Short facts about the government of Cuba
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Republic of Cuba
conventional short
form: Cuba
local long form: Republica de
Cuba
local short form:
Cuba |
| Government
type: |
Communist
state |
| Administrative divisions: |
14 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de
Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la
Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus,
Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara |
| Independence: |
20 May 1902 (from
US) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 10 October (1868);
note - 10 October 1868 is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is
the date of independence from US administration |
| Constitution: |
24 February 1976, amended July
1992 |
| Legal
system: |
based on Spanish and American law, with
large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
16 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President of the Council of State and President of the Council of
Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February
1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice
President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of
government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council
of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24
February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First
Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council
of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State,
appointed by the National Assembly; note - there is also a Council of State
whose members are elected by the National Assembly
elections:
president and vice president elected by the National Assembly; election last
held 24 February 1998 (next election unscheduled)
election
results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz elected president; percent of legislative vote -
100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote -
100% |
| 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 in 2003)
election results: percent of vote - PCC 94.39%;
seats - PCC 601 |
| Judicial
branch: |
People's Supreme Court or 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] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International organization participation: |
CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from
formal participation since 1962), OPCW, 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 Vicki HUDDLESTON;
address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado Seccion,
Havana; telephone: 33-3551 through 3559 (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 | Source: World Factbook |
