Cuba

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=Cuba=

__The Essential Guide to the Nation__
The official name of the country is the Republic of Cuba is it also called Republica de Cuba.
 * Official Name **

Cuba is located in the Caribbean, it is on of the larger island positioned between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It is precisely 150 km south of Key West, Florida.
 * Geographic Orientation ** [[image:image.gif width="359" height="179" align="right" caption="This is the official flag of Cuba. The blue stripes on the flag represent the three old divisions of the island. The two white stripes would represent the strength of the independent ideal. The red triangle symbolizes equality and freedom as well as the blood shed in the islands struggle for independence. And, finally, the white star symbolizes the absolute freedom among the Cuban people. This photo was taken from the Encyclopaedia Britannica Online."]]

Neighboring nations include: Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas and the U.S.
 * Neighboring Nations **

The population of Cuba is 11,451,652 (July 2009 est.)
 * Population **

** Literacy Rate ** The literacy rate in Cuba is 99.8% which is based on the 2002 census.

** Official Language ** The official language spoken in Cuba is Spanish.

** Type of Government ** Cuba is a communist state.

** Type of Economic System ** Cuba has a dual economic system. It has both a socialist economic economy as well as a free-market economy that operates in the tourist and international and export sectors.

** Races/Cultures of People ** The races and cultures of people from Cuba consist of those of Spanish descent because of the colonial period where Cuba was a former colony of Spain. Also, in terms of ethnic groups, according the the 2002 census, 65.1% of the population of Cuba is white, 24.8% is mulatto and mestizo and 10.1% is black.

** Religions ** The religions practiced in Cuba are nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to the rule of Fidel Castro also, there are Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews and Santeria.

** Natural Resources ** Cuba’s natural resources consist of cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, and arable land.

** Main Exports/Imports ** The main exports of Cuba are: sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus and coffee. Their main imports include: petroleum, food, machinery and equipment and chemicals. Cuba’s main export partners are China, Canada, Netherlands, Spain.

** Major Trading Partners ** Import partners include: Venezuela, China, Spain, Canada, and the U.S.

__**Historical Timeline in the Twentieth Century**__

** 1906 ** - Estrada resigns and the U.S. occupies Cuba following a rebellion led by JOse Miguel Gomez ** 1909 ** - Jose Miguel Gomez bercomes president following elections supervised by the U.S. ** 1912 ** - U.S. forces return to Cuba to help put down black protests against discrimination ** 1924 ** - Gerade Machado establishes a brutal dictatorship ** 1925 ** - Socialist Party founded, forming the basis of the Communist Party ** 1933 ** - Machado overthrown in a movement led by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista ** 1934 ** - The U.S. abandons its right to intervene in Cuba’s internal affairs, revises Cuba’s suger quota and changes tariffs to favour Cuba ** 1944 ** - Bastista retires and is succeeded by the civilian Ramon Gray San Martin ** 1952 ** - Bastista seizes power again ** 1953 ** - Castro leads an unsuccessful revolt against the Batista regime ** 1956 ** - Castro lands in Eastern Cuba from Mexico, aided by Ernesto “Che” Guevara he wages a guerrilla war ** 1958 ** - the U.S. withdraws military aid to Batista ** 1959 ** - Castro leads army into Havana, forcing Batista to flee and then becomes Prime Minister ** 1960 ** - All U.S. business in Cuba are nationalised without compensation; U.S. breaks off diplomatic relations with Havana ** 1961 ** - U.S. sponsors an invasion by Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs. Castro proclaims Cuba a communist state and begins to ally with the USSR ** 1962 ** - Cuban missile crisis ignited due to a fear of a U.S. invasion ** 1965 ** - Cuban’s sole political party renamed the Cuban Communist Party ** 1972 ** - Cuba becomes full member of the Soviet-based Council for Mutual Economic Assistance ** 1976 ** - Castro elected president ** 1980 ** - Around 125 000 Cubans flee to the U.S. ** 1988 ** - Cuba agrees to withdraw its troops from Angola following an agreement with South Africa ** 1991 ** - Soviet Military advisers leave Cuba following the collapse of the USSR ** 1993 ** - U.S. tightens its embargo on Cuba ** 1994 ** - Cuba signs an agreement with the U.S. according to which the U.S. agrees to admit 20 000 Cubans a year in return for Cuba halting the exodus of refugees ** 1996 ** - U.S. trade embargo made permanent in response to Cuba’s shooting down of two U.S. aircraft operated by Miami-based Cuban exiles ** 1998 ** - The U.S. eases restrictions on the sending of money to relatives by Cuban Americans
 * 1902 ** - Cuba becomes independent with Tomas Estrada as president

__The Nation at Present__
** Leadership ** Fidel Castro was the dictator of Cuba until he stepped down after beign very ill and hospitalized due to cancer, in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother, Raul Castro. Fidel Castro was put into power after he led a rebel army to victory in 1959. Fidel Castro then became the leader of Cuba as part of the Cuban Communist Party or the PCC. In 1956 Fidel Castro launched a revolution from his camp at the Sierra Maestra mountains against the government, Fulgencio Batista, at the time. Fidel was supported by many landowners who were anti-Batista. After the U.S. ended military aid to Cuba in 1958, Bautista fled into exile and Castro took over the government. Fidel Castro was the dictator of a communist state and he followed the communist ideology. He had ultimate power over Cuba along with his Communist Party for 49 years after the revolution.

** Current Issues ** Some of the current issues in Cuba include: international disputes concerning the US Navel base at Guantanamo Bay, trafficking in persons, poverty, leadership issues and disputes, human rights and trade relations with the U.S. //Leadership Issues// Fidel Castro has stepped down from his position, after being very ill and hospitalized due to a recent diagnosis of cancer, as president of Cuba in favour of his brother, Raul Castro. Raul Castro has been ruling in place of his brother Fidel Castro since February 2008 and many citizens of Cuba are not happy with this. Many feel that Raul is incompetent and is not capable of continuing or supporting the nation that his brother has created. There is a strong belief that this concern and disparagement may be enough for a great number of civilians to start a revolution and overthrow the government to put an end to communism in Cuba.

The cause of this problem was Fidel Castro’s illness that has caused him to step down and pass on the responsibility to his brother which has caused many controversies and tension among the citizens of Cuba.

There have been celebrations in places like Miami, in the U.S. for Castro’s illness. The Cuban community in Miami believe that Castro’s long-awaited demise was close at hand. The U.S. still remains firm on its embargo and reestablishes the fact that the U.S. embargo will stay in place until Cuba undertakes free and fair elections.

//Trafficking in Persons// There is a great problem with slavery in Cuba, many people citizens victims to this and as a result they are forced into labour or sexual exploitation. Unfortunately this is not an issue that the government acknowledges or condemn in Cuba which is why it has become what it is today. This problem is getting worse and worse due to the lack of recognition by government officials concerning this issue. Human trafficking also interferes and strips these victims of their fundamental rights, which is also another issue that Cuba must address.

The source of this problem in partly because of the increasing poverty rate in Cuba. Many people are forced to work and forcefully exploited in order to survive. Also the fact that Cuba is a transit point for the smuggling of migrants into various countries is also a factor to the cause of this problem.

Although the Cuban government is failing to address the trafficking in persons problem, the U.S. does recognize and takes note of this. Unfortunately Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and exact information is difficult to obtain due to the fact that the government of Cuba does not acknowledge or condemn human trafficking as a problem.

//Trade Relations With The U.S.// The U.S. ended all military aid to Cuba in 1958, shortly after Fidel Castro came into power, the U.S. stopped all trade with Cuba. Until today, U.S. has not had any trade relations as they reinforced an embargo against Cuba. The U.S. will continue to do so until Cuba undertakes free and fair elections. Relations between the U.S. and Cuba remain tense as U.S. citizens are not permitted to travel to Cuba. Since Cuba is does not have access to the U.S. through trade, their economy suffers. The U.S. is one of the largest consumers in foreign goods, since they have put trade embargoes against Cuba, Cuba is not able to have any trade relations and therefore have little chances of improving their economy.

The source of this problem dates back to the when the embargoes were first set against Cuba by the U.S. in response to the rebels led by Fidel Castro and the revolution against the Batista government. Since then the U.S. and Cuba have had few relations in terms of trade.

The international community has continued to trade with Cuba. Countries such as China, Venezuela, Spain and Netherlands continue to have trade relations with Cuba. However, many countries that are allies with the U.S. or have close trade relations with the U.S. do not trade with Cuba. The American trade industry is one of the largest in the world, by Cuba not having access to this market they suffer economically.

** Foreign Relations One of Cuba's strongest allies are Venezuela and the Soviet Union (now, Russia). Both of which are nations that are strongly opposed tot he U.S. and view the United States as a major enemy. The beaches and the sights of Cuba have attracted many international travelers. However, the poverty rate and communist government of Cuba portrays a negative image, internationally. Cuba also has many problems that are not being appropriately addressed by the government such as the trafficking in persons issue. It also has poor relations with the U.S. which set a negative image, internationally to nations that have alliances with the U.S. for the rest of the world however, Cuba is seen as any other communist nation which is not very economically stable and high poverty rate. Cuba is also well known for the revolution of the rebels against the Batista government who was supported by the U.S. After the revolution Castro came into power. **