The island nation of the Republic of Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean side at the confluence of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean. Numerous bays, peninsulas, and coastal reefs give Cuba a coastline of 5,500 km with more than 280 natural beaches. Havana is the most important seaport city and the capital of the country. Other major seaport cities of Cuba include Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Cardenas, Nuevitas, and Guantanamo. Cuba has three mountain regions, namely, rugged Sierra Maestra in the east; scenic Sierra de los Organos in the west; and picturesque hills of Sierra de Trinidad amid the plain in central region.

Cuba, also called the ‘Pearl of the Antilles’, has subtropical climate, adequate rainfall, significant minerals resources, and vast areas of fertile land suitable for farming. Geographically, Cuba is situated under the area of limestone platform of Yucatan, Florida, and Bahamas. Along the western coast, Cuba has beautiful and unusual range of Guanahacabibes Peninsula covered with eroded limestone. Thick pine forests—major sources of the country’s limber industry—cover most parts of the island. While the southern region of Sierra de los Organos is an elevated plane, the northern side is thoroughly low ridges where many marble quarries are found.

Eastern region of the country is a mountainous area divided into northern and southern ranges by Guantanamo Valley. To the south of Guantanamo Valley, the highest peak of Cuba, Pico Turquino (1,974 m), is located in Sierra Maestra. There are various magnificent valleys—for instance, Vinales Valley—in the country which are rich in vegetation and endowed with great varieties of beautiful and exotic wild orchids. Vinales Valley, situated in Sierra de los Organos, is surrounded by impressive dome-shape hills which are honey-combed with caves. As if it is painted on the canvas of an artist, the valley brings together the polychromic beauty of tobacco plantations, crop fields, and clusters of different floras and faunas. It is said that the beauty of Vinales Valley has inspired many art and literature works.

History and Government

Historically, Spanish settlers in Cuba established sugarcane and tobacco plantations, and raising cattle as primary economic pursuits in the region. As the native Cuban population died out, the Spanish colonisers brought African slaves to work for ranches and plantations. Cuba was the last major Spanish colony to gain independence, following the ten-year-old freedom war (1868-1878) during the time of Antonio Maceo.

Cuba is constitutionally defined as a ‘socialist state’ guided by the principles of Jose Marti and the political ideas of Marx, Engels, and Lenin. Present constitution of the country ascribes the role of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) to be the ‘leading force of society and of the state’. The first secretary of the Communist Party, Mr. Fidel Castro, is the current President of the Council of State (President of Cuba) and Ministers. Mr. Fidel Castro became President in February 1959 and his government carried out various beneficial measures such as land reform, nationalisation of public utilities, and suppression of corruptions.

Cuba is a multiracial society with a major population of Spanish and African origins. Roman Catholic is the largest organised religion in the country, but evangelical protestant denominations continue to grow rapidly. Afro-Cuban religions, a blend of native African religions, and Roman Catholicism are widely practiced in Cuba. Officially, Cuba was an atheist state during most of the Fidel Castro regime. In 1962, Castro government seized and shut down more than 400 Catholic schools, charging for spreading dangerous beliefs among the people. But in 1991, the Communist Party lifted its prohibition over religions and a year later, the constitution was amended to characterise the state as secular instead of atheist.

Economy and Industry

As far as the agricultural produces are concerned, sugar plays a major role in economic development in the country with large amount of land, labour, and other resources dedicated to the industry. Cuba is popular for its large-scale sugar production in the world. But in mid-1990s, tourism surpassed sugar as the primary source of foreign exchange. Tourism figures prominently in the Cuban government’s plans for development. Havana devotes significant resources to building new tourist facilities and renovating historic sites for use in tourism sector. Around 1.7 million tourists visited Cuba in 2001, generating around US$1.85 billion in gross revenues; in 2003, the number increased to 1.9 million tourists, predominantly from Canada, and the European Union, generating revenue of US$2.1 billion. The number of tourists to Cuba in 2004 crossed 2 million, including the so-called ‘medical tourists’ from other Latin American countries seeking free medical treatment at Cuban facilities. In 2005, the number of tourists increased to 2.32 million.

Cuba’s world-class biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry takes a great role in development of the country’s economy. Vaccines against viral and bacterial pathogens, and promising anti-cancer vaccines are primary export items. Scientist V. Verez-Bencomo of Cuba is an international awardee for his contributions in the field of biotechnology. Cuban vaccines are exported to other countries like Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and Latin American countries. Nickel is one of the biggest earners among Cuban exports. As nickel industry in the country has been operating close to full capacity, it is benefiting from unprecedented increases in world market prices. Revenues have more than doubled from US$450 million in 2001 to US$1 billion in 2005.

Since the very beginning of Cuban Revolution, the idea of a more diversified and more sophisticated production of wealth in the island was present. Mr. Fidel Castro once announced that the future of Cuba ought necessarily be a future of science. During the mid-80s and the 90s, the leader’s dream came true as a set of biotechnology institutions was established in western Havana. Biotechnological parks like Polo cientifico del oeste, and other institutions in Havana are devoted to the development of human, animal, and agricultural biotechnology. The park is claimed to be a successful experiment of the country’s economy as it enables Cuba create world standard biotechnology institutions with several patented drugs and a net annual income of US$100 million. Centro de Ingenieria Genetica y Biotecnologia (CIGB) and Centre of Molecular Immunology (CMI) are some of the greatest institutes producing successful drugs and taking major roles in boosting the country’s economy.

F A C T F I L E S Full name: Republic of Cuba Capital: Havana Head of state: President Mr. Fidel Castro Area: 110,860 sq km Population: 11.3 million Major language: Spanish Currency: Peso (1 peso = 100 centavos) Main export partners: Netherlands 22.8%; Canada 20.6%; China 7.7%; Russia 7.5%; Spain 6.4%; Venezuela 4.4% Main import partners: Germany 14.1%; US 8.7%; France 8%; Netherlands 7.2%; Belgium 5.5%; Italy 4.9%; China 4.1%; Ireland 4%. GDP PPP: US$37.24 billion GDP growth rate: 8% GDP per capita: US$3,500 GDP by sector: Agriculture: 5.5%; industry:26.1; services: 68.4% Main Industries: Sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, and pharmaceuticals Labour force by occupation: Agriculture: 21.2; industry: 14.4%; services: 64.4%

ERNEST CHE GUEVARA Born in Argentina, studied medicines and worked in various parts of Latin American countries, Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (generally known as ‘Che Guevara’) teamed up with Fidel Castro in 1959 to force a revolution in Cuba. After serving in various important posts in the new Cuban government and writing a number of revolutionary articles, biographies, and books on theory and practices of guerrilla warfare, Guevara left Cuba in 1865 with an intention of fomenting revolutions in Congo-Kinshasa and then in Bolivia, where he was captured by a USA-backed military force. On 09 October 1967, Guevara was executed by the Bolivian Army at La Higuera custody near Vallegrande. After his death, Guevara became an icon of socialist revolutionary movements worldwide.

ALEJANDRO de HUMBOLDT Located in the provinces of Holguin and Guantanamo, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park is named after the German scientist, Alexander von Humboldt, who visited the island in 1800-01 AD. In 2001, the park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its size, altitudinal diversity, complex lithologies, landform diversity, and diversity of endemic flora and fauna. Underlying rocks in the park are toxic, but many species adapt to survive on it. Such unique environmental situation results in evolution of new species in the park.

BEST CIGAR As Cuba is known as the land of tobacco, Cuban cigars are claimed to be the finest in the world. In 1492, two of Columbus’ crewmen, Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de Torres, are said to have disembarked in Cuba and taken puffs of tobacco wrapped in maize husks. The two sailors became the first Cuban cigar smokers from Europe in history. Cuban cigars are made by combining tobacco components found in different parts of the island. The government controls cigar production in Cuba. Cuban cigar rollers are famous for being the most skilled rollers in the world. However, cigars, more or less in the form that we know them today, were first made in Spain in the early 18th Century, using Cuban tobacco.