CapitalHavana
Population10,059,519
Area110,860 km²
GDP per capita$23,700
LanguagesSpanish
CurrencyCuban pesos
Life Expectancy80.1 yr
Governmenta communist state
Introduction
Background
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. 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 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 Spain in 1898, and after three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba became an independent republic in 1902.
Cuba then experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his authoritarian rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He handed off the presidency to his younger brother Raul CASTRO in 2008. Cuba's communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez, hand-picked by Raul CASTRO to succeed him, was approved as president by the National Assembly and took office in 2018. DIAZ-CANEL was appointed First Secretary of the Communist Party in 2021 after the retirement of Raul CASTRO and continues to serve as both president and first secretary.
Cuba traditionally and consistently portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source of its socioeconomic difficulties. As a result of efforts begun in 2014 to reestablish diplomatic relations, the US and Cuba reopened embassies in their respective countries in 2015. The embargo remains in place, however, and the relationship between the US and Cuba remains tense. Illicit migration of Cuban nationals to the US via maritime and overland routes has been a longstanding challenge. In 2017, the US and Cuba signed a Joint Statement ending the so-called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy, by which Cuban nationals who reached US soil were permitted to stay. Irregular Cuban maritime migration has dropped significantly since 2016, when migrant interdictions at sea topped 5,000, but land border crossings continue.
Geography
Area
land
109,820 sq km
water
1,040 sq km
total
110,860 sq km
Climate
tropical climate; influenced by trade winds; dry period from November to April; wet period from May to October
Terrain
predominantly flat to gently rolling terrain, with some rugged hills and mountainous regions located in the southeast
Land use
other
3.5% (2023 est.)
forest
34.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
61.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 28% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Location
Caribbean island situated between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately 150 km south of Key West, Florida
Coastline
3,735 km
Elevation
lowest point
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point
Pico Turquino 1,974 m
mean elevation
108 m
Irrigated land
8,700 sq km (2012)
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Land boundaries
total
28.5 km
border countries
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 28.5 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
the eastern coastline is vulnerable to hurricanes occurring between August and November (on average, the nation experiences roughly one hurricane every two years); droughts frequently occur
Geography - note
the largest nation in the Caribbean and the westernmost island of the Greater Antilles
Natural resources
resources include cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, and arable land
Area - comparative
marginally smaller than the state of Pennsylvania
Geographic coordinates
21 30 N, 80 00 W
Population distribution
significant population concentrations are distributed across the country, with the major ones located in larger towns and cities, especially in the capital, Havana
People & Society
Literacy
male
99% (2019 est.)
female
96.3% (2019 est.)
total population
97.7% (2019 est.)
Languages
Languages
Spanish (official)
major-language sample(s)
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, Muslim <1%, other <1%, none 23.2% (2020 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.01 male(s)/female
total population
0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.82 male(s)/female
Birth rate
7.78 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
11.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
41 years
total
46.2 years (2025 est.)
female
44.4 years
Population
male
4,950,615
total
10,059,519 (2025 est.)
female
5,108,904
Nationality
noun
Cuban(s)
adjective
Cuban
Tobacco use
male
24.7% (2025 est.)
total
16.7% (2025 est.)
female
9% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
77.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
16.3% (male 918,066/female 866,578)
15-64 years
66.5% (male 3,670,531/female 3,623,658)
65 years and over
17.2% (2024 est.) (male 852,910/female 1,034,295)
Ethnic groups
White 64.1%, Mulatto or mixed 26.6%, Black 9.3% (2012 est.)
People - note
the issue of illicit emigration persists; Cubans seek to leave the island for the United States using homemade rafts, human smugglers, direct flights, or counterfeit visas; additionally, Cubans access the US via non-maritime avenues, including direct flights to Miami and overland routes through the southwest border; the influx of Cubans migrating to the US increased following the announcement of the normalization of US-Cuban relations in late December 2014 but has declined since the termination of the "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy on 12 January 2017
Child marriage
men married by age 18
5.9% (2019)
women married by age 15
4.8% (2019)
women married by age 18
29.4% (2019)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
50.2 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
22.6 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
3.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
27.6 (2025 est.)
Physician density
9.54 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
13.8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
21% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
4.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.49 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 95.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 4.5% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
8.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
17% national budget (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total
5.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
-0.6% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.72 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
significant population concentrations are located across the nation, with the largest clusters found in major towns and cities, especially in the capital, Havana
Life expectancy at birth
male
77.8 years
female
82.6 years
total population
80.1 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
35 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 95.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 97.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 4.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 2.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
1.77 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
4.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
2.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.149 million HAVANA (capital) (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
24.6% (2016)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
58.6% (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
2.4% (2019 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
13 years (2023 est.)
total
14 years (2023 est.)
female
15 years (2023 est.)
Environment
Climate
tropical climate; influenced by trade winds; dry period (November through April); wet period (May through October)
Land use
other
3.5% (2023 est.)
forest
34.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
61.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 28% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 6.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
77.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane emissions
other
2.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste
146.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
energy
23 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture
249.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
2.693 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
25.7% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
soil deterioration and desertification (caused by inadequate agricultural practices and natural calamities); loss of biodiversity; deforestation; pollution of air and water
Total water withdrawal
municipal
1.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
740 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
4.519 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
19.716 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
1.58 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
16,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
18.12 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
13.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
38.12 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
Marine Life Conservation
Government
Flag
description: consists of five equal horizontal stripes of blue (top, middle, and bottom) interspersed with white; a red equilateral triangle is positioned on the left side, containing a central five-pointed white star
meaning: the blue stripes symbolize the islands' three historical departments: Central, Occidental, and Oriental; the white stripes represent the purity associated with the ideal of independence; the triangle signifies liberty, equality, and fraternity; the red hue represents the blood shed during the fight for independence; the white star, known as "La Estrella Solitaria" (the Lone Star), illuminates the path to freedom, drawing inspiration from the Texas state flag
Capital
name
Havana
etymology
The city was named San Cristobal de la Habana, or Saint Christopher of the Habana, by Spanish soldier Diego VELAZQUEZ; the term "Habana" may have referenced a local ethnic group, though its exact meaning remains uncertain
time difference
UTC-5 (coinciding with Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, starting on the second Sunday of March and concluding on the first Sunday of November; note - Cuba has a history of making last-minute changes to the Daylight Saving Time schedule in efforts to conserve electricity for lighting
geographic coordinates
23 07 N, 82 21 W
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
yes
citizenship by descent only
yes
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
unknown
Constitution
history
multiple prior drafts; the most recent was drafted on 14 July 2018, received approval from the National Assembly on 22 December 2018, and was ratified by referendum on 24 February 2019
amendment process
introduced by the National Assembly of People’s Power; a two-thirds majority vote in the National Assembly is necessary for passage; amendments to constitutional articles concerning the powers of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any constitutional rights and duties also require a referendum; however, constitutional articles related to the Cuban political, social, and economic framework cannot be amended
Country name
etymology
the etymology of the name is contested; it may originate from a native Taino word, either cubao, translating to "where fertile land is abundant," or coabana, meaning "great place"
local long form
República de Cuba
local short form
Cuba
conventional long form
Republic of Cuba
conventional short form
Cuba
Independence
20 May 1902 (from US administration); 10 December 1898 (from Spain); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as days of independence
Legal system
civil law system influenced by the Spanish civil code
Government type
a communist state
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
People's Supreme Court (consists of court president, vice president, 41 professional justices, and NA lay judges); organization includes the State Council, criminal, civil, administrative, labor, crimes against the state, and military courts)
subordinate courts
People's Provincial Courts; People's Regional Courts; People's Courts
judge selection and term of office
professional judges, elected by the National Assembly, do not have fixed terms; lay judges are nominated by workplace collectives and neighborhood associations and elected by municipal or provincial assemblies; lay judges serve for a term of 5 years and can work up to 30 days annually
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Ministers proposed by the president and appointed by the National Assembly
chief of state
President Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 19 April 2018)
election results
2023: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) reelected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 97.7%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) reelected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 93.4%
2018: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.8%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.1%
head of government
Prime Minister Manuel MARRERO Cruz (since 21 December 2019)
most recent election date
19 April 2023
election/appointment process
president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
expected date of next election
2028
National holiday
Triumph of the Revolution (Liberation Day), celebrated on 1 January (1959)
National color(s)
red, white, blue
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
9 (7 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Old Havana (c); Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios (c); San Pedro de la Roca Castle (c); Desembarco del Granma National Park (n); Viñales Valley (c); Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations (c); Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (n); Historic Cienfuegos (c); Historic Camagüey (c)
Political parties
Cuban Communist Party or PCC
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
470 (all directly elected)
electoral system
other systems
legislature name
National Assembly of the People's Power (Asamblea nacional del Poder popular)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
3/26/2023
expected date of next election
March 2028
percentage of women in chamber
55.7%
National anthem(s)
title
"La Bayamesa" (The Bayamo Song)
history
adopted in 1940; the anthem was first performed by Pedro FIGUEREDO in 1868 during the Ten Years War against Spanish rule; FIGUEREDO, a prominent figure in the uprising, was captured in 1870 and executed by firing squad; reportedly, just before his execution, he exclaimed, "Morir por la Patria es vivir" (To die for the country is to live), a phrase from the anthem
lyrics/music
Pedro FIGUEREDO
National symbol(s)
royal palm
Administrative divisions
15 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); the provinces include Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana (Havana), Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Pinar del Río, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, and Villa Clara
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 797-8521
chancery
2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone
[1] (202) 797-8515
chief of mission
Ambassador (position currently vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Lianys TORRES RIVERA (since 14 January 2021)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://misiones.cubaminrex.cu/en/usa/embassy-cuba-usa
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[53] (7) 839-4247
embassy
Calzada between L & M Streets, Vedado, Havana
telephone
[53] (7) 839-4100
mailing address
3200 Havana Place, Washington DC 20521-3200
chief of mission
Ambassador (position currently vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Mike HAMMER (since 14 November 2024)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://cu.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, ACS, ALBA, AOSIS, CABEI, CELAC, EAEU (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not provided a declaration of jurisdiction for the ICJ; is a non-party state to the ICCt
Economy
Budget
revenues
$54.52 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures
$64.64 billion (2017 est.)
Exports
Exports 2018
$14.53 billion (2018 est.)
Exports 2019
$12.632 billion (2019 est.)
Exports 2020
$8.768 billion (2020 est.)
Imports
Imports 2018
$12.567 billion (2018 est.)
Imports 2019
$10.971 billion (2019 est.)
Imports 2020
$8.067 billion (2020 est.)
Industries
petroleum, nickel, cobalt, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, construction, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, sugar
Labor force
4.859 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2016
42.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
1 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
24 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
24 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
24 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
24 (2024 est.)
Economic overview
the economy remains predominantly state-controlled and planned, though privatization is on the rise under the new constitution; there have been extensive protests related to shortages of essential goods and electricity; there has been a significant influx of foreign investment recently; recognized as a tobacco exporter; has a distinctive oil-for-doctors arrangement with Venezuela; pervasive corruption
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
1.9% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
1.8% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
1.6% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
China 34%, Spain 12%, Germany 6%, Switzerland 5%, Hong Kong 4% (2023)
Imports - partners
Spain 24%, China 13%, Netherlands 10%, USA 9%, Canada 6% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$13,300 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$18,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$23,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2021
1.3% (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022
1.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
-1.9% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products
sugarcane, cassava, plantains, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, milk, tomatoes, pumpkins/squash, sweet potatoes, bananas (2023)
Exports - commodities
tobacco, nickel, liquor, zinc ore, precious metal ore (2023)
Imports - commodities
beer, poultry, rice, plastic products, soybean oil (2023)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$259.781 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
73.3% (2023 est.)
government consumption
25.5% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories
10% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital
12.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
43.5% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services
-64.6% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
11.9% (2020 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
151.9% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
76.1% (2022 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
-0.9% (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$83.597 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$81.985 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$81.165 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
4.1% (2024 est.)
total
3.9% (2024 est.)
female
3.5% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
27.5% (2023 est.)
services
70% (2023 est.)
agriculture
1.3% (2023 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
25 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
8,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
1,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves
124 million barrels (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
118,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
consumption
11.951 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
7.264 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
3.352 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas
production
850.133 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
850.133 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves
70.792 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
26.07 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
95.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
71% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
the government maintains ownership and control over all broadcasting media: 8 national television channels (Cubavision, Cubavision Plus, Tele Rebelde, Multivision, Educational Channel 1 and 2, Canal Clave, Canal Habana), 2 international channels (Cubavision Internacional and Canal Caribe), numerous regional television stations, 7 national radio networks, and various regional radio stations; the government utilizes the Radio-TV Marti signal; private ownership of electronic media is officially forbidden, although several independent online news outlets are tolerated, albeit blocked if they criticize the government; YouTube is widely used; various Christian denominations produce original video content for distribution through social media (2023)
Internet country code
.cu
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
1.59 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
15 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
8.01 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
73 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
327,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
3 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
6
small
10
medium
3
key ports
Antilla, Bahía de La Habana, Bahía de Sagua de Tánamo, Cabañas, Casilda, Cienfuegos, Bahía de Nuevitas, Puerto Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba
very small
6
total ports
34 (2024)
size unknown
9
ports with oil terminals
14
Airports
120 (2025)
Railways
total
8,367 km (2017)
narrow gauge
172 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge
standard gauge
8,195 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified)
Heliports
4 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
65 (2023)
by type
general cargo 13, oil tanker 10, other 42
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
CU
Military & Security
Military - note
The Cuban military primarily concentrates on safeguarding territorial integrity and maintaining the state; it views the United States as its main adversary. This military force serves as a crucial foundation of the Cuban regime and is regarded as the protector of the Cuban revolution. It plays a significant role in the nation's political and economic landscape; numerous high-ranking government positions are occupied by military personnel, and the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) is said to have interests in sectors such as agriculture, banking and finance, construction, import/export, ports, industry, real estate, retail, shipping, transportation, and tourism (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2016
3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
Military Expenditures 2017
2.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
Military Expenditures 2018
2.9% of GDP (2018 est.)
Military Expenditures 2019
3.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020
4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security forces
Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Ground Troops (Tropas Terrestres), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (Defensas Anti-Aereas y Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria, DAAFAR)
Paramilitary forces under the FAR: Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT), Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT), Defense and Production Brigades (Brigadas de Producción y Defensa, BPD), Civil Defense Organization (Defensa Civil de Cuba)
Ministry of Interior: National Revolutionary Police (Policía Nacional Revolucionaria, PNR), Directorate of Border Guard Troops (Dirección de Tropas de Guardia Fronteriza, TGF), Department of State Security (Departamento de Seguridad del Estado, DSE) (2025)
Military service age and obligation
Military service is compulsory for all males and optional for females (ages 17-28); the service duration is 24 months with either the Armed Forces or the Ministry of Interior; men are required to remain in reserve until the age of 45 (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The military's arsenal consists of equipment from Russian and Soviet periods (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths
Information is limited; the estimated number of active Armed Forces personnel is around 50,000 (2025)
Transnational Issues
Trafficking in persons
tier rating
Tier 3 — Cuba fails to fully comply with the minimum standards for the eradication of trafficking and is not demonstrating substantial efforts to improve this situation; consequently, Cuba continues to be classified as Tier 3. For further information, visit: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/cuba/
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs
37,171 (2024 est.)
refugees
171 (2024 est.)
