Country Project Notes

History Paragraph:
- Cuba’s first indigenous people were the ​the Guanahatabey, then the Tainos arrived and
settled.
- Christopher Columbus is the first European to arrive and claim Cuba for Spain.
- Diego Velazquez established Baracoa, the first European settlement in Cuba.
- Slavery is abolished in 1886
- Gains independence in May 20, 1902
- 1924, Gerado Machado established dictatorship
- Miguel Díaz-Canel is the current president
- Tomas Estrada Palma is the first president of cuba.
- Diego Velazquez de Cuellar departed for Cuba in 1511, and completed the conquest in
about 1514, he encouraged colonization and became the first governor of Cuba.
- Open corruption and oppression under Batista's rule led to his ousting in January 1959
by the 26th of July Movement, which afterwards established communist rule under the
leadership of Fidel Castro. Since 1965, the state has been governed by the Communist
Party of Cuba.(Jul 26, 1953 – Jan 1, 1959)

Geography Paragraph:
- Largest island in the Caribbean Sea
- Cuba is a long and narrow island that stretches 777 miles long, but is only 119 miles
widest and 19 miles at its narrowest point. .
- Total area: 110,860 sq km Slightly smaller than the size of Pennsylvania.
- Mostly flat but have rugged hills and mountains in the southeast.
- Cuba has the highest species diversity in the West Indies.
- Cuba has multiple extremely different habitats. Those extremely different ecosystems
provide home for many unique species found only in Cuba.
- Cuba has more than two hundred rivers. The largest one is Cauto.
- Largest mountain ranges is the Sierra Maestra, Cuba’s highest peak is Pico Turquino
(2005m)
- Elevations: Lowest point: The Caribbean (0m), Highest Point: Pico Turquino (1974m)
- Climate: Weather is hot and sunny all year round. Annual rainfall is about 52 inches,
subtropical climate.
- Most of the island is used as sugarcane and tobacco plantation. Havana is Cuba’s
capital city lies along the Straits of Florida. The second biggest city is Santiago de Cuba
which is located in the southeast of the island.
- Coordinates: 21.5218° N, 77.7812° W

Economy Paragraph:
- Official currency and exchange rate per 1 U.S. dollar: 24.00 Cuban Peso= 1USD
- Per capita GDP in U.S. dollars: 9099.67 USD, ranked 62th
- Distribution of labor force: agriculture: 18%, industry: 10%, services: 72% (2016 est.)
- Three major imports: machinery, food, and fuel products
- Three major exports: sugar, refined petroleum, tobacco
 - Unemployment rate 3.87%, which is lower than many other countries in Latin America,
however many jobs were lost due to the breakup with Soviet Union
- The Cuban economy has depended heavily on sugarcane crop production since the
18th century. Sugar accounted for ¾ of the country’s export earnings until the 1990s
when tourism also became a chance.
- Cuba is a centrally planned economy where its government has been rigidly controlling
wages, prices, the banking system and many others since the 1960s. But some of the
restrictions were lifted when power changed from Fidel Castro to his brother, Paul
Castro.
- Cuba used to receive Soviet Union’s economic aid before the breakup in 1991, which
had a disastrous effect on its economy.
- Domestic petroleum and gas is starting to take a higher proportion of the country’s
needs, however, most of it is still supplied by imports from Mexico and Venezuela.

Socioeconomic Facts:
A. Current population: 11,032,343 (July 2021 est.)
B. Population growth Rate: -0.23% (2021 est.)
C. Population density: 106 sq km
D. Area and a comparison to a U.S. state or area: 110,860 sq km, slightly smaller than
Pennsylvania
E. Official language and other languages spoken: Cuban Spanish, Haitian Creole
F. Religious representation: Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu
<1%, Jewish <1%, Muslim <1%, other <1%, none 23.2%
G. Official currency and exchange rate per 1 U.S. dollar: 24.00 Cuban Peso= 1USD
H. Per capita GDP in U.S. dollars: 9099.67 USD
I. Life expectancy for males and females: total population: 79.41 years, male: 77.04 years,
female: 81.92 years (2021 est.)
J. Infant Mortality Rate: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births
K. Distribution of labor force: agriculture: 18%, industry: 10%, services: 72% (2016 est.)
L. Three major imports: machinery, food, and fuel products
M. Three major exports: sugar, refined petroleum, tobacco