Cuba vs. Venezuela
Introduction
Cuba | Venezuela | |
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Background | 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 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, following three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba became an independent republic 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 authoritarian 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. Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez, hand-picked by Raul CASTRO to succeed him, was approved as president by the National Assembly and took office on 19 April 2018. DIAZ-CANEL was appointed First Secretary of the Communist Party on 19 April 2021 following the resignation of Raul CASTRO. The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4-6 billion annually. Cuba traditionally and consistently portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source of its difficulties. As a result of efforts begun in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic relations with the Cuban Government, which were severed in January 1961, the US and Cuba reopened embassies in their respective countries in July 2015. The embargo remains in place, 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. On 12 January 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. Illicit Cuban migration by sea has since dropped significantly, but land border crossings continue. In FY 2018, the US Coast Guard interdicted 312 Cuban nationals at sea. Also in FY 2018, 7,249 Cuban migrants presented themselves at various land border ports of entry throughout the US. | Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959, although the re-election of current disputed President Nicolas MADURO in an election boycotted by most opposition parties was widely viewed as fraudulent. Under Hugo CHAVEZ, president from 1999 to 2013, and his hand-picked successor, MADURO, the executive branch has exercised increasingly authoritarian control over other branches of government. National Assembly President Juan GUAIDO is currently recognized by more than 50 countries - including the United States - as the interim president while MADURO retains control of all other institutions within the country and has the support of security forces. Venezuela is currently authoritarian with only one democratic institution - the National Assembly - and strong restrictions on freedoms of expression and the press. The ruling party's economic policies expanded the state's role in the economy through expropriations of major enterprises, strict currency exchange and price controls that discourage private sector investment and production, and overdependence on the petroleum industry for revenues, among others. However, Caracas in 2019 relaxed some economic controls to mitigate some impacts of the economic crisis driven by a drop in oil production. Current concerns include human rights abuses, rampant violent crime, high inflation, and widespread shortages of basic consumer goods, medicine, and medical supplies. |
Geography
Cuba | Venezuela | |
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Location | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida | Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana |
Geographic coordinates | 21 30 N, 80 00 W | 8 00 N, 66 00 W |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | South America |
Area | total: 110,860 sq km land: 109,820 sq km water: 1,040 sq km | total: 912,050 sq km land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania | almost six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California |
Land boundaries | total: 28.5 km border countries (1): US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 28.5 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba | total: 5,267 km border countries (3): Brazil 2137 km, Colombia 2341 km, Guyana 789 km |
Coastline | 3,735 km | 2,800 km |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Climate | tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October) | tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands |
Terrain | mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast | Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast |
Elevation extremes | highest point: Pico Turquino 1,974 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 108 m | highest point: Pico Bolivar 4,978 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 450 m |
Natural resources | cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds |
Land use | agricultural land: 60.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 33.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 3.6% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 22.9% (2018 est.) forest: 27.3% (2018 est.) other: 12.4% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 24.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 3.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 20.6% (2018 est.) forest: 52.1% (2018 est.) other: 23.4% (2018 est.) |
Irrigated land | 8,700 sq km (2012) | 10,550 sq km (2012) |
Natural hazards | the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common | subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts |
Environment - current issues | soil degradation and desertification (brought on by poor farming techniques and natural disasters) are the main environmental problems; biodiversity loss; deforestation; air and water pollution | sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations |
Environment - international 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 | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note | largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles | note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species; their sheer cliffsides account for some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world including Angel Falls, the world's highest (979 m) that drops off Auyan Tepui |
Total renewable water resources | 38.12 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 1.325 trillion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
Population distribution | large population clusters found throughout the country, the more significant ones being in the larger towns and cities, particularly the capital of Havana | most of the population is concentrated in the northern and western highlands along an eastern spur at the northern end of the Andes, an area that includes the capital of Caracas |
Demographics
Cuba | Venezuela | |
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Population | 11,032,343 (July 2021 est.) | 29,069,153 (July 2021 est.) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 16.34% (male 929,927/female 877,035) 15-24 years: 11.81% (male 678,253/female 627,384) 25-54 years: 41.95% (male 2,335,680/female 2,303,793) 55-64 years: 14.11% (male 760,165/female 799,734) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 794,743/female 952,348) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 25.66% (male 3,759,280/female 3,591,897) 15-24 years: 16.14% (male 2,348,073/female 2,275,912) 25-54 years: 41.26% (male 5,869,736/female 5,949,082) 55-64 years: 8.76% (male 1,203,430/female 1,305,285) 65 years and over: 8.18% (male 1,069,262/female 1,272,646) (2020 est.) |
Median age | total: 42.1 years male: 40.2 years female: 43.8 years (2020 est.) | total: 30 years male: 29.4 years female: 30.7 years (2020 est.) |
Population growth rate | -0.23% (2021 est.) | 2.46% (2021 est.) |
Birth rate | 10.25 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 17.55 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Death rate | 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 7.13 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Net migration rate | -3.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 14.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 22.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.79 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.41 years male: 77.04 years female: 81.92 years (2021 est.) | total population: 72.22 years male: 68.9 years female: 75.7 years (2021 est.) |
Total fertility rate | 1.71 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 2.24 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.4% (2020 est.) | 0.5% (2020 est.) |
Nationality | noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban | noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan |
Ethnic groups | White 64.1%, Mulatto or mixed 26.6%, Black 9.3% (2012 est.) note: data represent racial self-identification from Cuba's 2012 national census | unspecified Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, Indigenous |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 33,000 (2020 est.) | 100,000 (2020 est.) |
Religions | Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, Muslim <1%, other <1%, none 23.2% (2020 est.) note: folk religions include religions of African origin, spiritualism, and others intermingled with Catholicism or Protestantism; data is estimative because no authoritative source on religious affiliation exists in Cuba | nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% |
HIV/AIDS - deaths | <500 (2020 est.) | NA |
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. | Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects 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. |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.9% female: 99.8% (2015) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.1% male: 97% female: 97.2% (2016) |
Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: intermediate (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever | degree of risk: high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria Note: as of 1 March 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Venezuela; the country is experiencing outbreaks of infectious diseases, and adequate health care is currently not available in most of the country |
Education expenditures | 12.8% of GDP (2010) | NA |
Urbanization | urban population: 77.3% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 88.3% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.16% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
Drinking water source | improved: urban: 98.2% of population rural: 94.5% of population total: 97.4% of population unimproved: urban: 1.8% of population rural: 5.5% of population total: 2.6% of population (2017 est.) | improved: total: 95.7% of population unimproved: total: 4.3% of population (2017 est.) |
Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 96.1% of population rural: 94.8% of population total: 95.8% of population unimproved: urban: 3.9% of population rural: 5.2% of population total: 4.2% of population (2017 est.) | improved: total: 93.9% of population unimproved: total: 6.4% of population (2017 est.) |
Major cities - population | 2.143 million HAVANA (capital) (2021) | 2.946 million CARACAS (capital), 2.296 million Maracaibo, 1.935 million Valencia, 1.227 million Barquisimeto, 1.216 million Maracay (2021) |
Maternal mortality rate | 36 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 125 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 2.4% (2019) | 2.9% (2009) |
Health expenditures | 11.2% (2018) | 3.6% (2018) |
Hospital bed density | 5.3 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 0.9 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 24.6% (2016) | 25.6% (2016) |
Contraceptive prevalence rate | 69% (2019) | 75% (2010) |
Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 46.7 youth dependency ratio: 23.3 elderly dependency ratio: 23.3 potential support ratio: 4.3 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 54.4 youth dependency ratio: 42.1 elderly dependency ratio: 12.3 potential support ratio: 8.1 (2020 est.) |
Government
Cuba | Venezuela | |
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Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba etymology: name derives from the Taino Indian designation for the island "coabana" meaning "great place" | conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela former: State of Venezuela, Republic of Venezuela, United States of Venezuela etymology: native stilt-houses built on Lake Maracaibo reminded early explorers Alonso de OJEDA and Amerigo VESPUCCI in 1499 of buildings in Venice and so they named the region "Venezuola," which in Italian means "Little Venice" |
Government type | communist state | federal presidential republic |
Capital | name: Havana geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - Cuba has been known to alter the schedule of DST on short notice in an attempt to conserve electricity for lighting etymology: the sites of Spanish colonial cities often retained their original Taino names; Habana, the Spanish name for the city, may be based on the name of a local Taino chief, HABAGUANEX | name: Caracas geographic coordinates: 10 29 N, 66 52 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named for the native Caracas tribe that originally settled in the city's valley site near the Caribbean coast |
Administrative divisions | 15 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara | 23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales (Federal Dependencies)**, Distrito Capital (Capital District)*, Falcon, Guarico, La Guaira, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulia note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands |
Independence | 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence | 5 July 1811 (from Spain) |
National holiday | Triumph of the Revolution (Liberation Day), 1 January (1959) | Independence Day, 5 July (1811) |
Constitution | history: several previous; latest drafted 14 July 2018, approved by the National Assembly 22 December 2018, approved by referendum 24 February 2019 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly of People's Power; passage requires approval of at least two-thirds majority of the National Assembly membership; amendments to constitutional articles on the authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any rights and duties in the constitution also require approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on the Cuban political, social, and economic system cannot be amended | history: many previous; latest adopted 15 December 1999, effective 30 December 1999 amendments: proposed through agreement by at least 39% of the National Assembly membership, by the president of the republic in session with the cabinet of ministers, or by petition of at least 15% of registered voters; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly and simple majority approval in a referendum; amended 2009; note - in 2016, President MADURO issued a decree to hold an election to form a constituent assembly to change the constitution; the election in July 2017 approved the formation of a 545-member constituent assembly and elected its delegates, empowering them to change the constitution and dismiss government institutions and officials |
Legal system | civil law system based on Spanish civil code | civil law system based on the Spanish civil code |
Suffrage | 16 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 10 October 2019); Vice President Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (since 10 October 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: Prime Minister Manuel MARRERO Cruz (since 21 December 2019); Deputy Prime Ministers Ramiro VALDES Menendez, Roberto MORALES Ojeda, Ines Maria CHAPMAN Waugh, Jorge Luis TAPIA Fonseca, Alejandro GIL Fernandez, Ricardo CABRISAS Ruiz (since 21 December 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president and appointed by the National Assembly; it is subordinate to the 21-member Council of State, which is elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (may be reelected for another 5-year term); election last held on 10 October 2019 (next to be held in 2024) election results: 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% note - on 19 April 2018, DIAZ-CANEL succeeded Raul CASTRO as president of the Council of State; on 10 October 2019 he was elected to the newly created position of President of the Republic, which replaced the position of President of the Council of State | chief of state: Notification Statement: the United States recognizes Juan GUAIDO as the Interim President of Venezuela President Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013); Executive Vice President Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 14 June 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013); Executive Vice President Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 14 June 2018) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits); election last held on 20 May 2018 (next election scheduled for 2024) election results: 2018: Nicolas MADURO Moros reelected president; percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 68%, Henri FALCON (AP) 21%, Javier BERTUCCI 11%; note - the election was marked by serious shortcomings and electoral fraud; voter turnout was approximately 46% due largely to an opposition boycott of the election 2013: Nicolas MADURO Moros elected president; percent of vote - Nicolas MADURO Moros (PSUV) 50.6%, Henrique CAPRILES Radonski (PJ) 49.1%, other 0.3% |
Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (605 seats; (586 seats filled in 2021); members directly elected by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms); note 1 - the National Candidature Commission submits a slate of approved candidates; to be elected, candidates must receive more than 50% of valid votes otherwise the seat remains vacant or the Council of State can declare another election; note 2 - in July 2019, the National Assembly passed a law which reduces the number of members from 605 to 474, effective with the 2023 general election elections: last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held in early 2023) election results: Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed; composition (as of June 2021) - men 273, women 313, percent of women 53.4% | description: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (277 seats; 3 seats reserved for indigenous peoples of Venezuela; members serve 5-year terms); note - in 2020, the National Electoral Council increased the number of seats in the National Assembly from 167 to 277 for the 6 December 2020 election elections: last held on 6 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - GPP (pro-government) 69.32%, Democratic Alliance (opposition coalition) 17.68%, other 13%; seats by party - GPP 253, Democratic Alliance 18, indigenous peoples 3, other 3 |
Judicial branch | highest courts: 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) judge selection and term of office: professional judges elected by the National Assembly are not subject to a specific term; lay judges nominated by workplace collectives and neighborhood associations and elected by municipal or provincial assemblies; lay judges appointed for 5-year terms and serve up to 30 days per year subordinate courts: People's Provincial Courts; People's Regional Courts; People's Courts | highest courts: Supreme Tribunal of Justice (consists of 32 judges organized into constitutional, political-administrative, electoral, civil appeals, criminal appeals, and social divisions) judge selection and term of office: judges proposed by the Committee of Judicial Postulation (an independent body of organizations dealing with legal issues and of the organs of citizen power) and appointed by the National Assembly; judges serve nonrenewable 12-year terms; note - in July 2017, the National Assembly named 33 judges to the court to replace a series of judges, it argued, had been illegally appointed in late 2015 by the outgoing, socialist-party-led Assembly; the Government of President MADURO and the Socialist Party-appointed judges refused to recognize these appointments, however, and many of the new judges have since been imprisoned or forced into exile subordinate courts: Superior or Appeals Courts (Tribunales Superiores); District Tribunals (Tribunales de Distrito); Courts of First Instance (Tribunales de Primera Instancia); Parish Courts (Tribunales de Parroquia); Justices of the Peace (Justicia de Paz) Network |
Political parties and leaders | Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Raul CASTRO Ruz] | A New Era or UNT [Manuel ROSALES] |
International organization participation | ACP, ALBA, AOSIS, CELAC, 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, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lianys TORRES RIVERA (since 14 January 2021) chancery: 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 797-8515 through 8518 FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521 email address and website: recepcion@usadc.embacuba.cu http://misiones.minrex.gob.cu/en/usa | chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alfredo VECCHIO (since 8 April 2019) chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214 FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820 email address and website: despacho.embveus@mppre.gob.ve |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Timothy ZUNIGA-BROWN (since 31 July 2020) embassy: Calzada between L & M Streets, Vedado, Havana mailing address: 3200 Havana Place, Washington DC 20521-3200 telephone: [53] (7) 839-4100 FAX: [53] (7) 839-4247 email address and website: acshavana@state.gov https://cu.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James "Jimmy" STORY (since July 2018); note - on 11 March 2019, the Department of State announced the temporary suspension of operations of the US Embassy in Caracas and the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel; all consular services, routine and emergency, are suspended embassy: now operating from Bogota, Colombia Venezuela Affairs Unit, Carrera 45 N. 24B-27, Bogota previously - F St. and Suapure St.; Urb . Colinas de Valle Arriba; Caracas 1080 mailing address: 3140 Caracas Place, Washington DC 20521-3140 telephone: 1-888-407-4747 email address and website: ACSBogota@state.gov https://ve.usembassy.gov/ |
Flag description | five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; the blue bands refer to the three old divisions of the island: central, occidental, and oriental; the white bands describe the purity of the independence ideal; the triangle symbolizes liberty, equality, and fraternity, while the red color stands for the blood shed in the independence struggle; the white star, called La Estrella Solitaria (the Lone Star) lights the way to freedom and was taken from the flag of Texas note: design similar to the Puerto Rican flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed | three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band; the flag retains the three equal horizontal bands and three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, the South American republic that broke up in 1830; yellow is interpreted as standing for the riches of the land, blue for the courage of its people, and red for the blood shed in attaining independence; the seven stars on the original flag represented the seven provinces in Venezuela that united in the war of independence; in 2006, then President Hugo CHAVEZ ordered an eighth star added to the star arc - a decision that sparked much controversy - to conform with the flag proclaimed by Simon Bolivar in 1827 and to represent the historic province of Guayana |
National anthem | name: "La Bayamesa" (The Bayamo Song) lyrics/music: Pedro FIGUEREDO note: adopted 1940; Pedro FIGUEREDO first performed "La Bayamesa" in 1868 during the Ten Years War against the Spanish; a leading figure in the uprising, FIGUEREDO was captured in 1870 and executed by a firing squad; just prior to the fusillade he is reputed to have shouted, "Morir por la Patria es vivir" (To die for the country is to live), a line from the anthem | name: "Gloria al bravo pueblo" (Glory to the Brave People) lyrics/music: Vicente SALIAS/Juan Jose LANDAETA note: adopted 1881; lyrics written in 1810, the music some years later; both SALIAS and LANDAETA were executed in 1814 during Venezuela's struggle for independence |
International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
National symbol(s) | royal palm; national colors: red, white, blue | troupial (bird); national colors: yellow, blue, red |
Citizenship | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: unknown | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years; reduced to five years in the case of applicants from Spain, Portugal, Italy, or a Latin American or Caribbean country |
Economy
Cuba | Venezuela | |
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Economy - overview | The government continues to balance the need for loosening its socialist economic system against a desire for firm political control. In April 2011, the government held the first Cuban Communist Party Congress in almost 13 years, during which leaders approved a plan for wide-ranging economic changes. Since then, the government has slowly and incrementally implemented limited economic reforms, including allowing Cubans to buy electronic appliances and cell phones, stay in hotels, and buy and sell used cars. The government has cut state sector jobs as part of the reform process, and it has opened up some retail services to "self-employment," leading to the rise of so-called "cuentapropistas" or entrepreneurs. More than 500,000 Cuban workers are currently registered as self-employed. The Cuban regime has updated its economic model to include permitting the private ownership and sale of real estate and new vehicles, allowing private farmers to sell agricultural goods directly to hotels, allowing the creation of non-agricultural cooperatives, adopting a new foreign investment law, and launching a "Special Development Zone" around the Mariel port. Since 2016, Cuba has attributed slowed economic growth in part to problems with petroleum product deliveries from Venezuela. Since late 2000, Venezuela provided petroleum products to Cuba on preferential terms, supplying at times nearly 100,000 barrels per day. Cuba paid for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela, including some 30,000 medical professionals. | Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for almost all export earnings and nearly half of the government's revenue, despite a continued decline in oil production in 2017. In the absence of official statistics, foreign experts estimate that GDP contracted 12% in 2017, inflation exceeded 2000%, people faced widespread shortages of consumer goods and medicine, and the central bank's international reserves dwindled. In late 2017, Venezuela also entered selective default on some of its sovereign and state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., (PDVSA) bonds. Domestic production and industry continues to severely underperform and the Venezuelan Government continues to rely on imports to meet its basic food and consumer goods needs. Falling oil prices since 2014 have aggravated Venezuela's economic crisis. Insufficient access to dollars, price controls, and rigid labor regulations have led some US and multinational firms to reduce or shut down their Venezuelan operations. Market uncertainty and PDVSA's poor cash flow have slowed investment in the petroleum sector, resulting in a decline in oil production. Under President Nicolas MADURO, the Venezuelan Government's response to the economic crisis has been to increase state control over the economy and blame the private sector for shortages. MADURO has given authority for the production and distribution of basic goods to the military and to local socialist party member committees. The Venezuelan Government has maintained strict currency controls since 2003. The government has been unable to sustain its mechanisms for distributing dollars to the private sector, in part because it needed to withhold some foreign exchange reserves to make its foreign bond payments. As a result of price and currency controls, local industries have struggled to purchase production inputs necessary to maintain their operations or sell goods at a profit on the local market. Expansionary monetary policies and currency controls have created opportunities for arbitrage and corruption and fueled a rapid increase in black market activity. |
GDP (purchasing power parity) | $137 billion (2017 est.) $134.8 billion (2016 est.) $134.2 billion (2015 est.) note: data are in 2016 US dollars | $269.068 billion (2018 est.) $381.6 billion (2017 est.) $334.751 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.6% (2017 est.) 0.5% (2016 est.) 4.4% (2015 est.) | -19.67% (2018 est.) -14% (2017 est.) -15.76% (2017 est.) |
GDP - per capita (PPP) | $12,300 (2016 est.) $12,200 (2015 est.) $12,100 (2014 est.) note: data are in 2016 US dollars | $7,704 (2018 est.) $12,500 (2017 est.) $9,417 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4% (2017 est.) industry: 22.7% (2017 est.) services: 73.4% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 4.7% (2017 est.) industry: 40.4% (2017 est.) services: 54.9% (2017 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 33.1% (2015 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA | lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 32.7% (2006) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.5% (2017 est.) 4.5% (2016 est.) | 146,101.7% (2019 est.) 45,518.1% (2018 est.) 416.8% (2017 est.) |
Labor force | 4.691 million (2017 est.) note: state sector 72.3%, non-state sector 27.7% | 14.21 million (2017 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 18% industry: 10% services: 72% (2016 est.) | agriculture: 7.3% industry: 21.8% services: 70.9% (4th quarter, 2011 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.6% (2017 est.) 2.4% (2016 est.) note: data are official rates; unofficial estimates are about double | 6.9% (2018 est.) 27.1% (2017 est.) |
Budget | revenues: 54.52 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 64.64 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 92.8 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 189.7 billion (2017 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, nickel, cobalt, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, construction, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, sugar | agricultural products, livestock, raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, iron and steel products, crude oil and petroleum products |
Industrial production growth rate | -1.2% (2017 est.) | -2% (2017 est.) |
Agriculture - products | sugar cane, cassava, vegetables, plantains, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, milk, pumpkins, mangoes/guavas, rice | sugar cane, maize, milk, rice, plantains, bananas, pineapples, potatoes, beef, poultry |
Exports | $2.63 billion (2017 est.) $2.546 billion (2016 est.) | $83.401 billion (2018 est.) $93.485 billion (2017 est.) |
Exports - commodities | cigars, raw sugar, nickel products, rum, zinc (2019) | crude petroleum, refined petroleum, industrial alcohols, gold, iron (2019) |
Exports - partners | China 38%, Spain 11%, Netherlands 5%, Germany 5% (2019) | India 34%, China 28%, United States 12%, Spain 6% (2019) |
Imports | $11.06 billion (2017 est.) $10.28 billion (2016 est.) | $18.432 billion (2018 est.) $18.376 billion (2017 est.) |
Imports - commodities | poultry meat, wheat, soybean products, corn, concentrated milk (2019) | refined petroleum, rice, corn, tires, soybean meal, wheat (2019) |
Imports - partners | Spain 19%, China 15%, Italy 6%, Canada 5%, Russia 5%, United States 5%, Brazil 5% (2019) | China 28%, United States 22%, Brazil 8%, Spain 6%, Mexico 6% (2019) |
Debt - external | $30.06 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $29.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $100.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $109.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
Exchange rates | Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar - 1 (2017 est.) 1 (2016 est.) 1 (2015 est.) 1 (2014 est.) 22.7 (2013 est.) | bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 3,345 (2017 est.) 673.76 (2016 est.) 48.07 (2015 est.) 13.72 (2014 est.) 6.284 (2013 est.) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Public debt | 47.7% of GDP (2017 est.) 42.7% of GDP (2016 est.) | 38.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 31.3% of GDP (2016 est.) note: data cover central government debt, as well as the debt of state-owned oil company PDVSA; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include some debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; some debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions |
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $11.35 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $12.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $9.661 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $11 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
Current Account Balance | $985.4 million (2017 est.) $2.008 billion (2016 est.) | $4.277 billion (2017 est.) -$3.87 billion (2016 est.) |
GDP (official exchange rate) | $93.79 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in Cuban Pesos at 1 CUP = 1 US$; official exchange rate | $210.1 billion (2017 est.) |
Credit ratings | Moody's rating: Caa2 (2014) | Fitch rating: RD (2017) Moody's rating: WR (2019) Standard & Poors rating: SD (2017) |
Taxes and other revenues | 58.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 44.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -10.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -46.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 6.1% male: 6.4% female: 5.6% (2010 est.) | total: 12.1% male: 10.5% NA female: 14.9% NA (2017 est.) |
GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 57% (2017 est.) government consumption: 31.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 9.6% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 14.6% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -12.7% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 68.5% (2017 est.) government consumption: 19.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 13.9% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.7% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 7% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -10.7% (2017 est.) |
Gross national saving | 11.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 12.3% of GDP (2016 est.) 12.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | 12.1% of GDP (2017 est.) 8.6% of GDP (2016 est.) 31.8% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy
Cuba | Venezuela | |
---|---|---|
Electricity - production | 19.28 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 109.3 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electricity - consumption | 16.16 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 71.96 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2015 est.) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
Oil - production | 50,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 1.484 million bbl/day (2018 est.) |
Oil - imports | 112,400 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 1.656 million bbl/day (2015 est.) |
Oil - proved reserves | 124 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 302.3 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
Natural gas - proved reserves | 70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 5.739 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
Natural gas - production | 1.189 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 27.07 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
Natural gas - consumption | 1.189 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 24.21 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
Natural gas - imports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
Electricity - installed generating capacity | 6.998 million kW (2016 est.) | 31 million kW (2016 est.) |
Electricity - from fossil fuels | 91% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 51% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 49% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
Electricity - from other renewable sources | 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - production | 104,100 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 926,300 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - consumption | 175,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 659,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - exports | 24,190 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 325,800 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
Refined petroleum products - imports | 52,750 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 20,640 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 99.6% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 100% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 99% (2019) |
Telecommunications
Cuba | Venezuela | |
---|---|---|
Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 1,447,134 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13.05 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 5,351,312 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18.67 (2019 est.) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 6,042,629 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 54.5 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 13,476,287 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47.01 (2019 est.) |
Internet country code | .cu | .ve |
Internet users | total: 6,353,020 percent of population: 57.15% (July 2018 est.) note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the government-controlled "intranet" | total: 21,354,499 percent of population: 72% (July 2018 est.) |
Telecommunication systems | general assessment: state control of the telecom sector hinders development; Cuba has the lowest mobile phone and Internet penetration rates in the region; fixed-line density is also very low; thaw of US-Cuba relations encouraged access to services, such as Wi-Fi hotspots; access to sites is controlled and censored; DSL and Internet available in Havana, though costs are too high for most Cubans; international investment and agreement to improve Internet access through cost-free and direct connection between networks (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line density remains low at about 13 per 100 inhabitants; mobile-cellular service is expanding to about 53 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 53; the ALBA-1, GTMO-1, and GTMO-PR fiber-optic submarine cables link Cuba, Jamaica, and Venezuela; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: telecom industry struggling due to political upheaval in the country; poor quality of service in many areas of the country due to decrepit state of fixed-line network and operators' inability to pay for equipment from foreign vendors; operator suffering from stolen or damaged infrastructure; many consumers favor mobile service, and cancel their fixed-line services; popularity of social networks caused growth in mobile data traffic; LTE coverage to about half of the population; government launched National Fiber Optic backbone project in 2019; national satellite drifted off course and became non-operational; American company closed a telecom service due to government sanction and a Chilean company later acquired the service; Internet freedom deteriorating amid crisis, with frequent disruptions to service and monitoring; importer of broadcasting equipment from the USA (2021) (2020)domestic: two domestic satellite systems with three earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; 3 major providers operate in the mobile market and compete with state-owned company; fixed-line 19 per 100 and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership about 58 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 58; landing points for the Venezuela Festoon, ARCOS, PAN-AM, SAC, GlobeNet, ALBA-1 and Americas II submarine cable system providing connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat (2020) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 182,732 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.65 less than 1 (2019 est.) | total: 2,560,994 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8.93 (2019 est.) |
Broadcast media | Government owns and controls all broadcast media: five national TV channels (Cubavision, Tele Rebelde, Multivision, Educational Channel 1 and 2,) 2 international channels (Cubavision Internacional and Caribe,) 16 regional TV stations, 6 national radio networks and multiple regional stations; the Cuban government beams over the Radio-TV Marti signal; although private ownership of electronic media is prohibited, several online independent news sites exist; those that are not openly critical of the government are often tolerated; the others are blocked by the government; there are no independent TV channels, but several outlets have created strong audiovisual content (El Toque, for example); a community of young Youtubers is also growing, mostly with channels about sports, technology and fashion; Christian denominations are creating original video content to distribute via social media (2019) | government supervises a mixture of state-run and private broadcast media; 13 public service networks, 61 privately owned TV networks, a privately owned news channel with limited national coverage, and a government-backed Pan-American channel; state-run radio network includes roughly 65 news stations and another 30 stations targeted at specific audiences; state-sponsored community broadcasters include 235 radio stations and 44 TV stations; the number of private broadcast radio stations has been declining, but many still remain in operation |
Transportation
Cuba | Venezuela | |
---|---|---|
Railways | total: 8,367 km (2017) standard gauge: 8,195 km 1.435-m gauge (124 km electrified) (2017) narrow gauge: 172 km 1.000-m gauge (2017) note: 82 km of standard gauge track is not for public use | total: 447 km (2014) standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (41.4 km electrified) (2014) |
Roadways | total: 60,000 km (2015) paved: 20,000 km (2001) unpaved: 40,000 km (2001) | total: 96,189 km (2014) |
Waterways | 240 km (almost all navigable inland waterways are near the mouths of rivers) (2011) | 7,100 km (Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels) (2011) |
Pipelines | 41 km gas, 230 km oil (2013) | 981 km extra heavy crude, 5941 km gas, 7588 km oil, 1778 km refined products (2013) |
Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Antilla, Cienfuegos, Guantanamo, Havana, Matanzas, Mariel, Nuevitas Bay, Santiago de Cuba | major seaport(s): La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon oil terminal(s): Jose terminal |
Merchant marine | total: 55 by type: general cargo 12, oil tanker 6, other 37 (2020) | total: 282 by type: bulk carrier 4, container ship 1, general cargo 26, oil tanker 21, other 230 (2020) |
Airports | total: 133 (2017) | total: 444 (2013) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 64 (2017) over 3,047 m: 7 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2017) under 914 m: 27 (2017) | total: 127 (2013) over 3,047 m: 6 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 33 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 62 (2013) under 914 m: 17 (2013) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 69 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 11 (2013) under 914 m: 58 (2013) | total: 317 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 57 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 127 (2013) under 914 m: 130 (2013) |
National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 18 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 560,754 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 17.76 million mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 12 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 75 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,137,771 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.55 million mt-km (2018) |
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | CU | YV |
Military
Cuba | Venezuela | |
---|---|---|
Military branches | Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, FAR): Revolutionary Army (Ejercito Revolucionario, ER), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR, includes Marine Corps), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Forces (Defensas Anti-Aereas y Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria, DAAFAR); Paramilitary forces: Youth Labor Army (Ejercito Juvenil del Trabajo, EJT), Territorial Militia Troops (Milicia de Tropas de Territoriales, MTT), Civil Defense Force; Ministry of Interior: Border Guards, State Security (2020) | Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Bolivariano, EB), Bolivarian Navy (Armada Bolivariana, AB; includes marines, Coast Guard), Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Bolivariana, AMB; includes a joint-service Aerospace Defense Command (Comando de Defensa Aeroespacial Integral, CODAI); Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB); Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Bolivariana, NMB) Bolivarian National Police: Special Action Forces (Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales, FAES) (2020) note(s): the CODAI is a joint service command with personnel drawn from other services; the FAES police paramilitary unit was created by President MADURO after the 2017 anti-government protests to fight crime; it has been accused of multiple human rights abuses |
Military service age and obligation | 17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation for males, optional for females (2017) | 18-30 (25 for women) for voluntary service; the minimum service obligation is 24-30 months; all citizens of military service age (18-50 years old) are obligated to register for military service and subject to military training, although "forcible recruitment" is forbidden (2019) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.9% of GDP (2018) 2.9% of GDP (2017) 3.1% of GDP (2016) 3.1% of GDP (2015) 3.5% of GDP (2014) | 0.4% of GDP (2017) 0.5% of GDP (2016) 0.9% of GDP (2015) 1.1% of GDP (2014) 1.6% of GDP (2013) |
Military - note | the FAR has a large role in the Cuban economy through several military owned and operated conglomerates, including such sectors as banking, hotels, industry, retail, and tourism | between 2013 and 2017, Venezuela established at least a dozen military-led firms in a variety of economic sectors, such as agriculture, banking, construction, insurance, the media, mining, oil, and tourism; as of mid-2019, military officers reportedly led at least 60 state-owned companies |
Military and security service personnel strengths | limited available information; estimated 50,000 active personnel (approximately 40,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force) (2021) | information varies; approximately 125-150,000 active personnel, including about 25-30,000 National Guard (2021) note - at the end of 2018, the Venezuelan Government claimed the Bolivarian Militia had 1.6 million members, but most reportedly have little to no military training |
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Cuban military inventory is comprised of ageing Russian and Soviet-era equipment; the last recorded arms delivery to Cuba was by Russia in 2004 (2020) | the FANB inventory is mainly of Chinese and Russian origin with a smaller mix of equipment from Western countries such as France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US; since 2010, Russia is by far the top supplier of military hardware to Venezuela, followed by China, Spain, and Ukraine (2020) |
Transnational Issues
Cuba | Venezuela | |
---|---|---|
Disputes - international | US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the facility can terminate the lease | claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; US, France, and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby claiming a Venezuelan Economic Exclusion Zone/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's full effect claim |
Illicit drugs | territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999 | small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border |
Trafficking in persons | current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Cuba and Cubans abroad; individuals are forced or coerced into participating and threatened to stay in labor export programs, most notably foreign medical missions; sex trafficking and sex tourism occur within Cuba; traffickers exploit Cubans in sex trafficking and forced labor in South America, the Caribbean, Asia, Africa, the Mediterranean, and the US; foreigners from Africa and Asia are subject to sex trafficking and forced labor in Cuba to pay off travel debts; the government uses high school students in some rural areas to harvest crops without pay, claiming that the work is voluntary tier rating: Tier 3 - Cuba does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government made some efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict sex traffickers and sex tourists and identified and provided assistance to some victims; however, no efforts were made to address forced labor; there was a government policy or pattern to profit from labor export programs with strong indications of forced labor, particularly in foreign medical missions; authorities did not protect potential trafficking victims, leaving them at risk of being detained or charged for crimes their traffickers forced them to commit (2020) | current situation: Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, lured from the nation's interior to urban and tourist areas; women from Colombia, Peru, Haiti, China, and South Africa are also reported to have been sexually exploited in Venezuela; some Venezuelan women are transported to Caribbean islands, particularly Aruba, Curacao, and Trinidad & Tobago, where they are subjected to forced prostitution; some Venezuelan children are forced to beg on the streets or work as domestic servants, while Ecuadorian children, often from indigenous communities, are subjected to forced labor; the government provided support to FARC dissidents and the ELN, which grew through the recruitment of child soldiers and exploitation of children in sex trafficking and forced labor; Illegal armed groups lure children in vulnerable conditions and dire economic circumstances with gifts and promises of basic sustenance to later recruit them into their ranks tier rating: Tier 3 - Venezuela does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government created a specialized prosecutor's office to oversee trafficking investigations and prosecutions; authorities began legal proceedings against three complicit officials in a notable case; however, the government did not assist any victims or investigate, prosecute, or convict any traffickers; little effort was made to curb the forced recruitment of Venezuelan children by Colombian armed groups operating illegally in Venezuela; authorities made little effort to screen Cuban medical professionals for trafficking indicators as the Cuban Government may have forced them to work by withholding their documentation, and coercing them to falsify medical records (2020) |
Environment
Cuba | Venezuela | |
---|---|---|
Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 18.37 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 28.28 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 9.3 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 15.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 164.18 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 68.66 megatons (2020 est.) |
Total water withdrawal | municipal: 1.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 740 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 4.519 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 5.123 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 793.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 16.71 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,692,692 tons (2007 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 255,536 tons (2015 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.5% (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 9,779,093 tons (2010 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook