Compare Cuba (2006) - Sri Lanka (2002)

Compare Cuba (2006) z Sri Lanka (2002)

	Cuba (2006)	Sri Lanka (2002)

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	8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern
Age structure	0-14 years: 19.1% (male 1,117,677/female 1,058,512) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 4,001,161/female 3,999,303) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 554,148/female 652,019) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 25.6% (male 2,559,246; female 2,446,393) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 6,446,320; female 6,802,515) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 628,398; female 693,911) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock	rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef
Airports	170 (2006)	15 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 78 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2006)	total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 92 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 62 (2006)	total: 1 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area	total: 110,860 sq km land: 110,860 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 65,610 sq km land: 64,740 sq km water: 870 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Pennsylvania	slightly larger than West Virginia
Background	The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,712 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2005.	The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in about the mid-3rd century B.C. and a great civilization developed at such cities as Anuradhapura (kingdom from c. 200 B.C. to c. 1000 A.D.) and Polonnaruwa (c. 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1796 and became a crown colony in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.
Birth rate	11.89 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	16.36 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $22.11 billion expenditures: $23.65 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)	revenues: $2.8 billion expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital	name: Havana geographic coordinates: 23 08 N, 82 22 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October	Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
Climate	tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)	tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Coastline	3,735 km	1,340 km
Constitution	24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002	adopted 16 August 1978
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba	conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka former: Serendib, Ceylon
Currency	-	Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Death rate	7.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$12.56 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion owed to Russia (2005 est.)	$9.9 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US	none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Michael E. PARMLY; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland	chief of mission: Ambassador E. Ashley WILLS embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (1) 448007 FAX: [94] (1) 437345
Diplomatic representation in the US	none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Bernardo GUANCHE Hernandez; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521	chief of mission: Ambassador Devinda R. SUBASINGHE chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York
Disputes - international	US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease	none
Economic aid - recipient	$68.2 million (1997 est.)	$577 million (1998) (1998)
Economy - overview	The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled back limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. The government in 2005 strengthened its controls over dollars coming into the economy from tourism, remittances, and trade. External financing has helped growth in the mining, oil, construction, and tourism sectors.	In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%. But 2001 saw the first contraction in the country's history, due to a combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife.
Electricity - consumption	13.27 billion kWh (2004)	6.156 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	15.65 billion kWh (2004)	6.619 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 32% hydro: 68% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Environment - current issues	air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation	deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo
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	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups	mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%	Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%
Exchange rates	Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.93 note: Cuba has three currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP), the convertible peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although the dollar is being withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.	Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 93.383 (January 2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000), 70.635 (1999), 64.450 (1998), 58.995 (1997)
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) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100%	chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005) election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%
Exports	NA bbl/day	$4.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities	sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee	textiles and apparel 15%, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products
Exports - partners	Netherlands 25.4%, Canada 20.7%, China 9.8%, Spain 6.8% (2005)	US 39%, UK 13%, Middle East 8%, Germany 4%, Japan 4% (2000)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center	yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 5.5% industry: 26.1% services: 68.4% (2005 est.)	agriculture: 21% industry: 27% services: 52% (2000)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	8% (2005 est.)	-1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	21 30 N, 80 00 W	7 00 N, 81 00 E
Geography - note	largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles	strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
Highways	-	total: 11,285 km paved: 10,721 km unpaved: 564 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 28% (1995)
Illicit drugs	territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999	-
Imports	NA bbl/day	$6 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities	petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals	machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, foodstuffs
Imports - partners	China 14.9%, Spain 13.9%, Canada 8.6%, US 8.5%, Germany 7.4%, Italy 5.7%, Mexico 5.2%, Japan 4.1% (2005)	Japan 9%, India 8%, Hong Kong 7%, Singapore 7%, South Korea 5% (2000)
Independence	20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)	4 February 1948 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	5.1% (2005 est.)	1.4% (2001)
Industries	sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals	rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco
Infant mortality rate	total: 6.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	15.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	7% (2005 est.)	14.2% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	5 (2000)
Irrigated land	8,700 sq km (2003)	6,510 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)	Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Labor force	4.6 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2005 est.)	6.6 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 21.2% industry: 14.4% services: 64.4% (2004)	services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 29 km border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba	0 km
Land use	arable land: 27.63% permanent crops: 6.54% other: 65.83% (2005)	arable land: 13.43% permanent crops: 15.78% other: 70.79% (1998 est.)
Languages	Spanish	Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Legal system	based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609	unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2007) election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 46.8%, PA and EPDP 38%, JVP 9.1%, Tamil National Alliance 3.89%, PLOTE 0.19%; seats by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 114, PA and EPDP 79, JVP 16, Tamil National Alliance 15, PLOTE 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 77.41 years male: 75.11 years female: 79.85 years (2006 est.)	total population: 72.35 years male: 69.83 years female: 75 years (2002 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97.2% female: 96.9% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.2% male: 93.4% female: 87.2% (1995 est.)
Location	Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida	Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Asia
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 33,932 GRT/48,791 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1) registered in other countries: 17 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 11, Spain 1, unknown 1) (2006)	total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 137,321 GRT/233,367 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 15, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 9, Hong Kong 1, United Arab Emirates 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note	Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993	-
Military branches	Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army (EJT) (2005)	Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$694 million (2005 est.)	$719 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.8% (2005 est.)	4.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 5,347,153 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 4,148,825 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 193,522 (2002 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)	Independence Day, 4 February (1948)
Nationality	noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban	noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan
Natural hazards	the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common	occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Natural resources	cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land	limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
Net migration rate	-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
People - note	illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border	-
Pipelines	gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2006)	crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)
Political parties and leaders	only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]	All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Nadarajah RAVIRAJ]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Upcountry People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial councils
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups
Population	11,382,820 (July 2006 est.)	19,576,783 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	22% (1997 est.)
Population growth rate	0.31% (2006 est.)	0.85% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee
Radio broadcast stations	AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios	-	3.85 million (1997)
Railways	total: 4,226 km standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified) note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2005)	total: 1,463 km broad gauge: 1,404 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2001)
Religions	nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented	Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)
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 (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	16 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally with the help of foreigners domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)	general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999) domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999) international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use	849,900 (2005)	494,509 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular	134,500 (2005)	228,604 (1999)
Television broadcast stations	58 (1997)	21 (1997)
Terrain	mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast	mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Total fertility rate	1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)	1.93 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	1.9% (2005 est.)	7.7% (2001)
Waterways	240 km (2005)	430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft)

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