n last held 24 February 1998 (next to be held NA)
election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of
legislative vote-NA; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent
of legislative vote-NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or
Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (601 seats, elected directly from
slates approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 January 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-PCC 601

Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo Popular),
president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the
National Assembly

Political parties and leaders: only party-Cuban Communist Party or PCC
[Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]

International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note-Cuba has an Interests
Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Fernando
REMIREZ DE ESTENOZ; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy,
2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202)
797-8518

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note-the US has an
Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer
Michael G. KOZAK; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and
M Streets, Vedado Seccion, Havana; telephone: 33-3551 through 3559 and
33-3543 through 3547 (operator assistance required); FAX: 33-3700;
protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

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

@Cuba:Economy

Economy-overview: The state plays the primary role in the economy and
controls practically all foreign trade. The government has undertaken
several reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase
labor incentives, and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer
goods, and services. The liberalized agricultural markets introduced
in October 1994, at which state and private farmers sell above-quota
production at unrestricted pric