Things to know about Cuba

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Cuba es la isla del Caribe más grande, entre el mar del Caribe y el Océano Atlántico del norte. Miente 145 kilómetros (90 millas) de sur del oeste dominante, la Florida, entre las Islas Caimán y las Bahamas, a al oeste de Haití, y al noroeste de Jamaica.

CARTER VISITS CUBA FOR DISCUSSIONS

Cuban president outlines major reforms

REFORMS BRING WIDE EXPECTATIONS IN CUBA

RAUL CASTRO ELECTED TOP LEADER OF CUBAN COMMUNIST PARTY (Courtesy: CCTV)

Cuba makes world's longest cigar at 81.80 meters

A Cuban cigar maker has broken a Guinness World Record by rolling a cigar at 81.80 meters. That makes it the longest Cuban cigar in the world.

Reporting from Havana: Locals reaction to travel restriction easing

Cuba to boost small businesses

US orchestra tours Cuba

CHINA PLEDGES TO ADVANCE CUBAN TIES

Chasque aquí para mirar la boda real en línea

The sixth congress of Cuba's Communist Party approved landmark economic reforms and voted for new leaders. The moves have brought wide expectations. Many are Cubans positive, but some are cautious about the country's future.

Monday's headlines blazed Fidel Castro's endorsement for reform. The former president said the new generation of Cuban leaders should change without hesitation.
It echoes the speech of his brother President Raul Castro, at the opening of the Party Congress.
Castro said, "In time we must guarantee the systematic rejuvenation of the entire chain of command, both administrative and within the party. From the base, all the way up to the comrades who hold the greatest responsibilities."

The reforms include slashing government jobs, cutting subsidies, encouraging more private initiative and foreign investment, and reducing state spending.
Karel Prado, Evangelical Pastor, said, "We believe that our nation is going to change completely. There are some very good things, but there are other things that need to be changed. We believe in that. "

Cuban student Rachel said, "I hope that with these new measures, the economic and social situation in our country will improve."
But intense debate continues over several points. Some Cubans are questioning how the reforms will be implemented and whether they are enough.
Raul Ortega Valdes, Cuban retiree, said, "The government has good intentions but I can't see how they are going to improve things."
Oscar Espinoza Chepe, dissident economist, said, "Everything seems to indicate that there will be change, but very limited. Changes that will leave a lot to desire in the face of the scale of the national crisis."

State television announced the unanimous approval of about 300 economic proposals, but it did not give details. The party's new leadership has also been decided, but no names were given.

Raul Castro is expected to take the leading position, leaving all eyes focused on the selection of a new second secretary.

Economic Reform Cuba click here

Cuba is the largest Caribbean island, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It lies 145 km (90 miles) south of Key West, Florida, between the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas, to the west of Haiti, and northwest of Jamaica.

Cuba es una sociedad multirracial con una población de orígenes principalmente españoles y africanos. La religión organizada más grande es la iglesia católica, pero las denominaciones protestantes evangélicas continúan creciendo rápidamente. Las religiones del Afro-Cubano, una mezcla de religiones africanas nativas y Catholicism romano, se practican extensamente en Cuba. Oficialmente, Cuba era un estado ateo a partir de 1959 a los años 90 tempranos, cuando el partido comunista levantó su prohibición contra los believers religiosos que buscaban calidad de miembro y la constitución fue enmendada (1991) para caracterizar el estado como secular en vez de ateo. En 1962, el gobierno del revolucionario agarró y cerró todas las escuelas privadas, incluyendo más de 400 escuelas católicas. Hasta la fecha, el gobierno no permite la educación religiosa en escuelas públicas ni la operación de escuelas primarias o secundarias privadas de la clase.

Cuba is a multiracial society with a population of mainly Spanish and African origins. The largest organized religion is the Roman Catholic Church, 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 from 1959 to the early 1990s, when the Communist Party lifted its prohibition against religious believers seeking membership and the constitution was amended (1991) to characterize the state as secular instead of atheist. In 1962, the revolutionary government seized and shut down all the private schools, including more than 400 Catholic schools. To date, the government does not permit religious education in public schools nor the operation of private primary or secondary schools of any kind.

People
Population: 11.2 million; 75% urban, 25% rural (official 2008 statistics).
Ethnic groups: 51% mixed, 37% white, 11% black, 1% Chinese (according to 2002 Cuban census).
Language: Spanish. Literacy--99.8% (25 years and older, according to Cuban Government sources).
Work force (5.07 million): Services (including education, health and social services)--42%; agriculture--19%; commerce and tourism--12%; industry--11%; transport, storage, and communications--6%; construction--5%; mining, electricity, gas and water--2%.

Economy
GDP (2009 official estimate, based on constant 1997 prices): $50.01 billion.
Real annual growth rate: 3.2% (2001); 1.4% (2002); 3.8% (2003); 5.8% (2004); 11.2% (2005); 12.1% (2006); 7.3% (2007); 4.1% (2008); 1.4% (2009).
GDP per capita income (2009 est., based on constant 1997 prices): $4,450.
Average monthly salary: $18.
Natural resources: Nickel, cobalt, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, oil, natural gas.
Agriculture: Products--sugar, citrus and tropical fruits, tobacco, coffee, rice, beans, meat, vegetables.
Industry: Types--sugar and food processing, oil refining, cement, electric power, light consumer and industrial products, pharmaceutical and biotech products.
Trade: Exports (2008)--$3.68 billion f.o.b.: nickel/cobalt, oil and oil derivatives, pharmaceutical and biotech products, sugar and its byproducts, tobacco, seafood, citrus, tropical fruits, coffee. Major export markets (2008)--Canada $767 million (21%); China $677 million (18%); Venezuela $415 million (11%); Netherlands $289 million (8%); Spain $197 million (5%); Singapore $118 million (3%); Netherlands Antilles $65 million (2%); Italy $64 million (2%); Russia $71 million (2%); others $656 million (18%). Imports (2008)--$14.249 billion f.o.b.: petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals. Major import suppliers (2008)--Venezuela $4.478 billion (31%); China $1.483 billion (10%); Spain $1.233 billion (9%); United States $801 million (6%); Canada $656 million (4%); Brazil $601 million (4%); Vietnam $520 million (4%); Italy $488 million (3%); Germany $378 million (3%); Mexico $369 million (3%); Russia $269 million (2%); others $1.06 billion (7%).
Official exchange rate: U.S. $1 = 0.93 Cuban convertible pesos.
Cuba has two currencies in circulation: the peso (CUP), and the convertible peso (CUC), both of which are fixed by the government. In April 2005, the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises. Individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio. The Cuban Government taxes and receives 10% of each conversion of U.S. dollars into CUCs.

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