With near-universal literacy and a life expectancy rivaling wealthy nations, Cuba presents a fascinating paradox of remarkable social development against a backdrop of economic struggle.
Key Takeaways
- Cuba's total population as of 2023 is 11,089,511 people
- Cuba's population growth rate in 2023 is -0.22%
- Median age in Cuba is 42.6 years (2023 est.)
- Cuba's GDP (PPP) in 2022 was $142.7 billion
- Cuba's GDP (official exchange rate) in 2022 was $100 billion (noted as unreliable)
- Real GDP growth rate: 1.8% (2022 est.)
- Cuba's total life expectancy at birth is 79.9 years (2023 est.)
- Cuba's infant mortality rate is 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
- Cuba's maternal mortality ratio is 39 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
- School life expectancy gender parity index: 1.00 (2020)
- Adult literacy rate age 15+: 99.7% (2020)
- Youth literacy rate age 15-24: 99.9% (2020)
- Cuba's total area is 109,884 sq km
- Cuba's land area is 109,820 sq km
- Cuba's water area is 64 sq km
Cuba is an aging nation facing a declining population despite strong social indicators.
Demographics
1Cuba's total population as of 2023 is 11,089,511 people
Verified2Cuba's population growth rate in 2023 is -0.22%
Verified3Median age in Cuba is 42.6 years (2023 est.)
Verified4Cuba's urban population percentage is 77.3% (2023)
Directional5Life expectancy at birth for males in Cuba is 77.6 years (2023 est.)
Single source6Life expectancy at birth for females in Cuba is 82.3 years (2023 est.)
Verified7Total fertility rate in Cuba is 1.43 children per woman (2023 est.)
Verified8Infant mortality rate in Cuba is 6.7 deaths per 1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Verified9Net migration rate in Cuba is -3.6 migrant(s) per 1,000 population (2023 est.)
Directional10Ethnic groups in Cuba: White 64.1%, Mulatto or mixed 26.6%, Black 9.3% (2012 est.)
Single source11Languages spoken: Spanish (official) 99.8%
Verified12Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 60.4%, Protestant 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other 2.4%, none 30.7% (2020 est.)
Verified13Age structure 0-14 years: 15.1% (male 844,930/female 798,173)
Verified14Age structure 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,814,402/female 3,735,136)
Directional15Age structure 65+ years: 15.6% (male 708,304/female 1,188,566)
Single source16Dependency ratios total: 44.5 youth dependency ratio: 21.2 elderly dependency ratio: 23.3
Verified17Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Verified18Sex ratio 15-24 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
Verified19Sex ratio 25-54 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
Directional20Sex ratio 55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female
Single source21Sex ratio 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
Verified22Maternal mortality ratio: 39 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Verified23Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate: -0.22% vs 0.1% (2020-25 est.)
Verified24Population pyramid gender and age distribution: pyramid-shaped with wider base narrowing to top
Directional25Drinking water source: improved: urban: 98.4% of population, rural: 96.2%
Single source26Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 95.2% of population, rural: 89.7%
Verified27Major urban areas population: Havana 2.137 million
Verified28Havana metropolitan area population: 2.285 million (2023)
Verified29Unemployment youth ages 15-24: total: 5.3% male: 5.3% female: 5.4% (2021 est.)
Directional30Cuba's population density is 102 people per sq km (2023)
Single source31Literacy rate age 15+ : 99.8% overall
VerifiedDemographics Interpretation
Cuba presents a paradox of impressive human development metrics, like near-universal literacy and decent urban sanitation, being steadily drained by a declining, aging population whose youth are quietly leaving, creating a slow-motion demographic sigh.
Economy
1Cuba's GDP (PPP) in 2022 was $142.7 billion
Verified2Cuba's GDP (official exchange rate) in 2022 was $100 billion (noted as unreliable)
Verified3Real GDP growth rate: 1.8% (2022 est.)
Verified4GDP per capita (PPP): $12,300 (2022 est.)
Directional5GDP per capita (official exchange rate): $9,500 (noted as unreliable)
Single source6GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% (2022 est.), industry: 32.1%, services: 64% (2022 est.)
Verified7GDP composition by end use: household consumption: 55.9% government consumption: 27.6% investment in fixed capital: 10.1% investment in inventories: 1.6% exports: 11.2% imports: -6.4% (2022 est.)
Verified8Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2022 est.)
Verified9Labor force: 5.193 million (2022 est.)
Directional10Labor force by occupation: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 22.5% services: 73.7% (2021 est.)
Single source11Unemployment rate: 1.3% (2022 est.) note: state sector 99% employed; idle farms, factories, and retail stores allowed to operate with up to 20% unemployment
Verified12Public debt: 129.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Verified13Taxes and other revenues: 41.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Verified14Budget expenditures: 47.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Directional15Current account balance: -$1.311 billion (2022 est.)
Single source16Exports: $1.63 billion (2022 est.) note: figures are in old pesos
Verified17Exports partners: China 37%, Spain 14%, Canada 5%, Netherlands 5% (2022)
Verified18Imports: $11.02 billion (2022 est.) note: figures are in old pesos
Verified19Imports partners: Spain 19%, China 15%, Mexico 9%, Canada 5% (2022)
Directional20Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.709 billion (31 December 2022 est.)
Single source21Debt external: $19.25 billion (2022 est.)
Verified22Exchange rates: 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) per US$1 (2022)
Verified23Agriculture products: sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; beef, pork, milk, chicken, eggs
Verified24Industries: petroleum, nickel, iron ore, cobalt, copper, salt, sugar, tobacco, rice, coffee, milk, flowers, tropical fruits
Directional25Inflation rate consumer prices: 39.1% (2022 est.)
Single source26Oil production: 38,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Verified27Oil consumption: 115,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Verified28Natural gas production: 314.5 million cu m (2021 est.)
Verified29Cuba's Gini index for income inequality is 38.0 (2021 est.)
Directional30Cuba's poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines is 26% (2020 est.)
Single sourceEconomy Interpretation
Cuba's economy appears to be running on fumes, navigating a high-wire act of near-total state employment and staggering public debt, all while its citizens spend over half their incomes just getting by and the government frantically props things up, resulting in an impressive statistical feat where almost everyone has a job, yet a quarter of them still live in poverty.
Education
1School life expectancy gender parity index: 1.00 (2020)
Verified2Adult literacy rate age 15+: 99.7% (2020)
Verified3Youth literacy rate age 15-24: 99.9% (2020)
Verified4Gross enrollment ratio primary: 101.4% (2021)
Directional5Gross enrollment ratio secondary: 101.1% (2021)
Single source6Gross enrollment ratio tertiary: 41.5% (2021)
Verified7Government expenditure on education total: 12.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Verified8Government expenditure on education primary: 10.5% of total govt expenditure (2020 est.)
Verified9Government expenditure on education secondary: 8.7% of total govt expenditure (2020 est.)
Directional10Government expenditure on education tertiary: 5.4% of total govt expenditure (2020 est.)
Single source11Children out of school primary age: 1.5% (2021)
Verified12Children out of school lower secondary age: 1.2% (2021)
Verified13School life expectancy gender total: 17 years (2020)
Verified14School life expectancy gender male: 17 years (2020)
Directional15School life expectancy gender female: 17 years (2020)
Single source16Literacy rate youth female age 15-24: 99.9% (2020)
Verified17Literacy rate youth male age 15-24: 99.9% (2020)
Verified18Pupil-teacher ratio primary: 9.83 (2021)
Verified19Pupil-teacher ratio secondary: 9.84 (2021)
Directional20Trainee teacher % in primary: 0.1% (2021)
Single source21Official entrance age years primary: 6 (2021)
Verified22Official entrance age years secondary: 12 (2021)
Verified23Official entrance age years tertiary: 18 (2021)
Verified24Students in primary education % female: 48.5% (2021)
Directional25Students in secondary education % female: 49.2% (2021)
Single source26Students in tertiary education % female: 55.3% (2021)
Verified27Teachers in primary education % female: 77.3% (2021)
Verified28Teachers in secondary education % female: 63.4% (2021)
VerifiedEducation Interpretation
Cuba clearly runs a tight academic ship with near-universal literacy and enviable gender parity, though it seems they brilliantly get everyone on board for the first two decks before a significant number decide to disembark before the tertiary education cruise.
Health
1Cuba's total life expectancy at birth is 79.9 years (2023 est.)
Verified2Cuba's infant mortality rate is 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Verified3Cuba's maternal mortality ratio is 39 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Verified4Obesity adult prevalence rate: 26.3% (2016)
Directional5Children under age 5 underweight: 3% (2019)
Single source6Hospital bed density: 5.3 beds/1,000 population (2020)
Verified7Physicians density: 8.4 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Verified8Nurses density: 7.5 nurses/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Verified9Total fertility rate: 1.43 children born/woman (2023 est.)
Directional10Contraceptive prevalence rate: 73.1% (2019)
Single source11Drinking water source: unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population, rural: 3.8%
Verified12Improved sanitation facilities: unimproved: urban: 4.8% of population, rural: 10.3%
Verified13HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: <0.1% (2022 est.)
Verified14HIV/AIDS people living with HIV/AIDS: 31,000 (2022 est.)
Directional15HIV/AIDS deaths: <500 (2022 est.)
Single source16Major infectious diseases: food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A (2023)
Verified17Tobacco use: total: 20.9% of adults (2020 est.) male: 36.3% female: 5.5%
Verified18Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 6.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.86 L wine: 0.14 L spirits: 3.48 L other alcohols: 0 L
Verified19Cuba has 1 doctor per 133 inhabitants (2021)
Directional20Immunization measles: 99.8% (2021 est.)
Single source21Immunization HepB3: 99.8% (2021 est.)
Verified22Diabetes prevalence: 10.1% (2014)
Verified23Suicide mortality rate: 11.4 per 100,000 population (2021)
Verified24Tuberculosis death rate: 0.4 per 100,000 population (2020)
Directional25Malaria incidence: 0 cases per 1,000 population (2020 est.)
Single source26Cancer incidence per 100,000: 174.4 (2020 est.)
Verified27Cardiovascular disease death rate: 243.3 per 100,000 (2019)
VerifiedHealth Interpretation
Cuba's healthcare system masterfully shepherds its people through the perils of childhood and infectious disease, only to watch them, as adults, face a slower siege from the rich man's ailments of obesity, diabetes, and heart trouble.
Infrastructure and Environment
1Cuba's total area is 109,884 sq km
Verified2Cuba's land area is 109,820 sq km
Verified3Cuba's water area is 64 sq km
Verified4Comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Directional5Land boundaries: total 28.5 km with US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay
Single source6Coastline: 3,735 km
Verified7Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Verified8Climate: tropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Verified9Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
Directional10Elevation: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 1,974 m
Single source11Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
Verified12Land use: agricultural land: 30.9% (2018 est.) arable land: 25.9% permanent crops: 4.9% permanent pasture: 0.1%
Verified13Irrigated land: 6,155 sq km (2018 est.)
Verified14Population distribution: large population clusters around Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, Camaguey, Santa Clara
Directional15Natural hazards: Caribbean hurricanes (June to November)
Single source16Environment current issues: water pollution; air and water pollution in Havana; deforestation; land erosion
Verified17Environment international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed but not ratified: Antarctic Treaty as amended in 1980
Verified18Air pollution PM2.5: 18.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Verified19Electricity access: population without electricity: 10,000 (2020)
Directional20Electricity consumption: 14.545 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Single source21Electricity installed generating capacity: 7.425 million kW (2020 est.)
Verified22Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 97.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) wind: 0.3% solar: 1.6% hydropower: 0.8% (2020 est.)
Verified23Coal: imports negligible (2020 est.) consumption: 0 (2020 est.)
Verified24Petroleum: production: 38,200 bbl/day (2021 est.) consumption: 115,000 bbl/day (2021 est.) exports: 0 bbl/day (2019 est.) imports: 78,400 bbl/day (2019 est.) proven reserves: 124 million bbl (2021 est.)
Directional25Refined petroleum products: production: 25,900 bbl/day (2017 est.) consumption: 90,000 bbl/day (2019 est.) exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) imports: 73,580 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Single source26Carbon dioxide emissions: 25.3 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from consumption of energy
Verified27Infrastructure roadways total: 60,000 km paved: 38,000 km unpaved: 22,000 km (2020)
Verified28Waterways: 240 km (principal rivers are Rio Norte and Rio Cauto; Cuban canals and internal waterways are largely used for irrigation) (2022)
Verified29Merchant marine: total: 45 by type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 1, general cargo 11, oil tanker 3, other 22 (2023)
DirectionalInfrastructure and Environment Interpretation
Despite its endless coastline and natural wealth, Cuba remains an island of ironic shortages—like a vintage car owner who has 3,735 kilometers of scenic drive but can’t find the gas to enjoy it.