The Human Truth Foundation

Cuba (Republic of Cuba)

http://www.humantruth.info/cuba.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2013

#cuba

Cuba
Republic of Cuba
StatusIndependent State
Social and Moral Index82nd best
CapitalHavana
Land Area 106 440km21
LocationNorth America, The Americas, The Caribbean
Population11.3m2
Life Expectancy73.68yrs (2017)3
GNI$7 879 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 CodesCU, CUB, 1925
Internet Domain.cu6
CurrencyPeso (CUP)7
Telephone+538

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

Book CoverTrapped 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

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.Higher is better
Value11
1Switzerland0.962
2Norway0.961
3Iceland0.959
4Hong Kong0.952
5Australia0.951
...
80Moldova0.767
81Dominican Rep.0.767
82Palau0.767
83Cuba0.764
84Peru0.762
85Armenia0.759
The Americas Avg0.75
World Avg0.72
q=191.
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.Higher is better
PPP $11
1Liechtenstein$146 830
2Singapore$90 919
3Qatar$87 134
4Luxembourg$84 649
5Ireland$76 169
...
118El Salvador$8 296
119Bolivia$8 111
120Uzbekistan$7 917
121Cuba$7 879
122Vietnam$7 867
123Laos$7 700
The Americas Avg$16 628
World Avg$20 136
q=193.
Social & Moral
Development Index
12,13
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank12,13
1Taiwan28.6
2Norway29.4
3Denmark31.2
4Sweden32.2
5Finland32.6
...
79Bhutan80.5
80Philippines80.8
81Colombia81.5
82Cuba81.8
83Russia82.3
84Jordan82.4
The Americas Avg81.6
World Avg86.1
q=195.

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: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Cuba's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

Cuba's population is predicted to fall to 10 983 000 by 2030. 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.

Population (2018)2
Pos.
Population2
1China1.4b
2India1.4b
3USA327.1m
4Indonesia267.7m
5Pakistan212.2m
...
77Benin11.5m
78Belgium11.5m
79Bolivia11.4m
80Cuba11.3m
81Burundi11.2m
82Haiti11.1m
World Avg39.0m
q=195.
Life Expectancy (2021)11
Pos.Higher is better
Years11
1Monaco85.9
2Hong Kong85.5
3Japan84.8
4Australia84.5
5Switzerland84.0
...
73Nicaragua73.8
74Tunisia73.8
75Lithuania73.7
76Cuba73.7
77Ecuador73.7
78Vietnam73.6
World Avg71.28
q=195.
Fertility Rate (2013)14
Pos.2.0 is best14
1N. Korea2.00
2Brunei1.99
3St Vincent & Grenadines2.01
4France1.99
5Turkey2.04
...
89Italy1.47
90Cyprus1.46
91Moldova1.46
92Cuba1.45
93India2.55
94Germany1.44
World Avg2.81
q=180.
Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016)15
Pos.Lower is better
Per 10015
1Uganda04.3
2Mali04.5
3Chad04.7
4Burkina Faso04.7
5Sierra Leone04.8
...
156Barbados35.6
157Lithuania36.0
158Czechia36.1
159Cuba36.2
160Poland36.3
161Singapore36.5
World Avg18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants (2017)16
Pos.
%16
1UAE88.4%
2Kuwait75.5%
3Qatar65.2%
4Liechtenstein65.1%
5Monaco54.9%
...
190Myanmar (Burma)0.1%
191Madagascar0.1%
192Indonesia0.1%
193Cuba0.1%
194Vietnam0.1%
195China0.1%
World Avg9.4%
q=195.
Emigrants (2010)17
Pos.
%17
1Dominica104.8%
2Palestine68.4%
3Samoa67.3%
4Grenada65.5%
5St Kitts & Nevis61.1%
...
57Jordan11.3%
58Kyrgyzstan11.2%
59Tajikistan11.2%
60Cuba10.9%
61Mauritius10.9%
62Greece10.8%
World Avg11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#cuba #equality #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)18,19
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank18,19
1Sweden9.2
2Norway14.7
3Denmark14.7
4Netherlands15.8
5New Zealand17.5
...
112Benin95.9
113Tanzania95.9
114India96.9
115Cuba97.7
116Kazakhstan97.9
117Timor-Leste (E. Timor)98.6
The Americas Avg74.2
World Avg87.7
q=199.

When it comes to press and media freedom, Cuba is one of the worst 5 countries in the world20; it's one of those countries where 'compliance with international human rights standards would mean removal of those in power'21. .

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

5. Cuba's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #Cuba #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #suicide #vaccines

Compared to The Americas (2020)22,23
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank22,23
1Antigua & Barbuda75.6
2Brazil82.1
3Cuba82.4
4Canada83.5
5Barbados85.1
6Grenada86.6
7Trinidad & Tobago86.6
8Guyana87.5
9Nicaragua87.5
10St Lucia88.9
11Ecuador90.5
12El Salvador90.5
13St Kitts & Nevis91.8
The Americas Avg96.2
q=35.
Health (2020)22,23
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank22,23
1Monaco13.0
2Hong Kong18.3
3Maldives41.0
4Singapore42.6
5Japan51.0
...
53Solomon Islands82.0
54Israel82.1
55Brazil82.1
56Cuba82.4
57Macedonia82.5
58Croatia82.9
59Turkmenistan83.1
World Avg93.5
q=196.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Hong Kong and The Maldives22. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, S. Sudan and Palau22.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean22, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Australasia and Africa22.

For more, see:

Health:

Cuba does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Cuba comes in the best 20 in terms of its fertility rate14 (the best in The Americas) and in its immunizations take-up24 (one of the best in The Americas). It does better than average in its average life expectancy11 and in its alcohol consumption rate25. Cuba doesn't do so well in other areas. Cuba does worse than average when it comes to its suicide rate26 (one of the highest in The Americas), its adolescent birth rate27 (still good for The Americas) and in its smoking rate28 (the worst in The Americas). The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years.

Life Expectancy (2021)11
Pos.Higher is better
Years11
1Monaco85.9
2Hong Kong85.5
3Japan84.8
4Australia84.5
5Switzerland84.0
...
73Nicaragua73.8
74Tunisia73.8
75Lithuania73.7
76Cuba73.7
77Ecuador73.7
78Vietnam73.6
The Americas Avg72.58
World Avg71.28
q=195.
Alcohol Consumption (2016)25
Pos.Lower is better
Per Capita25
1Bangladesh0.0
2Kuwait0.0
3Libya0.0
4Mauritania0.0
5Somalia0.0
...
90Haiti5.8
91Colombia5.8
92Nauru6.0
93Cuba6.1
94Kyrgyzstan6.2
95Guyana6.3
The Americas Avg6.9
World Avg6.2
q=189.
Fertility Rate (2013)14
Pos.2.0 is best14
1N. Korea2.00
2Brunei1.99
3St Vincent & Grenadines2.01
4France1.99
5Turkey2.04
...
89Italy1.47
90Cyprus1.46
91Moldova1.46
92Cuba1.45
93India2.55
94Germany1.44
The Americas Avg2.29
World Avg2.81
q=180.
Smoking Rates (2014)28
Pos.Higher is worse28
182Montenegro4 125
181Belarus3 831
180Lebanon3 023
179Macedonia2 732
178Russia2 690
...
148Poland1 396
147Netherlands1 396
146Saudi Arabia1 395
145Cuba1 392
144Georgia1 378
143Denmark1 378
The Americas Avg 457
World Avg 819
q=182.
Suicide Rate (2013)26
Pos.
Per 100k26
1Haiti0
2Grenada0
3Egypt0.1
4Jordan0.2
5Maldives0.7
...
59Norway23.8
60Denmark23.9
61Germany23.9
62Cuba24.5
63Romania24.5
64Bulgaria25
The Americas Avg13.57
World Avg20.93
q=91.
Overweight Adults (2016)29
Pos.Lower is better
%29
1Vietnam18.3
2India19.7
3Bangladesh20.0
4Ethiopia20.9
5Nepal21.0
...
123Norway58.3
124Poland58.3
125Ukraine58.4
126Cuba58.5
127Italy58.5
128Luxembourg58.7
The Americas Avg57.4
World Avg49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015)27
Pos.Lower is better
Per 100027
1N. Korea0.5
2S. Korea1.6
3Switzerland2.9
4Hong Kong3.2
5Slovenia3.8
...
100Antigua & Barbuda44.8
101Fiji44.8
102S. Africa45.5
103Cuba45.6
104Suriname46.1
105Timor-Leste (E. Timor)46.6
The Americas Avg56.6
World Avg47.9
q=185.
Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015)24
Pos.Higher is better
Avg %24
1Hungary99.0
2China99.0
3Uzbekistan98.9
4Niue98.8
5Mongolia98.7
...
15Luxembourg98.0
16Oman98.0
17Antigua & Barbuda98.0
18Cuba97.9
19Belgium97.8
20Thailand97.8
The Americas Avg91.3
World Avg88.3
q=194.

6. Cuba's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #modernity #politics #research #science #technology #the_internet

Compared to The Americas (2020)19
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank19
1Canada21.6
2USA29.3
3Argentina43.8
4Chile51.6
5Barbados54.2
...
16Aruba71.5
17Colombia77.1
18Bahamas80.0
19Cuba80.3
20Cayman Islands82.0
21Dominican Rep.83.4
22Dominica83.8
The Americas Avg81.7
q=41.
Modernity and Learning (2020)19
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank19
1Finland8.4
2Taiwan10.0
3Switzerland15.1
4Estonia15.8
5Denmark16.0
...
96Sri Lanka79.6
97Kenya79.8
98Bahamas80.0
99Cuba80.3
100Fiji80.8
101Jordan81.1
102Seychelles81.3
World Avg83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Research and Development (2016)
Pos.Higher is better
% RDP PPP
1S. Korea4.2930
2Israel4.1130
3Japan3.5830
4Finland3.1730
5Sweden3.1630
...
61Cyprus0.4831
62Costa Rica0.4732
63Qatar0.4733
64Cuba0.4731
65Macedonia0.4431
66Puerto Rico0.4431
The Americas Avg0.47
World Avg0.84
q=126.
Secondary Education (2018)34
Pos.Higher is better34
1Luxembourg100.0%
2Estonia100.0%
3Austria100.0%
4Canada100.0%
5Finland100.0%
...
47Bahamas88.4%
48Ireland88.3%
49Netherlands88.3%
50Cuba87.4%
51Poland85.3%
52Belgium84.8%
The Americas Avg63.0%
World Avg63.0%
q=169.
Length of Schooling (2021)35
Pos.Higher is better
Years35
1Australia21.1
2New Zealand20.3
3Greece20.0
4Belgium19.6
5Sweden19.4
...
73Slovakia14.5
74Dominican Rep.14.5
75Albania14.4
76Cuba14.4
77Colombia14.4
78Moldova14.4
The Americas Avg14.2
World Avg13.5
q=193.
IQ (2006)36
Pos.Higher is better36
1Hong Kong108
2Singapore108
3S. Korea106
4Japan105
5Taiwan105
...
72Yemen85
73Trinidad & Tobago85
74Peru85
75Cuba85
76Venezuela84
77Colombia84
The Americas Avg85.3
World Avg85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

The government controls virtually all media outlets in Cuba and restricts access to outside information. A small number of [independent] journalists and bloggers... manage to write articles for websites or blogs, or publish tweets. The government routinely blocks access within Cuba to these websites and only a fraction of Cubans can read independent websites and blogs because of the high cost of, and limited access to, the internet. In September 2017, Cuba announced it would gradually extend the home internet service to all the provinces in the country.

"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)37

Internet Users (2016)38
Pos.Higher is better38
1Iceland100%
2Faroe Islands99%
3Norway98%
4Bermuda97%
5Andorra97%
...
127India35%
128Kyrgyzstan34%
129Egypt33%
130Cuba32%
131Micronesia31%
132Vanuatu31%
The Americas Avg56.4%
World Avg48.1%
q=201.
Freedom On The Internet (2012)39
Pos.Lower is better39
1Estonia10
2USA12
3Germany15
4Australia18
5Hungary19
...
42Myanmar (Burma)75
43Uzbekistan77
44Syria83
45China85
46Cuba86
47Iran90
The Americas Avg39.3
World Avg46.7
q=47.
IPv6 Uptake (2017)40
Pos.Higher is better
Ratio40
1Belgium55.4
2Germany41.8
3Switzerland35.1
4USA35.0
5Greece33.5
...
166Lebanon0.0
167St Lucia0.0
168Dominica0.0
169Cuba0.0
170St Vincent & Grenadines0.0
171Montenegro0.0
The Americas Avg3.36
World Avg3.82
q=176.

7. National Culture

#corruption #politics

Corruption (2022)41
Pos.Higher is better
Points41
1Denmark90.0
2Finland87.0
3New Zealand87.0
4Norway84.0
5Singapore83.0
...
65China45.0
66Sao Tome & Principe45.0
67Montenegro45.0
68Cuba45.0
69Jamaica44.0
70Oman44.0
The Americas Avg42.97
World Avg42.98
q=180.

8. Peace Versus Instability

#human_development #peace #politics

Global Peace Index (2021)42
Pos.Lower is better42
1Iceland1.10
2New Zealand1.25
3Denmark1.26
4Portugal1.27
5Slovenia1.32
...
84Trinidad & Tobago2.03
85Nepal2.03
86Peru2.03
87Cuba2.04
88Ecuador2.04
89Georgia2.05
The Americas Avg2.13
World Avg2.08
q=163.

9. The Natural Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

Forest Area Change 1990-2015 (2015)43
Pos.Higher is better
%43
1Iceland+205.6
2Bahrain+144.4
3Uruguay+131.3
4Kuwait+81.2
5Dominican Rep.+79.5
6Egypt+65.9
7Vietnam+65.6
8Ireland+62.2
9Tunisia+61.9
10Cuba+56.9
11Cape Verde+55.7
12Rwanda+50.9
The Americas Avg-00.2
World Avg+02.8
q=184.
Environmental Performance (2018)44
Pos.Higher is better44
1Switzerland87.4
2France84.0
3Denmark81.6
4Malta80.9
5Sweden80.5
...
52Russia63.8
53Brunei63.6
54Morocco63.5
55Cuba63.4
56Panama62.7
57Tonga62.5
The Americas Avg58.8
World Avg56.4
q=180.
Convention on Biological Diversity
Pos.Earlier is better
Signed
1China1993 Dec 29
2Guinea1993 Dec 29
3Cook Islands1993 Dec 29
4Vanuatu1993 Dec 29
5Papua New Guinea1993 Dec 29
...
48Paraguay1994 May 25
49Hungary1994 May 25
50Brazil1994 May 29
51Cuba1994 Jun 06
52Namibia1997 Aug 14
53Sri Lanka1994 Jun 21
The Americas Avg1899 Dec 30
World Avg1899 Dec 30
q=197.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#health #inequality #life_expectancy

Inequality in Life Expectancy (2019)45
Pos.Higher is worse45
184Chad40.90
183Central African Rep.40.10
182Sierra Leone39.00
181Somalia38.90
180Nigeria37.10
...
42Latvia5.40
41Bosnia & Herzegovina5.40
40UAE5.20
39Cuba5.10
38Slovakia5.00
37Serbia4.90
The Americas Avg12.03
World Avg14.59
q=184.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #christianity #cuba #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #USA

Disbelief In God (2007)46
Pos.Higher is better
%46
1Vietnam81
2Japan65
3Sweden64
4Czechia61
5Estonia49
...
9Netherlands42
10Germany42
11UK42
12Cuba40
13Slovenia35
14Bulgaria34
World Avg9.9
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 below47:

Christian59.2%
Muslim0.1%
Hindu0.2%
Buddhist0.1%
Folk Religion17.4%
Jew0.1%
Unaffiliated23%

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 power48.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: Cuba's Constitution affirms religious liberty and freedom (Article 15 and Article 57), and outlaws discrimination based on religion (Article 43). Despite this, things are not well. As recently as 2020, the USA has again put Cuba on its "Special Watch List for having engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom"49.

Links: