Countries, Compared

Cuba

Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean, officially the Republic of Cuba.

Countries, Compared: country research and comparison

Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean, officially the Republic of Cuba. This profile separates fixed statistical classifications from changeable data and points to authoritative sources for the latest figures.

Fixed classification codes

Cuba’s statistical identity is set by international standards. These codes come from the United Nations Statistics Division’s M49 standard and the World Bank country API. M49 classification is for statistical convenience only and does not imply any political or territorial judgment.

  • UN M49 code: 192
  • ISO alpha-2: CU
  • ISO alpha-3: CUB
  • UN region: Americas
  • UN subregion: Latin America and the Caribbean
  • UN membership: Member state (founding member, 1945)
  • World Bank capital field: Havana

The M49 overview is available at the UN Statistics Division site. The World Bank API returns the official nation code, region, income level, and capital city fields. The UN M49 overview does not assign a capital. Capitals are a national designation.

How to verify changeable figures

Population, currency, government structure, and economic data shift over time. Rather than freezing numbers that will age, this page shows where to get the latest official figures and how to cite them correctly. Every number carries a source and a reference year. For the most recent data, use the named primary sources directly and note the reference year each time you quote a statistic. Never mix datasets from different years without stating each year.

Population and development

The United Nations Population Division publishes revised population estimates and projections every two years. The latest revision states its reference year. The UN also publishes life expectancy and the Human Development Index. Reference year varies by dataset. Always check the data vintage before citing.

Economy and income

The World Bank country API returns the official nation code, region, capital, and income level. For a single nation, query the API directly. Population and GDP series are in the World Bank data portal with the year stated on each indicator page. For GDP, inflation, and trade figures, use the World Bank’s country indicators with the specific indicator ID and reference year.

Health

The World Health Organization maintains nation health profiles, including life expectancy and mortality indicators. Check the WHO site for the most recent report and its publication year.

Education and culture

UNESCO compiles education, literacy, and culture statistics. Its data portal provides reference years for each series. The CIA World Factbook gives a clearly dated profile of government and legal systems, but it is a secondary compilation. Verify legal changes through official Cuban gazettes or the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Travel and entry rules

No third-party summary can substitute for your own government’s travel advisory. The IATA Travel Centre is another primary checkpoint. Do not rely on third-party blogs for visa or safety decisions.

Core facts for Cuba

Verify each figure against the named source before citing. When a figure is missing, use the primary source’s most recent report and name that report and year.

  • Official name: Republic of Cuba
  • Capital: Havana
  • Area: 109,884 km²
  • Official language: Spanish
  • Currency: Cuban peso (CUP). A convertible peso (CUC) previously circulated but was phased out in 2021. Verify current status with a current source.
  • Government: Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party republic
  • Legislature: National Assembly of People’s Power
  • Head of state and government: First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President. Verify the current officeholder through official Cuban government portals.
  • Gini index: No recent World Bank estimate
  • HDI rank (2022): 85th (high human development)
  • Internet TLD: .cu
  • Time zone: UTC-5, summer UTC-4
  • Calling code: +53

Demographic and economic data sources

Demographic and economic figures change constantly. Do not present a frozen population, currency, or government structure as definitive. For Cuba, the most relevant sources are the UN Data portal and UN World Population Prospects for population estimates, the World Bank country API for economic indicators and income classification, the IANA Root Zone Database for the .cu domain and nation code, the WHO for health statistics, and UNESCO for education and culture statistics. The national statistical office is the Oficina Nacional de Estadística e Información, which provides Cuban census and official statistics.

Reference year rule

The reference year for all data points is the year named next to each figure. When a figure is missing, use the primary source’s most recent report and name that report and year. Never mix datasets from different years without stating each year.

Data sources

  • UN M49: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/
  • World Bank API: https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/CU?format=json
  • IANA: https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/cu.html