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Compare Israel (2007) - Cuba (2002)

Compare Israel (2007) z Cuba (2002)

 Israel (2007)Cuba (2002)
 IsraelCuba
Administrative divisions 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 26.1% (male 858,246/female 818,690)


15-64 years: 64.2% (male 2,076,649/female 2,046,343)


65 years and over: 9.8% (male 269,483/female 357,268) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 20.6% (male 1,188,125; female 1,125,743)


15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,902,162; female 3,880,531)


65 years and over: 10.1% (male 520,849; female 606,911) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
Airports 53 (2007) 172 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 30


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 6 (2007)
total: 78


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 20


914 to 1,523 m: 6


under 914 m: 36 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 23


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 20 (2007)
total: 94


914 to 1,523 m: 30


under 914 m: 64 (2002)
Area total: 20,770 sq km


land: 20,330 sq km


water: 440 sq km
total: 110,860 sq km


land: 110,860 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel occupied since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords") guiding an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took the lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinian violence between September 2003 and February 2005. An Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February 2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian ceasefire, significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of 2005, Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers and its military. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head the Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in March 2006; following an Israeli military operation in Gaza in June-July 2006, he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from most of the West Bank. The kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Lebanese Hizballah led to a 34-day conflict in Lebanon in June-August 2006. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the country together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. 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. Havana portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, or falsified visas - is a continuing problem. Some 2,600 Cubans attempted the crossing of the Straits of Florida in 2001; the US Coast Guard apprehended only about 35% of the individuals.
Birth rate 17.71 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 12.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $48.38 billion


expenditures: $49.62 billion (2006 est.)
revenues: $14.9 billion


expenditures: $15.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.)
Capital name: Jerusalem


geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends the Sunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur


note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv
Havana
Climate temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
Coastline 273 km 3,735 km
Constitution no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law; note - since May 2003 the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee of the Knesset has been working on a draft constitution 24 February 1976, amended July 1992
Country name conventional long form: State of Israel


conventional short form: Israel


local long form: Medinat Yisra'el


local short form: Yisra'el
conventional long form: Republic of Cuba


conventional short form: Cuba


local long form: Republica de Cuba


local short form: Cuba
Currency - Cuban peso (CUP)
Death rate 6.17 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $83.01 billion (2006 est.) $12.3 billion (convertible currency, 2000 est.); another $15 billion -$20 billion owed to Russia (2001) (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES


embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903


mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830


telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575


FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390


consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government
none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; 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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Salai MERIDOR


chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500


FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco
none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera (since August 2001); address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518
Disputes - international West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease
Economic aid - recipient $240 million from US (FY06) $68.2 million (1997 est.)
Economy - overview Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial, though diminishing, government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports substantial quantities of grain, but is largely self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable trade deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict; difficulties in the high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors; and fiscal austerity in the face of growing inflation led to small declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy rebounded in 2003-05, growing at a 4% to 5.2% rate each year, as the government tightened fiscal policy and implemented structural reforms to boost competition and efficiency in the markets. The conflict with Lebanon in summer 2006 slightly dampened GDP growth, but continuing strong foreign investment, tax revenue, and private consumption levels helped the economy recover quickly. The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a concern for firm political control. It has undertaken limited reforms in recent years to stem excess liquidity, increase enterprise efficiency, and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services, but is unlikely to implement extensive changes. A major feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the severe economic depression of the early 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. High oil prices, recessions in key export markets, and damage from Hurricane Michelle hampered growth in 2001. Cuba paid high prices for oil imports in the face of slumping prices in the key sugar and nickel industries and suffered a slowdown in tourist arrivals following September 11. The government aimed for 3% growth in 2002, but growth was held back by hurricanes, depressed tourism, and faltering world economic conditions, including low world sugar prices and a shortage of external financing.
Electricity - consumption 43.28 billion kWh (2005) 13.829 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 1.663 billion kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 46.85 billion kWh (2005) 14.87 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 95%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 5% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m
Environment - current issues limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born 22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab) (2004) mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%
Exchange rates new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002) Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate, for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar); convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 1.00 US dollar per 27 pesos by the Government of Cuba (January 2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Shimon PERES (since 15 July 2007)


head of government: Prime Minister Ehud OLMERT (since May 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI (since May 2006); Ehud OLMERT won the right to lead the government when his Kadima Party won 29 seats in elections held on 28 March 2006


cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset


elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 13 June 2007 (next to be held in 2014 but can be called earlier); following legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition


note: government coalition - Kadima, Labor Party, GIL (Pensioners), Shas,and Yisrael Beiteinu


election results: Shimon PERES elected president; number of votes in first round - Shimon PERES 58, Reuven RIVLIN 37, Colette AVITAL 21; PERES elected president in second round with 86 votes (unopposed)
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 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2007)


election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100%
Exports NA bbl/day $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee
Exports - partners US 38.4%, Belgium 6.5%, Hong Kong 5.9% (2006) Netherlands 22.4%, Russia 13.3%, Canada 13.3%, Spain 7.3%, China 6.2% (2001)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag 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; design influenced by the US flag
GDP - purchasing power parity - $25.9 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2.5%


industry: 30.3%


services: 67.2% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 8%


industry: 35%


services: 58%
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.1% (2006 est.) 0% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 31 30 N, 34 45 E 21 30 N, 80 00 W
Geography - note there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2005 est.); Sea of Galilee is an important freshwater source largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles
Heliports 3 (2007) -
Highways - total: 60,858 km


paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)


unpaved: 31,038 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.4%


highest 10%: 28.3% (2005)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs increasingly concerned about ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan; money-laundering center territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for cocaine and heroin bound for the US and Europe; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999
Imports NA bbl/day $4.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners US 12.4%, Belgium 8.2%, Germany 6.7%, Switzerland 5.9%, UK 5.1%, China 5.1% (2006) Spain 12.7%, France 6.5%, Canada 5.7%, China 5.3%, Italy 5.0% (2001)
Independence 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
Industrial production growth rate 8.6% (2006 est.) 0.2% (2001 est.)
Industries high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles, footwear sugar, petroleum, tobacco, chemicals, construction, services, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology
Infant mortality rate total: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
7.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2006 est.) 7.1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 5 (2001)
Irrigated land 1,940 sq km (2003) 870 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (justices appointed by Judicial Selection Committee - made up of all three branches of the government; mandatory retirement age is 70) People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)
Labor force 2.81 million (2006 est.) 4.3 million


note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (1999) (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture, forestry, and fishing 1.8%, manufacturing 15.7%, construction 5.3%, wholesale and retail trade 12.9%, transport, storage, and communications 6.3%, finance and business 16.9%, personal and other services 11.5%, public services 28.6% (1996) agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999) (1999)
Land boundaries total: 1,017 km


border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
total: 29 km


border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km


note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains part of Cuba
Land use arable land: 15.45%


permanent crops: 3.88%


other: 80.67% (2005)
arable land: 33.04%


permanent crops: 7.61%


other: 59.35% (1998 est.)
Languages Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language Spanish
Legal system mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 28 March 2006 (next scheduled to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - Kadima 22%, Labor 15.1%, SHAS 9.5%, Likud 9%, Yisrael Beiteinu 9%, NU/NRP 7.1%, GIL 5.9%, Torah and Shabbat Judaism 4.7%, Meretz-YAHAD 3.8%, United Arab List 3%, Balad 2.3%, HADASH 2.7%, other 5.9%; seats by party - Kadima 29, Labor 19, Likud 12, SHAS 12, Yisrael Beiteinu 11, NU/NRP 9, GIL 7, Torah and Shabbat Judaism 6, Meretz-YAHAD 5, United Arab List 4, Balad 3, HADASH 3
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 79.59 years


male: 77.44 years


female: 81.85 years (2007 est.)
total population: 76.6 years


male: 74.2 years


female: 79.15 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.1%


male: 98.5%


female: 95.9% (2004 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.7%


male: 96.2%


female: 95.3% (1995 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
Map references Middle East Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 716,382 GRT/845,053 DWT


by type: cargo 2, container 16


registered in other countries: 51 (Bermuda 3, Cyprus 4, Honduras 1, North Korea 1, Liberia 9, Malta 21, Panama 2, Slovakia 6, St Vincent and The Grenadines 4) (2007)
total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,187 GRT/63,416 DWT


ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 6, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 (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 Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces (INF), Israel Air Force (IAF) (2007) Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) including Ground Forces, Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT); note - the Border Guard Troops (TGF) are controlled by the Interior Ministry
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 7.3% (2006) roughly 4% (FY95 est.)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 3,102,312


females age 15-49: 3,036,549 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,915,586


females age 15-49: 1,869,867 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 86,632


females: 79,562 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May 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
Nationality noun: Israeli(s)


adjective: Israeli
noun: Cuban(s)


adjective: Cuban
Natural hazards sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common
Natural resources timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand cobalt, nickel, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -1.21 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; some 3,000 Cubans took to the Straits of Florida in 2001; the US Coast Guard interdicted about 25% of these migrants; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US; some 2,400 Cubans arrived overland via the southwest border and direct flights to Miami in 2000
Pipelines gas 193 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2006) -
Political parties and leaders Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (HADASH) [Muhammad BARAKA]; GIL (Pensioners) [Rafael EITAN]; Kadima [Ehud OLMERT]; Labor Party [Ehud BARAK]; The Likud [Binyamin NETANYAHU]; Meretz-YAHAD [Yossi BEILIN]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad) [Azmi BISHARA]; National Union (NU)/National Religious Party (NRP) [Binyamin ELON]; SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Torah and Shabbat Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN]; United Arab List [Ibrahim SARSOUR]; Yisrael Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN] only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]
Political pressure groups and leaders Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, Secretary General] supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha Council of Settlements [Bentzi LIEBERMAN, Chairman] promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem monitors human rights abuses NA
Population 6,426,679


note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2007 est.)
11,224,321 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 21.6% (2005) NA%
Population growth rate 1.154% (2007 est.) 0.35% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas, Santiago de Cuba
Radio broadcast stations AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 3.9 million (1997)
Railways total: 853 km


standard gauge: 853 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
total: 4,807 km


standard gauge: 4,807 km 1.435-m gauge, in public use (147 km electrified)


note: in addition to the 4,807 km of standard-gauge track in public use, 7,162 km of track is in private use by sugar plantations; about 90% of the private use track is standard gauge and the rest is narrow gauge (2000 est.)
Religions Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004) nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.015 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.754 male(s)/female


total population: 0.994 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 16 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest


domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital; four privately-owned mobile-cellular service providers with countrywide coverage; mobile-cellular teledensity is more than 130 per 100 persons


international: country code - 972; submarine cables provide links to Europe, Cyprus, and parts of the Middle East; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
general assessment: NA


domestic: principal trunk system, end to end of country, is coaxial cable; fiber-optic distribution in Havana and on Isla de la Juventud; 2 microwave radio relay installations (one is old, US-built; the other newer, built during the period of Soviet support); both analog and digital mobile cellular service established


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 3.005 million (2006) 473,031 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8.404 million (2006) 2,994 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 17 (plus 36 repeaters) (1995) 58 (1997)
Terrain Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
Total fertility rate 2.38 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.6 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 8.3% (2006 est.) 4.1% (2001 est.)
Waterways - 240 km
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