Post Report Table of Contents
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v5M2 7 ; C S'? United States Department of State July 1983 V 'v.v.-;- * Cuba Post Report Table of Contents 1 The Host Country 1 Area, Geography, and Climate 1 Population 1 Public Institutions 1 Arts, Science, and Education 2 Commerce and Industry 3 Transportation 3 Communications 4 Health and Medicine 4 Employment for Spouses and Dependents 7 US Interests Section 7 Havana 7 The Post and Its Administration 7 Housing 8 Food 8 Clothing Preface 9 Supplies and Services 9 Religious Activities The US Interests Section (USINT) was 9 Education established on September 1, 1977, under 9 Recreation and Social Life a bilateral agreement with the Govern¬ 10 Official Functions ment of Cuba. The Interests Section operates under 11 Notes For Travelers the aegis of the Embassy of Switzerland, whose 11 Getting to the Post government has served as the pro¬ 11 Customs, Duties, and Passage tecting power of US interests in Cuba 11 Firearms and Ammunition since the US Embassy in Havana closed 11 Currency, Banking, and Weights on January 3, 1961. and Measures Personnel assigned to post find 12 Taxes, Exchange, and Sale of Havana a truly challenging experience. Property The work of the Interests Section, par¬ 12 Recommended Reading ticularly in an environment of evolving 12 Local Holidays political relationships between the US and Cuba, is an interesting, complex, and often difficult task that is far from Cover: Cathedral at Plaza de la Catedral in old complete. Havana. This is the official post report prepared by DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLICATION 9356 the post. The information contained herein Department and Foreign Service Series 363 is directed to official US Government Foreign Affairs Information Management Center Publishing Services Division employees and their families. Any other in¬ formation concerning the facts as set forth Revised July 1983 herein is to be regarded as unofficial information. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 S I. i 7.1 ' C S°1 | CÍ-) United States Department of State November 1985 Change to Cuba Post Report ofJuly 1983 On page 3, column 1, under Transportation, Automobiles, change sentence 3 to read as follows: Vehicles older than 4 years may not be imported. The Host Country Area, Geography, than in the eastern US but less than in courts shall be “a system of state organs most other and Climate places in the same latitudes. independent of all others.” All courts, in¬ About 75% occurs during the summer cluding the People’s Supreme Court, are wet season when short but heavy subordinated to the National Assembly of Cuba, about the size of Pennsylvania, is downpours are frequent. Peoole’s Power (and thus to the Council the largest island in the West Indies and of State). lies on the northern boundary of the Administratively, Cuba is divided Caribbean Sea, about 90 miles (145 km.) Population into 14 Provinces plus the city of Havana, south of Key West, Florida. Including the and 321 municipalities. Isle of Youth, formerly the Isle of Pines, Cuba’s population is about 10 million, and some 1,600 adjacent keys and islets, with an annual growth rate of 1.1% and Cuba accounts for more than one-half of density of 215 persons per square mile. Arts, Science, the total West Indian land area. Cuba’s population is composed largely of The island extends 745 miles and Education (1,200 people of Spanish and African origin; km.) from west to east; its width ranges Spanish is the national language. from 22 to 125 miles (35-200 km.). The Cuban Government has established About 60% of the population is ur¬ Cuba’s coastline, indented and finances many organizations which, by hundreds ban. Havana, the capital, is the principal of bays and inlets, is about 2,500 miles under the direction of the Ministry of port and city of Cuba, and has a popula¬ (4,020 km.) Culture, encourage artistic and intellec¬ long and includes the largest tion of nearly 2 million. Other major tual expression at both professional and keys. The harbors of Havana, Guan¬ cities include Santiago de Cuba, amateur levels. The tanamo, and Bahia Honda (on the nor¬ Ministry currently is Camaguey, Santa Clara, Holguin, Matan¬ the central thern coast, west of Havana) are among authority for all museums and zas, Cienfuegos, and Pinar del Rio. the best in the world. Most of the nor¬ galleries, ballet and theater companies, Before 1959, Roman Catholicism was the thern coast is musical groups, publishing steep and rocky, and the nominal religion of about 85% of the southern coast, except for the moun¬ houses—formerly known as the Cuban population. Current figures are not tainous eastern end, is low and Institute of Books—and the motion pic¬ marshy. available, but church attendance is low. The rivers, ture industry. The Ministry is also generally short, narrow, and Freedom of religion is formally protected shallow, are responsible for domestic “culturization” navigable only for short by the Cuban Constitution. distances, if at all. (scheduling extensive live performances Topographically, about three-fifths and exhibits in rural areas), controls in¬ ternational cultural of Cuba is flat or gently rolling with exchanges, and is the Public Institutions arbiter of all many wide and fertile valleys and plains. professionals working in the The rest is mountainous or performing and visual arts. hilly. Three Under its new Constitution, which was In recent main groups of mountains are located in years, Cuba’s most notable adopted in December 1976, Cuba is cultural the eastern, central, and western section exports have been organized along much the same line as of the island. The most rugged is the films—generally documentaries with a the Soviet Union, with a party- Sierra Maestra range in the eastern sec¬ strong ideological message, produced and govemment-state structure. The Com¬ distributed tion, where peaks rise to almost 6,000 by the Cuban Institute of munist Party, described in the Constitu¬ feet (1,829 m.) above sea level. Cinematographic Art and Industry tion as “the highest force of the society (ICAIC)—sports, and ballet. Although Cuba lies entirely in the and state,” is headed by a Politburo. The The Cuban national tropical zone, it is also in the trade wind ballet, founded Communist Party is Cuba’s only legal belt, making its climate semitropical. The and directed by world-famous ballerina political party. Alicia average annual temperature is about 75 °F Alonso, is ranked internationally Executive power is vested in the (23 °C), as a major ballet company. The com¬ dropping in winter to about 70 °F Council of Ministers, which heads the (21 °C), and rising in summer to about panies of modem dance which consist government. Legislative power, to the 81 °F (27 °C). Cuba has only two seasons: primarily of Afro-Cuban folk dance are extent any exists, rests with the National less known. dry, lasting from November to April, and Musical, guitar, and theater Assembly of People’s Power (roughly the festivals attract notable artists. Be wet, from May through October. The equivalent of the USSR’s Supreme country’s yearly rainfall averages prepared to witness political/ideological Soviet), which designates the Council of 54 inches denunciations directed at “yankee (137 cm.)—10%-25% more State. The Constitution specifies that the imperialism.” Education, which is free, is a major interest of the revolutionary government. Illiteracy is nearly wiped out; remaining adult illiteracy is the focus of a massive 1 campaign, with many adult workers Learning” are major university-level in¬ some canning are the primary industries. “fighting the battle of the ninth grade” in stitutions for specialized education, such The government has placed emphasis on night classes. as engineering, medicine, agronomy, fine increasing production of seafood (mainly The secondary school system em¬ arts, and various technical fields. for export), poultry, and pork. Produc¬ phasis is on technical training, with for¬ tion of rice and beans, two big staples in mal studies alternating with periods of ac¬ the Cuban diet, has not kept pace with the tual labor on the land or on assembly Commerce and Industry population growth. Tomato production lines. The most successful example of has tripled in 7 years. Citrus fruit and this work/study secondary education is a Since the early 1960s, the Cuban pineapple production has improved. system of boarding schools located in economy has been a centrally planned, Plantain and banana production, also big rural areas throughout the country. En¬ nonmarket system in which nearly all in the Cuban diet, almost tripled from trance is subject to strict political economic activity is planned by a central 1970 to 1977. background requirements, e.g., students planning board and executed by large Light industry is important to Cuba. have to have completed primary school state trusts or enterprises. The system is Cigar production has increased substan¬ and are required to be members of the characterized by extensive food and other tially and now constitutes the largest “pioneers”; parents are checked for rationing, long lines for buying items in percentage of Cuba’s tobacco exports. political background and revolutionary short supply, and very high prices for Cement production has more than fervor, predisposition, or potential. luxury items such as TV’s, stereos, and doubled. Electric power production has Universities are located in the cities refrigerators. also doubled since the revolution, but has of Havana, Villa Clara, Camaguey, and Sugar accounts for 20%-25% of not kept up with demand. (Power outages Santiago de Cuba, and each supports an Cuba’s GNP, nonsugar manufacturing occur regularly in Havana and other ma¬ affiliated institution of university level for about 15%.