o November (in
general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year);
droughts are common

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Environment - 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater
Antilles

People Cuba

Population:
11,346,670 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.6% (male 1,139,644/female 1,079,412)
15-64 years: 70.1% (male 3,977,110/female 3,975,818)
65 years and over: 10.4% (male 540,720/female 633,966) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.36 years
male: 34.73 years
female: 35.98 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.33% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
12.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.23 years
male: 74.94 years
female: 79.65 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Cuban(s)
adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups:
mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Religions:
nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
represented

Languages:
Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97.2%
female: 96.9% (2003 est.)

People - note:
illicit migration is a continuing problem; C