. more than 6 thousand doctors of sciences.

St. 50% of all scientific work in Cuba is carried out at universities and their 76 research centers. The higher education system includes 61 universities, of which 17 are in the system of the Ministry of Higher Education, 16 of the Ministry of Education and 14 of the Ministry of Health. The teaching staff of universities is 21.6 thousand people. The largest universities are Havana (founded in 1728) and Oriente (founded in 1947). The cost of education in 2000 is 7.6% of GDP.

In 2000, there were (units) in the country: theaters and theater halls - 361, cinemas - 682, libraries - 131, museums - 330, houses of culture - 308 and amateur art groups - 21,538. 7.45 million copies of books were published 1026 various titles, 25 films were released, incl. 6 full length.

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International economics

Vitebsk, 2017

1. Where is the country, territory, main cities of the country located

2. Population size, density and growth rate

3. Official languages

4. Transport infrastructure

5. Two interesting facts from the history, economy or politics of the country

6. Specialization of the country in the world market

7. Availability, composition of natural resources

8. Main national companies

9. GDP over the past 5 years, dynamics of GDP per capita, compare with other countries

12. The state of the state budget and public debt

13. Feature national currency and exchange rate stability

14. Main import and export items and their dynamics

15. The state of the foreign trade balance

16. Participation of the country in regional agreements or communities

List of sources used

1. Where is the country, territory, main cities of the country located

Kumba (Spanish) Cuba), the official name is the Republic of Kumba (Spanish. Republic of 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, the 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 country has been a member of the UN since 1945.

The capital and largest city is Havana.

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 110,860 km². The island, which stretches from west to east for 1250 km, is often compared to a lizard, whose head is facing the Atlantic, and whose tail is located at the entrance to 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 Colon Strait - 140 km, to Mexico through the Yucatan Strait - 210 km.

cuba population resource import

2. Population size, density and growth rate

At the end of 2016, the population of Cuba was estimated to be 11,417,147 people. In 2016, the population of Cuba increased by approximately 16,417 people. Considering that the population of Cuba at the beginning of the year was estimated at 11,400,730 people, the annual increase was 0.14%.

Table 1 - Population density by country

Cuban population growth rate 2011-2015 are presented in table 2.

Table 2 - Population of Cuba

3. official languages

The official language is Spanish. English, German, Italian are widely used in resort areas. Cubans are a proud people. They really want to make a good impression on foreigners and try to speak English: but if you say even a few words in broken Spanish, they will really love you. Cubans speak Spanish relatively quickly compared to other Latin Americans.

4. Transport infrastructure

Maritime and air

Cuba has five international airports: in Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Varadero, Holguin and on the island of Cayo Largo. Of course, the largest number of flights arrive in the capital of Cuba - in Havana. International flights carried out mainly by foreign airlines such as Aeroflot, British Airways, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, etc.

Cuban airlines operate flights within the country mainly on small planes. Tickets for such flights are not very expensive, and you can get a discount of up to 25% upon presentation of an international ticket. There are 77 paved and 94 unpaved airfields in the country.

Seaports are located in the cities: Havana, Cienfuetos, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba.

Public transport

You should not use public transport in Cuba. Firstly, due to the fact that it is simply impossible to find it, and secondly, the buses run rarely and are crowded. The main urban mode of transport is the bus. It is called "gua-gua" ("wa-wa"). The bus stops every four blocks, the driver will announce your stop if you ask him to. At rush hour, city buses are packed to capacity, routes are not marked on them, and it can be very difficult to get on the bus. There is no timetable at all.

An unusual bus runs around Havana - a “monster” based on our ZIL, called “camel”. This giant bus carries up to 300 people. In Havana, there is even a toy bus for sale, from the windows of which a whole bunch of Cubans and Cubans look out.

In Cuba, services for the transportation of passengers and goods in buses in different directions are carried out by transport companies (Association public transport countries) and "Viazul" ("Viazul"). When buying tickets for the Astro bus Foreign tourists have priority. For one US dollar, you can purchase 4 seats at once. You can pay the fare on Viazul buses only in hard currency.

For tourists in Cuba, there are so-called tourist taxis. These are modern luxury cars (with radiotelephone and air conditioning). Taxis can be ordered from any hotel. At the same time, the movement of tourist taxis is constantly monitored, which ensures your safety. The cost of a taxi varies from 50 cents to 1 US dollar per 1 kilometer.

There are three state-owned taxi companies in Cuba: Cubanacan is the most expensive (Mercedes), Turistaxi (Japanese small cars with air conditioning) and Panataxi (Ladas) is the most inexpensive company, but it operates only in the capital. In the province, in hotels and tourist centers, you can find Cubanacan and Turistaxi taxis. The safest way is to catch a taxi at the entrance to the hotel. Arriving at Havana airport, do not pay in advance for a taxi at the travel agency. It is better to go to the Panataxi branch at the exit, it will cost less - about US$15.

There are intercity buses and group taxis at the stations. They run between cities.

Road system

The road system in Cuba, although developed, is very specific: there are no road signs, as a class, and only elementary knowledge Spanish help to salvage the situation. Length highways is 61 thousand kilometers, of which 30 thousand kilometers are paved. The vehicles are badly worn out and need to be updated.

On the roads, Cubans move mainly on bicycles. The car park consists mainly of cars imported from the USSR and American "old" cars of 1936, 1948, 1956 and 1960s. Police patrols still drive old Zhiguli.

Many locals hitchhiking around the country. Government vehicles by law, they are required to take fellow travelers if there are empty seats in the car, so people in yellow robes armed with notebooks are often on duty at the main city exits and intersections. Their task is to ensure the organization of the dispatch of people hitchhiking.

At one time, they tried to build a metro in Havana, but due to the lack of a monolithic foundation of soils, the attempts were stopped.

The length of railways in Cuba is about 11 thousand kilometers. Railway communication has practically disappeared in recent years.

Rent a Car

It is impossible to see all of Cuba without a car. During the holidays, you can travel around the whole country, from the Caribbean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, get acquainted with the way of life ordinary people and to be convinced of the correctness of the words about their sincere openness and goodwill.

You can rent a car if you are over 21 years old. The cost of car rental from 60 USD per day depending on the class of the car plus the cost of insurance. The cost of gasoline is 1-1.2 US dollars per 1 liter. There are no particular problems with gasoline, although gas stations are not very common. Before taking the car, you need to carefully examine it for defects, which should be noted in the contract.

There are a lot of police in Havana, but they don’t touch cars with tourist numbers (owned by rent-a-car companies). Cars with such numbers enjoy certain benefits, such as passage through tunnels that are closed for repairs, connecting parts of Havana, parking in unauthorized places, etc.

5. Two interesting facts from the history, economics or politics of countriess

1) Cuba is one of two countries in the world where Coca Cola is not sold. Another country where a ban on the sale of this drink was introduced in connection with US sanctions is North Korea.

2) The United States pays Cuba $4,085 annually to rent Guantanamo Bay. The Cuban government has yet to cash a single rent check.

6. Specialization of the country in the world market

The country's economy is completely dependent on the price situation for sugar, nickel and tobacco on the world market. The main branch of the Cuban economy is the sugar industry, the main crop is sugar cane. There are about 170 sugar refineries operating in the country. Famous Cuban cigars are produced by 6 tobacco factories. An important source of income is international tourism. In terms of nickel production, in terms of the reserves of which Cuba ranks first in the world, the republic has managed to reach the highest level, which is about 68,000 tons. 50% of mined nickel comes from the Moa Nickel joint venture. Bilateral contracts concluded by the Cuban side with foreign companies are carried out by an organization called Gtominera S.A. Another specific feature of Cuba is the ubiquitously developed sugar industry, whose enterprises are distinguished by a pronounced seasonality in their work. During the safra period, sugar refineries need a large amount of fuel, primarily for the production of process steam and electricity. During the months of safra, the consumption of liquid fuel for the operation of cane harvesters, the transportation of tens of millions of tons of cut sugar cane from the fields to the sugar centrals and millions of tons of sugar from the centrals to the ports, also increases sharply.

The sugar industry is one of the leading sectors of the Cuban economy. The potential capacities of 156 sugar factories in Cuba are able to process 670 thousand tons of sugar cane per day, which theoretically can ensure the production of 9-9.5 million tons. sugar per year. In the 80s. Cuba was able to achieve stable sugar production at the level of 7-8 million tons. per year, of which 3-3.5 million tons. supplied to the USSR. In the past, the relatively high performance of the industry was based primarily on the extensive development of the sugar industry, which was actually encouraged and paid for by the CMEA member countries.

More than 50 products are known that are obtained from the waste of this valuable biological raw material and are successfully sold internationally. markets (artificial fibers, paints, plastics, raw materials for the production of paper and technical rubber, feed additives for livestock, etc.). In the future, Cuba intends to increase the number of sugar cane derivatives to 100 items. This direction is recognized as one of the priorities in the implementation of scientific and technological progress in Cuba.

The production of environmentally friendly sugar has begun on an industrial scale, in the cultivation of which, as well as in the course of the industrial processing, no chemicals are used. products. Prices for organic sugar on the world market are three times higher than the prices for conventional sugar. The leader of the national production of this product is the plant "Carlos Balino" in the province of Las Villas. In 2000, he produced 4.2 thousand tons of organic sugar. In 2005, about 21.3 thousand tons of this product were received. In general, the annual demand of the world market for this type of sugar is 200,000 tons. The deployment of a program for the production of organic sugar, according to Cuban experts in the sugar industry, will allow Cuba to take a leading position among the producers of this product in the world in the coming years.

Russia retains its leading position in the consumption of Cuban raw sugar, however, its deliveries to Russia are carried out mainly through third-country firms. In 2000, Russia imported 2.02 million tons. Cuban raw sugar (in 1999 - 2.08 million tons), which accounted for 63% of Cuba's sugar exports

7. Availability, composition natural resources

Mineral resources of Cuba. The country is relatively rich in mineral resources. Promising oil and gas fields have been explored in the west of the island. Cuba has large deposits of cobalt (26% of world reserves) and nickel (800 million tons - the second largest in the world). Also in the depths of the country lie gold, silver, chromium, copper, manganese and iron ores, building materials (siliceous sand).

Plant and animal resources of Cuba. Tropical vegetation of the country is diverse: there are more than 30 types of palm trees, red, black and sandalwood trees, virgin pine, masiflora, citrus fruits grow in the mountains. Palm trees are widely represented, and on the coasts - mangrove vegetation. Forests occupy 10% of the island's area. The plains are covered with grassy savanna. The island is inhabited by rodents, reptiles and birds, as well as insect pests (sand flea and malarial mosquito). Valuable commercial fish, mollusks, lobsters, shrimps, turtles are found in sea waters.

8. Major national companies

The main largest companies in Cuba are presented in Table 3.

Table 3 - The largest companies in Cuba

9. GDP over the past 5 years, dynamics of GDP per capitaia, compare with other countries

The volume of GDP and GDP per capita in Cuba in comparison with other countries will be presented in table 4

Table 4 - Cuba's GDP per capita for 2011-2015 compared to other countries (in billions of dollars)

The volume of per capita income in Cuba in comparison with other countries is presented in table 6.

Table 6 - The volume of national income per capita of Cuba for 2011-2015 compared to other countries (in USD)

In terms of human development, Cuba ranks 46th in the world. This indicator in comparison with other countries over the past 5 years is presented in Table 7.

Table 7 - Human Development Index of Cuba for 2011-2015 compared to other countries

12. State of the state budget and public debt

The total revenues of the Cuban government budget in 2016 amounted to 47.0 billion US dollars (56.8% of GDP), while the total expenditure was 49.0 billion US dollars (59.2% of GDP). Financial results(budget deficit) amounted to -2.2% of GDP. And the public debt of Cuba as of October 31, 2015 is 23,440 (million US dollars)

13. Characteristics of the national currency and exchange rate stability

Actually in Cuba 2 monetary units- Cuban peso (CUP, code 37), which is used local population, and the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), which is used in the tourism industry (our tourists call them "cookies"). Tourists are primarily interested in the second type of currency - after all, it is with convertible Cuban pesos that they have to deal with.

The Cuban convertible peso is pegged to the US dollar at a ratio of approximately 1 to 1; the exact exchange rate to the ruble and other currencies can be viewed on the currency converter on the right.

In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 convertible pesos, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 centavos, 1 and 3 pesos.

Convertible pesos in Cuba can be bought with euros, British pounds, Canadian dollars and Swiss francs; the exchange is subject to 8% tax. All transactions with US dollars, in addition to the 8% tax, are subject to an additional fee of 10%, so it is better to leave US dollars at home and travel to Cuba with any of the other four currencies listed above.

You can exchange currency in Cuba at banks, exchange offices (CADECAs) and at most hotels. It is not recommended to change money on the street - there is no benefit, but there is a risk of running into scammers.

Banks in Cuba are open from Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 12.00 and from 13.30 to 15.00/16.00, on Saturdays - from 8.30 to 10.30/12.00

Credit cards of the world's leading payment systems, except for North American ones, are accepted for payment in many hotels, restaurants and shops. All credit card transactions are subject to an 11.24% fee

14. Main import and export items and their dynamics

Commodity structure of exports in 2015 (%): sugar - 30.1, nickel - 25.6, tobacco products - 14.5, seafood - 4.4.

Imports increased in 2015. to 4781.8 million dollars. The main purchases fall on (%): machinery and equipment - 23.6, energy carriers - 23.5, food - 14.4, chemicals - 8.8.

The main trading partners are (2015,%): in exports - the Russian Federation (19.4), Canada (16.6), Spain (8.9), Germany (7.2), the Netherlands (7.0); in imports - Venezuela (18.6), Spain (15.4), China (9.2), Mexico (6.2), Italy (6.0).

The volume of trade with the Russian Federation is 322.5 million dollars, incl. export 288.0, import 34.5.

15. The state of the foreign trade balance

Inflation in 2014 was 1.4%, in 2015 - 2.9%. Serious threat- a huge negative balance of foreign trade, partly offset by receipts from foreign tourism and remittances from Cubans from abroad (almost $ 1 billion annually). So, last year, Cuba exported goods worth $3.8 billion, imported - $10.4 billion. Due to the historically established monoculture of sugar cane and the collapse of agriculture that occurred during the for lack of spare parts, lack of fertilizers, slaughter of livestock), you have to import up to 80% of food.

16. Participation of the country in regional agreements or communities

Cuba is a member of:

Mercosur (common market of South American countries);

CARICOM (Caribbean Community);

United Nations (UN);

World Trade Organization (WTO);

the International Organization of African Countries, Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean (ACT);

WITHlist of sources used

GDP of countries per capita // http://svspb.net/danmark/vvp-stran-na-dushu-naselenija.php

Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia // http//ru.wikipedia.org

World Trade organisation. Official site. http://www.wto.org

The World Bank. World Bank database. http://www.worldbank.org

Geographical reference book "About the countries" // http://ostranah.ru/

European Statistical Agency Eurostat Official website http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu

World Data Atlas // http://knoema.ru/atlas

Survey information on the world economy. http://www.ereport.ru

Forecasts of exchange rates // http:// http://fx-currencies.ru

Statistics website: http://www.datacenter.utoronto.chass.ca.

Comparison of the levels of development of countries: http://wnr.economicus.ru

Real time statistics. Official site. http://countrymeters.info/en/

13. cuba-tut.ru - All about the cube

14. https://www.smileplanet.ru/cuba/ - Cuba - detailed information about the country

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When Christopher Columbus first entered the land of Cuba, he, struck by the beauty of the places that surround him, uttered his famous words: "I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life!"

And really, what could be more beautiful than a piercing blue sky, turquoise sea, endless white beaches and beautiful Creoles?

And, of course, people. People are the most important thing in Cuba. Cuba is a special, wonderful world, which, perhaps, you will not find anywhere else.

Geographical position. Cuba is located in the Caribbean Sea on the islands of Cuba, Juventud (until 1978 - Pinos) and many (about 1500) small islands. Cuba is bordered by the Straits of Florida and Yucatan in the north and southwest, respectively, in the east by the Windward Strait, and in the south by the Caribbean Sea.

The area of ​​the country is 111 thousand square meters. The highest point of the country is Turkino Peak in the south (1972 m).

Administratively, Cuba is divided into 14 provinces: Pinar del Rio, Havana, Havana City, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las Tunas, Holguin, Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo and 1 municipality: Isle of Youth.

The population of Cuba. The population of Cuba is 11.4 million people. Cubans make up 95%. In turn, they are divided into Creoles (descendants of Spaniards and other European settlers; approximately 65%), mulattos and blacks. It is believed that by the end of the 19th century, about a million Negro slaves were brought to Cuba from Africa.

Climate of Cuba

Tropical. The rainy season is from May to October. On average, 330 days a year are sunny.
The average annual temperature is 26 degrees Celsius.
The average water temperature on the coast in winter is 25 C, and in summer - 30 C. Average humidity: 78%.

Capital of Cuba

Havana (2.8 million people). The city arose in 1515 as a well-fortified Spanish fort. At the end of the XVI century. Havana became the administrative center of the Spanish colony, and in 1902, the capital of the Cuban state.

Time in Cuba

Time is 8 hours behind Moscow time. When it's noon in Moscow, it's 4 in the morning in Cuba.

Cuba Political system

Cuba is the only socialist state in the Western Hemisphere. The form of government is a socialist republic.

Not all Cubans agree to live under socialism. There are a lot of people who want to leave Cuba. However, the level of support for the Cuban government is quite high.

The highest body of the state is the National Assembly of People's Power, endowed with legislative powers. It elects from among the deputies the State Council, which represents the Assembly between sessions, and appoints members of the Council of Ministers, the highest executive and administrative body, which is the government of the republic. Chairman of the State Council - head of state and government - Fidel Castro Ruz.

Sports in Cuba

Sports in Cuba are available to everyone, and this mass nature of it allows you to constantly replenish national teams in various types sports that 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.

Cuba Culture

Cuba is a country of world famous artists, chess players and intellectuals. For example, the chess player Capablanca. As well as Jose Marti, Wilfredo Lama, Alicia Alonso, Alejo Carpentiera, Jose Lizama Lima, Pablo Milanes, Silvio Rodriguez, Cynthio Vitiera and many others.

The Republic of Cuba is unofficially called the Island of Freedom, and occupies the entire territory of the island of Cuba, which is part of the Greater Antilles. The history of the Republic is closely connected with political events during the Cold War and the confrontation between the United States and the Russian Federation in the political arena, which is due to its favorable location and proximity to the North, South and central parts America.

The official name of the Republic of Cuba has two versions of the history of origin. Some scientists believe that this word came from the language of the local Indian tribes, who called the fertile lands so. Others believe that this is exactly what Columbus called this island at the time of its discovery, giving the island the name of a settlement with the same name in Portugal.

Geographic characteristics

The island is located at the junction of three parts of America - North, South and Central. It is the largest island in the West Indies and represents the majority of the territory of the Republic. It also includes adjacent islands and Coral reefs from the Greater Antilles.

In terms of territory, Cuba is quite impressive, and occupies 110,860 square kilometers, which stretch from west to east for 250 kilometers. The outlines of the Republic on the map are very reminiscent of a lizard that turned its head towards the Atlantic.

People with mixed national origins live here. When the Spaniards reached the island, the tribes of the Arawak Indians lived on it, as well as those that had moved shortly before that from Haiti. However, in the process of colonization, the indigenous people were practically destroyed, and most of the territory was occupied by the Spaniards and other colonizing peoples. Today, the population of the state is more than 11 million people, of which only about 65% of citizens can be attributed to the white race.

Nature

Rivers and lakes

The rivers on the territory of the Republic are not large. Usually they are quite short and not watery. There are over 600 rivers or streams here, and many of them head north, although there are some that flow south into the Caribbean Sea.

On the banks there are a huge number of swamps, the largest of which is called Zapata. Lakes, like rivers, are small, and most often freshwater, although there are also salty lagoons. largest lake With fresh water called Laguna de Leche, and its waters are distinguished by a whitish milky hue, which is due to the content of chalk in the water ...

Sea, bay and ocean surrounding Cuba

The southern part of the territory of the Republic is washed by the Caribbean Sea, and from the northwest the island goes around the Gulf of Mexico. The northeast coast faces the Atlantic Ocean...

Plants and animals

More than 3,000 types of fruit tropical plants and flowers grows in Cuba and adjacent islands. The forests are represented by both deciduous and evergreen trees, and it is not uncommon to find mahogany or logwood. In the middle of the 20th century, forest plantations were actively planted, and today more than 30% of the territory is covered with green spaces and forests...

One of the most interesting mammals of Cuba can be noted the almost exterminated already Cuban flint tooth. The island is home to 23 species of bats, as well as many different rodents. Among the birds, parrots and thrushes predominate, as well as flamingos and hummingbirds in large numbers.

Amphibians are represented by alligators and a variety of lizards, including the iguana, as well as turtles and crocodiles. Among the snakes, there are a lot of varieties that are non-venomous and not dangerous to humans. More than 7 thousand species of insects and 500 species of fish complete the fauna of this Republic.

Climate of Cuba

The location in the tropical strip next to the Gulf Stream and warm trade winds provides a fairly warm climate in Cuba. The average temperature in January usually does not fall below 22.5 degrees Celsius, and in August it reaches 27-28 degrees on average. From the beginning of May until October, quite heavy rain showers can be observed, and in autumn hurricanes complete the picture. November to March is the most favorable tourist season...

Resources

Industry and agriculture

The subplatform areas on which the state is located consist mostly of limestone fossils. There are practically no expensive minerals that could bring profit to the Cuban budget in the country. The main types of industry are light, textile and food, heavy industry occupies a very small place in the country.

Fertile lands give rich harvests, therefore agriculture is quite well developed in Cuba. The bulk of the plantations is occupied by sugar cane, but other aspects of agricultural structures are also actively developing. Cuba supplies the world market with a large number of elite cigars and sugar, as well as nickel in quite tangible quantities ...