Cubana Espreso

Intro: The
native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in !"# and follo$ing its development as a Spanish colony during the ne%t several centuries& Large numbers of African slaves $ere imported to $or' the coffee and sugar plantations( and )avana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Me%ico and *eru& Spanish rule eventually provo'ed an independence movement and occasional rebellions that $ere harshly suppressed& US intervention during the Spanish+American ,ar in -"- assisted the Cubans in overthro$ing Spanish rule& The Treaty of *aris established Cuban independence from the US in ".# after $hich the island e%perienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians& /idel CAST0O led a rebel army to victory in "1"2 his iron rule held the subse3uent regime together for nearly five decades& )e stepped do$n as president in /ebruary #..- in favor of his younger brother 0aul CAST0O& Cuba4s communist revolution( $ith Soviet support( $as e%ported throughout Latin America and Africa during the "5.s( "6.s( and "-.s& The country faced a severe economic do$nturn in "". follo$ing the $ithdra$al of former Soviet subsidies $orth 7! billion to 75 billion annually& Cuba at times portrays the US embargo( in place since "5 ( as the source if its difficulties& 8llicit migration to the US + using homemade rafts( alien smugglers( air flights( or via the US4s south$est border + is a continuing problem& The US Coast 9uard interdicted (#61 Cuban nationals attempting to cross the Straits of /lorida in #. #&:;C8A( ,orld /act Boo'<

Geography:
Location: Caribbean( island bet$een the Caribbean Sea and the =orth Atlantic
Ocean&

Climate> tropical2 moderated by trade $inds2 dry season ;=ovember to April<2 rainy season ;May to October<& Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains( $ith rugged hills and mountains in the southeast&

Lifestyles:
Ethnic Groups: $hite 5!& ?( mesti@o #5&5?( blac' "&A? . Language: Spanish ;Espanyol<&

Religion: 0oman Catholic -1?( *rotestant( Behovah4s ,itnesses(

Be$ish( Santeria&

Dance/Entertainment: Salsa Celebrations: The Santiago Carnival( Triunfo de la Revolucin, Viernes Santo, Da de la
Rebelda Nacional.

Government:
fficial !ame: 0epublica de Cuba

Current Lea"er:

0aul Castro

Capital: )avana( Cuba Government state/Type: Cuban Communist StateC*arty

Economy:
GD# #er Capita: 7 .(#..& E$ports: petroleum( nic'el( medical products( sugar( tobacco( fish( citrus( coffee

Imports: petroleum( food( machinery and e3uipment( chemicals %griculture #ro"ucts: sugar( tobacco( citrus( coffee( rice( potatoes( beans2 livestoc'