constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
Communist state
Independence date
20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence
Religions
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented
Languages
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Spanish
Exports
sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee
External Debt
$22,160,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Cuban pesos (CUP) per US dollar - 0.9259 (2008 est.), 0.9259 (2007), 0.9231 (2006) note: Cuba has two currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP) and the convertible peso (CUC); in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $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.
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.200%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
24
Location
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
Area
26 km sq
110,860 km sq
Coastline
24 km
3,735 km
Climate
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
