Cuba
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Havana
- Population
- 10,059,519 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 110,860 sq km
- Government
- communist state
- Religions
- Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, Muslim <1%, other <1%, none 23.2% (2020 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- White 64.1%, Mulatto or mixed 26.6%, Black 9.3% (2012 est.)
- Currency
- Cuban pesos (CUP)
- Life Expectancy
- 80.1 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .cu
- Climate
- tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
- Terrain
- mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
- Natural Resources
- cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
- Major Exports
- tobacco, nickel, liquor, zinc ore, precious metal ore (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the arrival of Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492, as the country was developed as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries.