Cuba (Republic of Cuba)

Cuba Republic of Cuba
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	79th best
Capital	Havana
Land Area	106 440km21
Location	North America, The Americas, Caribbean
Population	11.2m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	79.57yrs (2017)3
GNI	$7 455 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	CU, CUB, 1925
Internet Domain	.cu6
Currency	Peso (CUP)7
Telephone	+538

1. Overview
2. Cuba National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

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1. Overview

“The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from the US in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba at times portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source if its difficulties. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the US's southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard interdicted 1,275 Cuban nationals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in 2012.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Trapped in a time-warp, Cuba is like a prince in a poor man´s coat. Behind the sometimes shabby facades of communist but culturally rich Cuba, gold dust lingers. Cuba is a country with no historical precedents: economically poor, but culturally rich; visibly mildewed, but architecturally magnificent; infuriating, yet at the same time, strangely uplifting.

Halfway between the US in the north and Latin America in the south, Cuba has long struggled to work out where it fits in. Yet, as a former Spanish colony liberally colored with French, African, American, Jamaican, and indigenous Taíno influences, there´s no denying the breadth of its historical heritage. When Castro pressed the pause button on economic development in the 1960s, he inadvertently saved many endangered traditions and important historical heirlooms.

It is the Cubans themselves who have kept the country alive as the infrastructure crumbled: survivors and improvisers, poets and dreamers, cynics and sages. It is also they who have ensured that Cuba continues to be the fascinating, perplexing, paradoxical nation it is.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Cuba National and Social Development

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
	...
65	Trinidad & Tobago	65
66	Costa Rica	66
67	Serbia	66
68	Cuba	68
69	Iran	69
70	Georgia	70
71	Turkey	71
72	Venezuela	71
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
	...
76	Belize	55.9
77	Tajikistan	55.8
78	Bosnia & Herzegovina	55.7
79	Cuba	55.6
80	Turkey	55.6
81	Colombia	55.5
82	Philippines	55.5
83	Nicaragua	55.1
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
156	Barbados	35.6
157	Lithuania	36.0
158	Czech Rep.	36.1
159	Cuba	36.2
160	Poland	36.3
161	Singapore	36.5
162	Latvia	36.7
163	Sweden	37.0
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
57	Jordan	11.3
58	Kyrgyzstan	11.2
59	Tajikistan	11.2
60	Cuba	10.9
61	Mauritius	10.9
62	Greece	10.8
63	Mexico	10.7
64	Andorra	10.7
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
89	Italy	1.47
90	Cyprus	1.46
91	Moldova	1.46
92	Cuba	1.45
93	India	2.55
94	Germany	1.44
95	Laos	2.58
96	Malaysia	2.58
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
185	Myanmar (Burma)	0.2
186	Korea, N.	0.2
187	Morocco	0.2
188	Cuba	0.1
189	Peru	0.1
190	Vietnam	0.1
191	Indonesia	0.1
192	China	0.1
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
	...
31	Cyprus	80.33
32	Liechtenstein	80.16
33	Costa Rica	79.61
34	Cuba	79.57
35	Lebanon	79.54
36	USA	79.22
37	Brunei	79.02
38	Czech Rep.	78.78
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
72	Chad	11.8m
73	Greece	11.4m
74	Rwanda	11.3m
75	Cuba	11.2m
76	Belgium	10.8m
77	Tunisia	10.7m
78	Portugal	10.7m
79	S. Sudan	10.7m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

Cuba's population is predicted to fall to 10 983 000 by 2030. Developed countries with falling populations face a pension's crises, whereby an incresingly ageing population must be cared for by fewer and fewer workers. Economic stability can be maintained by increasing foreign workers from younger countries. This country has a fertility rate of 1.45. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
59	Malaysia	0.29
60	Barbados	0.29
61	Armenia	0.29
62	Cuba	0.30
63	Costa Rica	0.31
64	Maldives	0.31
65	Chile	0.32
66	Tajikistan	0.32
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
39	Thailand	1932
40	Turkey	1934
41	Brazil	1934
42	Cuba	1934
43	Myanmar (Burma)	1935
44	Philippines	1937
45	Uzbekistan	1938
46	Dominican Rep.	1942
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Cuba has made some steps towards ending gender inequality but much more needs to be done.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better20
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
9	Netherlands	42
10	Germany	42
11	UK	42
12	Cuba	40
13	Slovenia	35
14	Bulgaria	34
15	Hungary	32
16	Norway	31
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₂₁:

Christian	59.2%
Muslim	0.1%
Hindu	0.2%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	17.4%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	23%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: nominally Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jewish, Santeria. note: prior to CASTRO assuming power₂₂.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Freedom On The Internet (2012) Lower is better23
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
	...
40	Vietnam	73
41	Ethiopia	75
42	Myanmar (Burma)	75
43	Uzbekistan	77
44	Syria	83
45	China	85
46	Cuba	86
47	Iran	90
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better24
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
127	India	35%
128	Kyrgyzstan	34%
129	Egypt	33%
130	Cuba	32%
131	Micronesia	31%
132	Vanuatu	31%
133	Syria	30%
134	Sri Lanka	29%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio25
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
166	Lebanon	0.0
167	St Lucia	0.0
168	Dominica	0.0
169	Cuba	0.0
170	St Vincent & Grenadines	0.0
171	Montenegro	0.0
172	Libya	0.0
173	Jamaica	0.0
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
100	Antigua & Barbuda	44.8
101	Fiji	44.8
102	S. Africa	45.5
103	Cuba	45.6
104	Suriname	46.1
105	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	46.6
106	Chile	47.8
107	Solomon Islands	48.4
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita26
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
79	Ghana	4.8
80	Jamaica	4.9
81	Nicaragua	5.0
82	Cuba	5.2
83	Armenia	5.3
84	Costa Rica	5.4
85	Antigua & Barbuda	5.4
86	Philippines	5.4
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %27
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
15	Luxembourg	98.0
16	Oman	98.0
17	Antigua & Barbuda	98.0
18	Cuba	97.9
19	Belgium	97.8
20	Thailand	97.8
21	Mauritius	97.6
22	Fiji	97.6
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better28
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
142	Argentina	1 359
143	Denmark	1 378
144	Georgia	1 378
145	Cuba	1 392
146	Saudi Arabia	1 395
147	Netherlands	1 396
148	Poland	1 396
149	Italy	1 443
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013) Lower is better Per 100k29
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
59	Norway	23.8
60	Denmark	23.9
61	Germany	23.9
62	Cuba	24.5
63	Romania	24.5
64	Bulgaria	25
65	Sweden	25.5
66	Slovakia	25.7
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties30
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
148	Thailand	11
149	Barbados	11
150	Bahamas	11
151	Cuba	11
152	Guyana	11
153	Swaziland	11
154	Zimbabwe	11
155	Saudi Arabia	10
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better31
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
167	Laos	6799
168	Yemen	6922
169	Sudan	7006
170	Cuba	7164
171	Vietnam	7178
172	China	7307
173	Iran	7340
174	Somalia	7359
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

Cuba is one of those countries where, to put it bluntly, "compliance with international human rights standards would mean removal of those in power"₃₂.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries