An island nation of the island of Cuba, and the Isla de la Juventud with many other minor archipelagos. This country is situated at the intersection between the Atlantic Ocean, the northern Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. It borders the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico to the east, Florida and the Bahamas to the south, Hispaniola to the west, and Jamaica and the Cayman Islands to the north. The largest capital is Havana; other major cities are Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey. The main island of Cuba has a land mass of 109,884 km2 and a total of 350,730 km² including the exclusive economic zone. It is the largest island in the territory and the region and the second most populated nation in the Caribbean after Haiti, with more than 11 million residents. It is a part of Latin America and a multiethnic country with people, cultures, and customs of diverse origins. The average minimum wage is about US$17.50, and the median wage is around US$33.
If you are an expat residing here or simply interested in learning about this Latin American nation and its diplomatic relations, here is an article on the diplomatic relations of Cuba and other bilateral relations.
About the country
It has one of the few planned economies, dominated by the tourism sector and the exports of skilled labor, coffee, et cetera. The country is said to be better than other nations in the region in terms of several socioeconomic indicators, like literacy, infant mortality, and life expectancy. Has a one-party authoritarian regime with elections not considered democratic. There exist censorship of information including limits to Internet access in the country and independent journalism is repressed. According to Reporters Without Borders, the nation is one of the worst countries in the world in terms of press freedom.
Bilateral relations of the country
It has formed a foreign policy uncommon for a minor, developing country. The republic played a part in the wars in Africa, Central America, and Asia. It also supported Algeria from 1961 to 1965 and sent thousands of its troops to Angola during the Angolan Civil War. Other nations with Cuban involvement include Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and Yemen. In 2008, the country and the European Union agreed to continue previous relations and cooperation activities. It is a founding member of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas. In 2012, thousands of Cuban medical professionals worked abroad, with as many as 30,000 doctors in Venezuela.
Diplomatic relations with the Republic
The United States brought in the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, also known as the Helms-Burton Act. In 2009, it sought a new beginning with Cuba and reversed the prohibition on travel and remittances by Cuban Americans between the United States and Cuba. An agreement between the two countries led to the restoration of international relations between them. They even agreed to release political prisoners in addition to the US opening an embassy in Havana. In 2015, the nation and the U.S. agreed to reopen closed embassies in their capitals as well as reestablish diplomatic relations. All foreign firms which hire a Cuban must pay the government of Cuba which pays the employee in Cuban pesos. The economy was fueled by the exportation of sugar to the United States, and ranks 5th in the region in per capita income, and third in life expectancy.
International memberships
This country is a founding member of the United Nations, the G77, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States, ALBA, and the Organisation of American States.
