Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean with a population of around 11 million people. The main ethnic group is Cuban, making up around 65% of the population. Other ethnic groups include Spaniard, African, and Chinese ancestry. The majority of Cubans are Roman Catholic, with other Christian denominations making up much of the remaining population. Additionally, there is also a significant Afro-Cuban religion known as Santería that many practice. The literacy rate in Cuba is close to 100%, and the average life expectancy is 79 years. Check hyperrestaurant to learn more about Cuba in 2009.
Social conditions
The Cuban revolution is associated with, above all, the efforts made in the social field. Visit AbbreviationFinder to see the definitions of CUBA and acronym for Cuba. Among other things, extensive land reform in the 1960s led to improved living conditions in the heavily disadvantaged countryside. Through several distribution policy measures, an equalization of income was achieved, and through a large investment in free health care and education for all, most Cubans achieved a standard of living that was probably one of the highest in Latin America.
Everyone has the right to free healthcare and free education and literacy is 100 percent. Cuba also has a nationwide social security system. The problem for most Cubans, however, is that the welfare model in the 1990s was eroded due to the economic crisis in the country. Check to see Cuba population.
Another problem for Cubans in common has been that the economy has increasingly been divided into a sector where it is traded, quite legally, with the US dollar (since currency ownership was legalized in 1993) and another, mainly rationed market, where all trading is done with the national currency. (peso). This has meant that those who have access to currency, for example people in the tourism industry, can obtain the goods that cannot be obtained in the rationed market.
When Raúl Castro took over as president in 2008 and announced major economic reforms, he also announced that the ration book that gave all Cubans access to basic goods at subsidized prices should be abolished. In addition, the state administration will lose weight, which will create increased unemployment. Some private operations have been released and are expected to replace government jobs and previously secure income. However, a large part of the population is dependent on money that relatives in other countries send home.
In April 2004, the UN Commission on Human Rights passed a resolution by just one majority, criticizing Cuba for its human rights policy. The resolution was officially tabled by Honduras, supported by the United States, and got 22 votes for go 21 against, while 10 countries abstained. The resolution calls on the Cuban government to allow international control of the treatment of dissidents in the country. Cuba’s representative at the Commission, Juan Antonio Fernández, accused the United States of pushing the resolution through its own political interests. To this, US Representative Richard Williamson responded that the resolution was an expression of the “brutal repression” that took place in the country in 2003, against people “whose only criminal act has been to tell the truth about the Castro regime”.
In May, Washington adopted a series of proposals from a commission aimed at tightening the international law blockade of Cuba. Among the steps taken by the United States are increased support for dissidents in Cuba, greater restrictions on travel to the country and the use of military aircraft to transmit propaganda programs via radio and TV to Cubans. Both exile Cubans and a number of leaders of the dissident groups in Cuba expressed concern about the new US tightening. Joe García, director of the exile Cuban Association Fundación Nacional Cubano Americana in Miami, stated that he agreed to the need for economic blockade of Cuba, but he disagreed with the new restrictions on private shipments and travel to the island. The new austerity of the United States coincided with the anniversary of Cuba’s independence.
In October, Foreign Ministry representatives met with the EU’s 25 member states in Brussels to discuss Spain’s proposal to soften the EU’s diplomatic stance on Cuba. It was agreed that the diplomatic representations of the countries in Cuba should provide new information on the situation in the country with a view to drawing up a report that could form the basis for a renewed discussion at the next meeting in November. The Spanish Social Democratic Government pointed out that the sanctions had not contributed to strengthening democracy in the country or respect for human rights. The Spaniards also pointed out that it is desirable to strengthen the dialogue with Habana. The proposal was criticized both by Cuban dissidents and by the opposition in Spain – especially after the parliamentary member of the Spanish fascist party Partido Popular, Jorge Moragas, was expelled by Cuba after trying to meet with dissidents. Acc. the Cuban authorities were talking about the second visit Moraga made in Cuba in order to “build contacts and offer financial support to the tenants”.
That same month, the UN General Assembly condemned for the 23rd year in a row the US economic, trade and financial blockade of Cuba. The resolution condemning 40 years of North American embargo was passed with 179 votes in favor, 1 abstained and 4 voted against: USa, Israel, Palau and Marshall Islands. Cuba’s foreign minister, Felipe Pérez Roque, declared that the United States is waging a worldwide “genocide-like economic war” against Cuba.
In January 2005, Cuba resumed diplomatic contact with eight European countries after agreeing to no longer invite Cuban dissidents to their receptions.
About 200 dissidents met in Habana in May 2005 during the first public meeting since the 1959 revolution. The authorities did not intervene in the meeting, although they had prevented European politicians from participating in advance.
Although the country was hit by 3 hurricanes, was exposed to the worst drought in 100 years and sharply rising oil prices, economic growth in 2005 nevertheless was 1.8%.
In August 2006, Fidel Castro underwent extensive surgery and temporarily transferred his functions to his little brother, Raúl. In Miami, the “Gusanos” were already dancing over the “dictatorship”. But they came to dance long. Although Fidel recovered only slowly after his illness, and Raúl continued on the presidential post, the handover happened effortlessly. During his re-election, Fidel continued to write articles for the newspapers Granma and Juventud Rebelde, but he did not appear publicly, which reinforced the rumors about his health. Fidel ran for election to the People’s Assembly in January 2008 – and was elected.
After 46 years without diplomatic relations, Honduras and Cuba resumed in March 2007.
Following the February 2008 general election, the Assembly decided to elect Raúl Castro as the country’s president. After nearly 50 years on the post, Fidel resigned and declared that he would continue his work as a writer.