Part 189

Branches: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Frontier Guard, Home Guard

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 1,314,718 males fit for military service: 1,046,490 males reach military age (19) annually: 34,914 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: 337 billion to 393 billion dinars, NA% of GDP (1993 est.); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

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@Cuba ----

Map ---

Location: 21 30 N, 80 00 W -- Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Florida

Flag ----

Description: five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white five-pointed star in the center

Geography ---------

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Florida

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 110,860 sq km land area: 110,860 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 29 km border country: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba

Coastline: 3,735 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 23% permanent crops: 6% meadows and pastures: 23% forest and woodland: 17% other: 31%

Irrigated land: 8,960 sq km (1989)

Environment: current issues: pollution of Havana Bay; overhunting threatens wildlife populations; deforestation natural hazards: the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic note: largest country in Caribbean

People ------

Population: 10,951,334 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 1,256,674; female 1,191,652) 15-64 years: 68% (male 3,753,343; female 3,736,043) 65 years and over: 10% (male 478,630; female 534,992) (July 1996 est.)