AfghAnistAn rePuBliC of georgiA PAKistAn ArgentinA gerMAny PAnAMA AustrAliA ghAnA Peru AustriA greeCe guAteMAlA the PhiliPPines BAhrAin BAnglAdesh hondurAs BelgiuM iCelAnd BerMudA indiA BoliviA indonesiA BosniA And herzegovinA irAn irAq sAudi ArABiA BrAzil irelAnd sCotlAnd CAnAdA isrAel senegAl Chile itAly south AfriCA ChinA JAMAiCA south KoreA ColoMBiA JAPAn sPAin CostA riCA KAzAKhstAn KenyA sweden CroAtiA CuBA KuwAit deMoCrAtiC rePuBliC of the Congo MexiCo doMiniCAn rePuBliC the netherlAnds egyPt new zeAlAnd englAnd niCArAguA the united stAtes ethioPiA nigeriA uzBeKistAn finlAnd north KoreA venezuelA frAnCe norwAy vietnAM nePAl PolAnd PortugAl Puerto riCo russiA rwAndA syriA tAiwAn thAilAnd turKey uKrAine Cuba Second Edition Richard A Crooker and Zoran Pavlovic´ Series Editor Charles F Gritzner South Dakota State University Frontispiece: Flag of Cuba Cover: Plaza de Armas, Havana, Cuba Cuba, Second Edition Copyright © 2010 by Infobase Publishing All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher For information, contact: Chelsea House An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Crooker, Richard A Cuba / Richard A Crooker and Zoran Pavlovic — 2nd ed p cm — (Modern world nations) Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 978-1-60413-622-7 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4381-3306-5 (e-book) Cuba—Juvenile literature I Pavlovic, Zoran II Title III Series F1758.5.C75 2010 972.91—dc22 2009043750 Chelsea House books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755 You can find Chelsea House on the World Wide Web at http://www.chelseahouse.com Text design by Takeshi Takahashi Cover design by Alicia Post Composition by EJB Publishing Services Cover printed by Bang Printing, Brainerd MN Book printed and bound by Bang Printing, Brainerd MN Date printed: April 2010 Printed in the United States of America 10 This book is printed on acid-free paper All links and Web addresses were checked and verified to be correct at the time of publication Because of the dynamic nature of the Web, some addresses and links may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid Table of Contents Introducing Cuba Physical Landscapes 14 Cuba Through Time 30 People and Culture 50 Government and Politics 66 Cuba’s Economy 77 Living in Cuba Today 94 Cuba Looks Ahead Facts at a Glance History at a Glance Bibliography Further Reading Index 111 115 118 120 122 124 Cuba Second Edition Introducing Cuba C uba is an alligator-shaped island and the largest country in the Caribbean Sea It is located just south of the Tropic of Cancer (23 1/2° north latitude) Florida lies just 90 miles (145 kilometers) to the north and the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico is to the west Cuba is one of the Caribbean region’s Greater Antilles, a chain of islands that, in addition to Cuba, consists of Hispaniola (which includes the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and Jamaica Cuba has a varied landscape, fertile limestone soils, and a semitropical climate, making it an ideal island for agriculture The island offers quaint fishing villages, colonial architecture, and the Caribbean’s largest urban area, Havana It also has coral reefs, emerald lagoons, wave-cut sea cliffs, lush mangrove forests, limestone caves, and sun-drenched beaches that combine to form one of the most inviting islands in the Caribbean region Christopher Columbus Introducing Cuba visited Cuba on his first voyage to the New World in 1492 The island’s physical beauty and potential riches charmed him, and he claimed the island for Spain Cuba’s location is strategically important because it straddles maritime approaches to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea Whoever controls Cuba controls sea-lanes passing between these bodies of water The Spaniards were quick to recognize Cuba as a gateway between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico Control of Cuba, they reasoned, would give them control of the sea-lanes to a colonial empire in the New World Spanish conquistadors (conquerors) used Cuba as a fortress and as a jumping-off point for the conquest of Mexico and for expeditions into North America In modern times, Cuba has been important to the United States because of its gateway location American interest in Cuba’s location contributed to the start of the SpanishAmerican War (1898) Following Cuba’s independence from Spain in 1902 until the end of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the island’s proximity to U.S markets for Cuba’s tropical crops and their products attracted huge agricultural investments from American businesses Moreover, due to Cuba’s proximity to the United States, the island became a vacation resort for wealthy Americans and a haven for Americans seeking such illegal pastimes as gambling and prostitution Since 1959, under Castro’s ironfisted Communist dictatorship, Cuba’s strategic location became a centerpiece of the Cold War The Cold War (1945–1991) was a war of hostile diplomacy, intrigue, and subversion between Communist and nonCommunist countries These countries tried to gain political victories over one another without actually going to war The former Soviet Union was Communist and saw Cuba as a base for military and espionage operations because of its proximity to the United States The Cold War’s focus on Cuba’s strategic location resulted in a series of significant events, including a U.S trade embargo, 114 Cuba bringing about change Careful, gradual, and positive transformation is also in the United States’ interest One-sided demands will fall on deaf ears as they have so many times before Recounting past grievances will not encourage necessary mutual cooperation in the future As for ordinary Cubans, the future holds an interesting experience One of the indicators of the general quality of life is migration patterns For a country to be a popular destination for immigrants, it must offer something special To an average individual that something is a decent economic opportunity Cuba may attract European tourists, but few of them choose to apply for permanent residency The joke that Miami, Florida, is the largest Cuban city holds considerable reality A nation wherein thousands are lined up to leave, yet few seek to arrive, is doing something unproductive for its people Even if the government suddenly changes into a capitalist democracy, one can only wonder what to expect Several generations grew up under one system These people will not change They may welcome new computers, television sets, and even new cars from now-bankrupt American automobile manufacturers But their mind-set about the world was embedded in ideological concrete long ago Cuba’s prosperity lies in the hands of the generations that follow In this process, they will build upon the pillar of Cuban Communism—intellectual benefits of formal education When time for change arrives, the Cubans already will have the strong foundation of an educated populace in place All they need to is to take the proper steps to build wisely upon this base Only time will tell whether this actually is to occur For the sake of future generations of Cubans, let us hope that it does Facts at a Glance NOTE: All data 2009 unless otherwise indicated Physical geography Location Area Boundaries Climate Terrain Elevation Extremes Coastline Land Use Irrigated Land Natural Hazards Natural Resources Environmental Issues Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 93 miles (150 kilometers) south of Key West, Florida 42,803 square miles (110,860 square kilometers) Border countries: U.S Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay, 18 miles (29 kilometers) NOTE: Guantánamo Naval Base is leased by the United States and remains part of Cuba Tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October) Mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast Lowest point: Caribbean Sea, miles (0 meters); highest point: Pico Turquino, 6,576 feet (2,005 meters) 2,320 miles (3,735 kilometers) Arable land, 27.63%; permanent crops, 6.54%; other, 65.83% 3,359 square miles (8,700 square kilometers) Hurricanes from August to October; droughts Nickel, cobalt, iron ore, copper, manganese, silica, petroleum, arable land Air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation Population & Culture Population Population Growth Rate Net Migration Rate Fertility Rate Birth Rate Death Rate Life Expectancy at Birth Median Age HIV/AIDS—Adult Prevalence Rate HIV/AIDS—People Living with HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS—Deaths 11,451,652 0.23 % –1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population 1.61 children born/woman 11.13 births/1,000 population 7.24 deaths/1,000 population Total population: 77.45 years; male, 75.19 years; female, 79.85 years Total: 37.3 years; male, 36.6 years; female, 38 years Less than 0.1% (2007 est.) 6,200 (2007 est.) Fewer than 100 (2007) 115 Ethnic Groups Religions Language Literacy White, 65.1%; mulatto and mestizo, 24.8%; black, 10.1% (2002 census) Nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to Castro assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, and Santería are also represented Spanish (Age 15 and over can read and write) Total population: 99.8%; male, 99.8%; female, 99.8% (2002 census) economy Currency GDP Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) GDP Per Capita Labor Force Unemployment Rate Labor Force by Occupation Agricultural Products Industries Exports Imports Leading Trade Partners Export Commodities Import Commodities Transportation Cuba has two currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP) and the convertible peso (CUC); currently, the official exchange rate is $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1) both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio $108.2 billion (2008 est.) $9,500 (2008 est.) 4.962 million 1.6% (2008 est.) Agriculture, 4.4%; industry, 22.8%; services, 72.8% Sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans, livestock Sugar, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, nickel, steel, cement $3.78 billion (2008 est.) $14.5 billion (2008 est.) Exports: China, 27.9%; Canada, 25.3%; Spain, 5.7%; Netherlands, 5%; Iran, 4.3% (2008); Imports: Venezuela, 31.5%; China, 11.8%; Spain, 10.6%; Canada, 6.7%; U.S., 6.6% (2008) Sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee Petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment, consumer goods Roadways: 37,815 miles (60,858 kilometers), 18,529 miles (29,820 kilometers) is paved, including 396 miles (638 kilometers) of expressway; railways: 5,342 miles 116 Ports and Terminals (8,598 kilometers); airports: 136 (65 are paved runways); waterways: 149 miles (240 kilometers) Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas government Country Name Capital Type of Government Chief of State Independence Administrative Divisions Conventional long form: Republic of Cuba; conventional short form: Cuba Havana Communist state President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers General Raúl Castro Ruz (president since February 24, 2008) May 20, 1902 (from Spain on December 10, 1898; administered by the United States from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban government as a day of independence 14 provinces and special municipality Communications Television Stations Radio Stations Telephones Internet Users 58 (1997) AM 169, FM 55, shortwave (1998) 1.104 million main lines in use; 331,700 cell phones in use 1.31 million 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 e-mail and the government-controlled “Intranet” (2007) *Source: CIA—The World Factbook (2009) 117 History at a Glance 3000 b.c 1492 1511–1515 1868–1878 1895–1898 1898–1902 1901 1902 1903 1933–1958 1953 1956 1959 1960 1960–1983 1961 1962 1965 1980 Approximate date of arrival of the first Indians on the island of Cuba Columbus lands on Cuba and claims it as a possession of Spain Diego de Velázquez leads a ruthless conquest of the Indians and the early settlement of Cuba First War of Independence fought Second War of Independence fought U.S forces occupy Cuba until the Cubans create a republic United States enacts the Platt Amendment Cuban people elect Tomás Estrada Palma as the first president of the Republic of Cuba He serves two fouryear terms Under the terms of the Platt Amendment, a U.S naval station is established at Guantánamo Bay Fulgencio Batista controls Cuba Fidel Castro attacks the Moncada military barracks in Santiago de Cuba Fidel Castro establishes guerrilla operations in the Sierra Maestra of southeastern Cuba Fulgencio Batista relinquishes power and flees the country Fidel Castro becomes prime minister Cuban government nationalizes U.S businesses and properties The United States responds by breaking off diplomatic relations and begins a partial trade embargo on Cuba Cuban government involved in training revolutionary groups and sending Cuban troops to fight “wars of liberation” in Latin America and Africa United States bans all U.S trade with Cuba The Bay of Pigs invasion fails and Fidel Castro declares that he is a true believer of Communism Cuban Missile Crisis occurs Cuba forms the Communist Party and its government officially becomes Communist Castro starts the Mariel boatlift by announcing that 125,000 Cubans can illegally depart for the United States Many Cubans try to cross the Straits of Florida on rickety boats and drown 118 1991 1992 1999–2000 2000 2004 2006 2008 Former Soviet Union breaks up As a result, Cuba’s economy begins to suffer severe shortages of food, fuel, and other products United States enacts the Cuba Democracy Act, which prevents foreign businesses owned by U.S companies from trading with Cuba It also allows Cuban Americans to visit relatives in Cuba once a year U.S fishing boat rescues Elián González from a shipwreck that killed his mother They were fleeing Cuba After a seven-month legal battle, the United States returns the boy to Cuba to live with his father United States modifies its trade sanctions to allow trade with Cuba in agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical supplies, as long as the purchaser is not controlled, owned, or operated by the Cuban government The United States increases curbs on U.S citizens’ travel to Cuba After illness, Fidel relinquishes leadership to his brother Raúl Series of hurricanes devastates parts of Cuba; Raúl Castro elected president 119 Bibliography Aeberhard, Danny, ed Insight Guides: Cuba Maspeth, N.Y.: Langenscheidt Publishers, Inc., 2000 Black, Jan Knippers, et al 2nd ed Area Handbook for Cuba Washington, D.C.: U.S Government Printing Office, 1976 Central Intelligence Agency CIA Factbook Washington, D.C Available online URL: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/cu.html CubaNet Cuba News Available online URL: www.cubanet.org/cubanews html Dana, Jr., Richard Henry To Cuba and Back (Reprint) Carbondale, Ill.: Southern Illinois University Press, 1967 González Echevarría, Roberto The Pride of Havana: A History of Cuban Baseball New York: Oxford University Press, 1999 Government of Cuba Granma Internacional Available online URL: www granma.cu Government of India Embassy of India, Havana (Cuba) Available online URL: www.indembassyhavana.cu Greene, Graham Our Man in Havana New York: The Viking Press, 1958 Hemingway, Ernest The Old Man and the Sea New York: C Scribner’s Sons, 1952 Hostetter, Martha, ed Cuba New York: H W Wilson Company, 2001 Hunt, Howard E Give Us This Day New Rochelle, N.Y.: Arlington House, 1973 Luis, William Culture and Customs of Cuba Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2001 MacGaffey, Wyatt, and Clifford R Barnett Cuba: Its People, Its Society, Its Culture New Haven, Conn.: Human Relations Area Files, Inc., 1962 Marrero, Levi 2nd ed Geografía de Cuba New York: Minerva Books, Ltd., 1970 Michener, James A., and John Kings Six Days in Havana Austin, Tex.: University of Texas Press, 1989 Moses, Catherine Real Life in Castro’s Cuba Wilmington, Del.: Scholarly Resources, Inc., 2000 120 Pérez Jr., Louis A Cuba: Between Reform and Revolution New York: Oxford University Press, 1988 —— On Becoming Cuban: Identity, Nationality, and Culture Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, 1999 —— Winds of Change: Hurricanes and the Transformation of NineteenthCentury Cuba Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, 2001 Stanley, David 2nd ed Cuba Footscray, Victoria, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications, 2000 U.S Department of State “Cuba: 2008 Country Report on Human Rights Practices.” Available online URL: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/ hrrpt/2008/wha/119155.htm Van Gelder, Sarah “Cuba’s Cure: Why Is Cuba Exporting Its Health Care Miracle to the World’s Poor?,” Yes! Available online URL: http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/latin-america-rising/cubas-cure West, Robert C., and John P Aguelli 3rd ed Middle America: Its Lands and Peoples Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1989 121 Further Reading Chomsky, Aviva, ed., et al The Cuba Reader, History, Culture, and Politics Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 2003 Llanes, Llilian Havana Then and Now San Diego, Calif.: Thunder Bay Press, 2004 Moruzzi, Peter Havana Before Castro: When Cuba Was a Tropical Playground Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith, 2008 Staten, Clifford L The History of Cuba New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003 Sweig, Julia E Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know New York: Oxford University Press, 2009 Web sites Cuba.com http://www.cuba.com/ The official site for Cuba Includes Cuba in the News and travel information Global Security.org: Guantánamo Bay http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/guantanamo-bay.htm# Pictures of and information about the U.S Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay, the oldest U.S base overseas and the only one in a Communist country History of Cuba http://www.historyofcuba.com/cuba.htm A detailed journey through more than 500 years of Cuban history Online Newspapers.com: Cuba Newspapers http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/cuba.htm A comprehensive list of newspapers in Cuba, in Spanish and English U.S Department of State: Cuba http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2886.htm A detailed site on Cuba, including travel and business information, history, and references to other sites 122 Picture Credits page 10: 12: 16: 20: 28: 32: 38: 42: 47: 52: 55: © Infobase Publishing © ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/ Getty Images © Infobase Publishing © Fabienne Fossez/Alamy © Martyn Vickery/Alamy © imagebroker/Alamy © Photos 12/Alamy © AFP/Getty Images © Chuck Fadely/Miami Herald/ Getty Images © Gregory Ewald/ U.S Coast Guard/Getty Images © Robert Nickelsberg/Liaison/ Getty Images 60: © Mireille Vautier / Alamy 64: © Aldo Torelli/Getty Images 70: © ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/ Getty Images 75: © ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/ Getty Images 82: © Corbis 87: © Peter M Wilson / Alamy 92: © Jose Fuste Raga/Corbis 96: © Peter Adams/Corbis 102: © STR/AFP/Getty Images 105: © Robert Nickelsberg/Liaison/ Getty Images 113: © CARLOS BARRIA/Reuters/ Corbis 123 MWN zBM Cuba P2.indd 123 3/12/10 11:36:16 AM Index Afro-Cuban religions, 59–60 “Age of Decadence,” 39–41 agriculture conditions promoting, 8, 85 current, 86–88 effects of drought, 24 “Fidelismo” and, 81 importance of, 35 land seizure, 43 sugar, 78, 79, 80, 86–87 use of caverns, 18 air travel, 98–99 animals, 27–29 Arawak Indians, 30–31, 33, 57 area, 14–15 Baracoa massif, 19 barter system, 84 baseball, 63–65 Batista, Fulgencio, 40, 41, 43 Bay of Pigs invasion, 44 beaches, 21–22 bicycles, 100–101 birds, 29 birthrate, 56–57 black population, 51, 53, 55–56 block committees, 73 “boat people,” 45, 46 Bolivar, Simon, 36 boxing, 58, 65 Buena Vista Social Club (movie), 62–63 Bush, George W., 47–48 Camagüey archipelago, 21 capitalism, 68 cars, 100 Castro, Fidel appearance of, 11 Communism and, 43–45 cult of personality, 74, 76 “Fidelismo,” 11, 81–84 health of, 11 military and, 72 revolution led by, 21, 41–43 Castro, Raúl became leader, 11–12 Cuban Revolution and, 41, 42 future of Cuba and, 113–114 power of, 69 Catholicism, 58–59 children education of, 56, 104–107 health of, 103 labor by, 74 Chinese population, 54 Cienfuegos, Camilo, 41, 42 climate, 23–25 coastline, 21–23 coat of arms, 27 coffee, 88 Cold War (1945-1991), 9, 11, 44–45, 74 Columbus, Christopher, 8–9, 31–33 communications media, 107 Communism appeal to Cubans of, 40–41 Castro and, 43–45 Cold War and, 9, 11 “Fidelismo,” 11, 81–84 Communist government bureaucracy, 71 economy, 68–69, 77–78, 81–84, 85 elections, 68 gender equality and, 56 officially established, 45 police state, 70, 72–74 political parties, 68 religion and, 58 rural areas and, 95–97 structure of, 69–71 survival of, 111–114 coral polyps/reefs, 21–22 Cordillera de Guanigaunico, 20–21 Cotilla Caverns, 17 Council of Ministers, 70–71 Council of State, 69, 71 court system, 71, 73 criollos, 51, 53 Cuba Democracy Act (1992), 48 Cuba Libre (Free Cuba), 36 Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), 44–45 Cuban Revolution (1953–1959), 41–43 Cuellar, Mike, 63 cult of personality, 74, 76 daily life, 108–110 dance, 61–62 dollar stores, 81 dress, 103 eastern Cuba Cuban Revolution and, 41, 42 population, 50 Santiago de Cuba, 33, 34, 41, 94 Wars of Independence and, 36–37 economic sanctions 1960-2005, 48–49 imposed, 44 ineffectiveness of, 112 trade with Communist nations and, 78 travel to Cuba, 9, 11, 13, 44, 49, 91–92, 93 economy Communist, 68–69, 71, 77–78 current, 11, 80 data about, 85 124 Index feudalism, 35 “Fidelismo,” 81–84 fishing, 90–91 gross domestic product (GDP), 85 hidden, 109–110 industry, 85, 95 manufacturing, 85 mining, 89–90 private ownership, 68, 77–78, 81–82, 83–84, 101–102 since dissolution of Soviet Union, 45–46 trade, 11, 45, 78–80, 84, 86 See also agriculture; economic sanctions; tourism education, 104–107 of girls, 56 literacy, 11 sports academy, 65 Eisenhower, Dwight D., 44 “Elián affair,” 45 English language, 57–58 Estrada Palma, Tomás, 39 fault-block mountains, 18, 19 feudalism, 35 “Fidelismo,” 11, 81–84 First War of Independence (1868–1878), 36–37 fishing, 90–91 folded mountains, 18–19 food, 102–103 current shortages, 80–82 from lagoons, 22 forests, 26, 27 French cultural influences, 54 fruits, 88 gender roles, 56 geography caverns, 17–18 coastline, 21–23 forests, 26 islands, 8, 14 maps, 10, 16 mountains, 18–21 population locations, 50 sabanas/savannas, 26–27 geology, 15, 17–19, 21, 89–90 Gomez, Máximo, 36–37 González, Elián, 45 governments Batista, 40, 41, 43 colonial, 66–67 Machado, 40 republican, 67–68 See also Communist government Grenada, 45 gross domestic product, 85 Guanahatabey Indians, 30 Guantánamo Bay rain shadow, 24 U.S lease on, 40, 98 Guevara, Ernesto “Che,” 41, 42 gulfs, 23 Havana, 11, 34, 94, 95, 97 health care, 103–104 Helms-Burton Act (1996), 49 Hernández, Iván, 65 Hernández, Orlando “El Duque,” 65 highways, 96, 100 history colonial period, 9, 33–37, 53, 97 Cuban Revolution, 41–43 explorations, 8–9, 31–33 independence from Spain, 37–39 Indians, 30–31 Republic, 39–41 holidays, 108 human rights under Castros, 43, 45, 46, 47, 70, 72–74, 106–107 under Machado and Batista, 40 U.S economic sanctions and, 48, 49 Western Europe and, 49 hurricanes, 24–25 indigenous population, 30–31, 33, 52 industry, 85, 95 Iraq War, 47 Isla de la Juventud (Island of Youth), 14 Isle of Pines, 32 John Paul II (pope), 45, 59 karst topography, 17 Kennedy, John Fitzgerald, 44–45, 48 Khrushchev, Nikita, 44–45 lagoons, 22 language, 57–58 Latin America, 45 limestone plain, 18 location, 8, 9, 15 Luis, William, 61 M (Movement)–26–7 force, 41 Maceo, Antonio, 36–37 Machado, Gerardo, 40 machismo, 56 manufacturing, 85, 95 “Mariel boatlift,” 45 Martí, José, 37 125 Index Marxist-Leninist Socialism See Communism medical care, 103–104 medical tourism, 93 military, 18, 72 minerals, 21, 89–90 mining, 89–90 mountains, 18–21 mulatto population, 51, 52–53 music, 61–63 National Assembly, 69, 71 national symbols, 27, 29 newspapers, 107 oil, 90 Oliva, Pedro (Tony), 63 Organization of American States, 78 organized crime, 39 Oriente Province See eastern Cuba Ortiz, Fernando, 61 Pérez, Tony, 63 Pico Grande, 20 Pico Turquino, 19 plants, 26–27, 57 Platt Amendment, 39, 40, 68 plazas, 97–98 population, 11 composition, 51–54 daily life, 108–110 emigration and, 45, 46, 51 growth, 51, 67 locations, 50, 94, 95 private ownership, 68, 77–78, 81–82, 83–84, 101–102 provinces, 66–67 race/race relations, 51–56 radio, 107 railroads, 99–100 rain shadows, 24 rainfall, 24–25 Reagan, Ronald, 45 Regla Cona, 59–60 religion, 58–60, 108 Republic (1902–1959), 39–41, 111 Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba (FAR), 72 Roosevelt, Theodore, 37–38 rural areas, 50, 95–97 sabanas/savannas, 26–27 San Juan Hill, Battle of, 37–38 Santería, 59 Santiago de Cuba, 33, 34, 41, 94 sea cliffs, 22–23 Second War of Independence (1885–1898), 37 Siboney Indians, 30 Sierra de los Organos, 18, 20–21 Sierra del Escambray, 19 Sierra del Rosarío, 20–21 Sierra Maestra, 19, 41–42 sinkholes, 17 slavery of blacks, 53 Chinese and, 54 religion and, 59–60 Socialism See Communism socioeconomic structure appeal of Communism, 40–41 under Batista, 40 under Castro, 43 under Spanish, 35 Soviet Union Cold War, 9, 11, 44–45 dissolution of, 45 trade with, 45, 78–80, 86 Spain as colony of, 9, 33–37, 53, 97 Columbus and, 8–9, 31–33 empire of, 33–34 independence from, 37–39 Spanish-American War (1898), 37 Spanish language, 57 sports, 58, 63–65, 106 Straits of Florida, 15 sugar, 78, 79, 80, 86–87 tectonic plates, 17, 18–19 television, 107 Teller Amendment, 39 tobacco, 87–88 tourism, 91–93 Cotilla Caverns, 17 English language and, 58 hidden economy and, 109–110 travel to Cuba by Americans, 9, 11, 13, 44, 49, 91–92, 93 trade current, 11, 84 with Soviet Union, 45, 78–80, 86 See also economic sanctions transportation, 96, 98–102 treasure fleets, 34 trees, 27 trogons, 29 tropical storms, 24–25 United Fruit Company, 43 United States “boat people,” 45, 46 CIA plots, 43 126 Index Cold War, 9, 11, 44–45 Cuban independence and, 36, 37–39 current relations with, 11, 49 “Elián affair,” 45 Florida and relations with Cuba, 47–48 Guantánamo Bay naval station, “Gitmo,” 40, 98 invasion of Grenada, 45 Platt Amendment, 39, 40, 68 political refugees, 43 relations broken off by, 44 seizures of land and businesses owned by companies in, 43 travel to Cuba, 9, 11, 13, 44, 49, 91–92, 93 See also economic sanctions urban areas, 50, 94–95, 97 Velázquez, Diego de, 33, 86 Venezuela, 84, 90 weights and measures, 108 white population, 51, 53, 55 women, 56–57 xerophytes, 27 Yoruba religion, 59 Zapata Peninsula, 18, 28, 29 127 About the Contributors RiChARd A CRookeR is a geography professor at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, where he teaches physical geography, oceanography, map reading, and climatology He received a PhD in geography from the University of California, Riverside Dr Crooker is a member of the Association of American Geographers and the National Council for Geographic Education He has received numerous research grants, including three from the National Geographical Society His publications deal with a wide range of geographical topics He enjoys reading, hiking, bicycling, kayaking, and boogie boarding ZoRAn PAvloviC´ is a cultural geographer currently working at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater He is the author, coauthor, or contributor to numerous Chelsea House geography books, including Spain, Poland, and Greece in the Modern World Nations series He was born and raised in southeastern Europe Series editor ChARles F GRitZneR is Distinguished Professor of Geography Emeritus at South Dakota State University He retired after 50 years of college teaching and now looks forward to what he hopes to be many more years of research and writing Gritzner has served as both president and executive director of the National Council for Geographic Education and has received the council’s highest honor, the George J Miller Award for Distinguished Service to Geographic Education, as well as other honors from the NCGE, the Association of American Geographers, and other organizations 128 MWN zBM Cuba P2.indd 128 3/12/10 11:38:00 AM ... Table of Contents Introducing Cuba Physical Landscapes 14 Cuba Through Time 30 People and Culture 50 Government and Politics 66 Cuba s Economy 77 Living in Cuba Today 94 Cuba Looks Ahead Facts at... smaller than Pennsylvania MWN Cuba CN01 P2.indd 10 3/12/10 11:09:00 AM Introducing Cuba an ill-fated U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba, and the Cuban missile crisis Today, Cuba is politically and economically... uKrAine Cuba Second Edition Richard A Crooker and Zoran Pavlovic´ Series Editor Charles F Gritzner South Dakota State University Frontispiece: Flag of Cuba Cover: Plaza de Armas, Havana, Cuba Cuba,