The Republic of Cuba is a large island nation located in the Caribbean Sea. The territorial composition of the country includes many small archipelagos, such as the Antilles and Huventud. It has no common land borders with any state. Located in close proximity to North America. The capital is the city of Havana. Member of the UN since 1945.
Population history
In ancient times, Indians lived on the territory of modern Cuba. In the autumn of 1492, their peace was disturbed by an expedition led by Columbus himself. For a long time, there was a fierce war for land between Europeans and indigenous tribes. And only in 1511 Diego Velasquez managed to subjugate the local population of Cuba. Soon, Fort Baracoa was erected on the islands. Gradually, the number of European settlements increased. Nevertheless, the Indians secretly did not want to cede their lands to strangers and attacked new colonies over and over again. By the end of the 1520s, the number of local victims exceeded one million. What was the population of Cuba at that time? Based on historical records, it was about 1.8 million people.
At the beginning of the 19th century on the territoryisland colony appeared a radical group of patriots. She pursued the goal of separation from Spain. The struggle for independence began in 1868 and lasted exactly 30 years. With varying success, the reins of government temporarily passed from hand to hand. A peace treaty was signed several times, but it acted only on paper. In 1898, the US Army helped Cuba gain independence status. From that moment on, a fierce struggle for power began in the country. Every few years, the island nation shuddered from new military and revolutionary upheavals. From 1953 to 2006 The head of Cuba was the great dictator Fidel Castro. He was remembered not only for his successful reforms, but also for his confrontation with the CIA. At the moment, the country is led by Fidel's younger brother Raul Castro.
Geographic features
Cuba is located near the border of North and South America. The republic includes the largest island in the West Indies. We are talking about Huventud, which is adjacent to another one and a half thousand coral reefs. The coastal border of Cuba is convenient for large and small ships. Dozens of large bays and ports are located here. The adjacent water area is characterized by bays and coral formations.
The area of the republic is about 111 thousand square meters. km. From a bird's eye view, the island resembles a huge lizard, whose head is turned to the North Pole. From the south, the country is washed by the Caribbean Sea, from the west and north by the Gulf of Mexico, from the east by the Atlantic Ocean. The island's closest point to the US border is atdistance of 180 km from the mainland. The Florida Strait separates the states. The islands of Haiti and Jamaica are closest to Cuba. The mountain system occupies a third of the country's territory. The highest point is Turquino Peak - 1972 m.
What attracts Cuba
The climate in the country is tropical, so the average annual temperature rarely exceeds +25 degrees. January is considered the coldest month of the year. The air temperature then is +22 C. In summer, the figures are slightly higher - up to +30 C. The water temperature is always stable +26 degrees. Like on all other islands, rains are a common thing in Cuba. The annual precipitation here is up to 1400 mm. Nevertheless, the always stable moderately hot weather attracts tens of thousands of tourists every month. In addition, the island is constantly blown by a pleasant wind, bringing with it fresh sea air.
The animal world is rich in aquatic representatives: mollusks, shrimps, lobsters, outlandish fish.
Provincial population
According to the state system, Cuba is a unitary country. The whole republic is divided into administrative municipalities. This was done for political reasons. Today, the country consists of 16 provinces. The city of Havana is considered the most populous. Its population is about 2.3 million. A little less Cuban population is represented in the provinces of Holguin and Santiago - one million people each. Next in number are cities and islands such as Granma, Camaguey, Pinar,Villa Clara and the region of Havana. The smallest people live in the province of Youventud - just over 87 thousand people.
It is noteworthy that the smallest in area is the city of Havana - 725 square meters. km. At the same time, the population density is 3 times higher than all other provinces combined. Each municipality has its own executive and representative authorities.
Population of the republic
Most of the inhabitants of the islands are Cuban people. The population is represented by the descendants of the Siboney, Arawak, Haitian, Guanahanabey, Taino and other tribes. However, today there are few true indigenous people left. Most of them were exterminated during the wars with the Spanish colonialists. The current population of Cuba is a mixture of dozens of peoples from Indians to Europeans. In addition, hundreds of thousands of African slaves were brought here by the Spaniards in the 17th and 18th centuries. That is why there are so many black people on the islands. For all of them, Cuba has long been home. In the 19th century, about 125 thousand Chinese were imported to the islands. In the 20th century, the population of Cuba was diluted by the Americans.
Thousands of Jews found refuge here during World War II. In 1953, over 84% of the inhabitants of the islands turned out to be Caucasian. By 2012, the population of Cuba was about 11.16 million.
Number for 2015
In terms of demographic indicators over the past 10 years in the Caribbean, the leading place is occupied byRepublic of Cuba. The population of Cuba in the fall of 2014 was about 11.23 million people. At the same time, experts noted a decrease in the birth rate and the influx of migrants to 0.1%. In addition, the able-bodied population, including young people, is constantly leaving the country. The main place of emigration is still the United States. As of 2015, the population of Cuba is 11.22 million people. According to experts, negative demographic dynamics is expected. Already at the moment, the population has decreased by almost 12 thousand people. This is indicative, because the birth rate this year significantly exceeded the death rate (by 18%). Consequently, the outflow of emigrants is again behind the negative trend. According to statistics, 32 residents leave the country per day. At the same time, the birth rate is kept at the level of 300 children a day.
Population aging
British experts considered that Cuba is the only Latin American state in which in recent years there has been a decrease in population. The demographic crisis in the country has been observed for several years. It is noted that the population of Cuba and the number of its inhabitants is directly affected by aging. The fact is that the birth rate is falling every year, therefore, the average living age of the region is increasing.
On the other hand, the country has a very good level of he althcare. It is not for nothing that mortality with each reporting period loses its usual pace. Today, 18% of people over 60 live in Cuba. Thanks to the mild maritime climatepensioners practically do not suffer from heart attacks and cancer.
Traditions of the locals
The people of Cuba are very cheerful and creative people. Favorite pastime is music and dancing. In addition to public holidays, Valentine's Day and Parents' Day are honored here.
Almost all Cubans save up all year round in order to have plenty of rest at the carnival in a chic costume. Nightlife is represented by mass discotheques to the rhythms of salsa. A favorite thing for older people is to sit on a rocking chair with a glass of rum and a Cuban cigar.
