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area handbook series Cuba a country study I Cuba country study a Federal Research Division Library of Congress Edited by Rex A. Hudson Research Completed April 2001 On the cover: La Iglesia de San Francisco de Asis (Church of San Francisco) and the plaza fountain in La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), 1997 Courtesy Mark P. Sullivan Fourth Edition, First Printing, 2002. Libraryof Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Cuba: a country study / Federal—Research Division, Library ofCon- gress ; edited—byRexA. Hudson 4th ed. p. cm. (Area handbook series, ISSN 1057-5294) (DApam ; 550-152) "Research completedApril 2001." Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8444-1045-4 (he alk. paper) : 1. Cuba. I. Hudson, RexA, 1947- . II. Library ofCongress. Fed- eral Research Division. III. Series. IV. Series: DApam 550-152 ; F1758.C94875 2002 972.91—dc21 2002018893 Headquarters, Department ofthe Army DA Pam 550-152 ForsalebytheSuperintendentofDocuments,U.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice Washington,D.C 20402 Foreword This volume is one in a continuing series ofbooks prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program spon- sored by the DepartmentoftheArmy. The last two pages ofthis book list the other published studies. Most books in the series deal with a particular foreign country, describing and analyzing its political, economic, social, and national security systems and institutions, and examining the interrelationships of those systems and the ways they are shaped by historical and cultural factors. Each study is written by a multidisciplinary team of social scientists. The authors seek to provide a basic understanding ofthe observed society, striving for a dynamic rather than a static portrayal. Particular attention is devoted to the people who make up the society, their origins, dominant beliefs andvalues, their common inter- ests and the issues on which they are divided, the nature and extent oftheir involvementwith national institutions, and their attitudes toward each other and toward their social system and political order. The books represent the analysis ofthe authors and should not be construed as an expression ofan official United States government position, policy, or decision. The authors have sought to adhere to accepted standards ofscholarly objectivity. Corrections, additions, and suggestions for changes from read- erswill be welcomed for use in future editions. Robert L. Worden Chief Federal Research Division Library ofCongress Washington, DC 20540-4840 E-mail: [email protected] iii Acknowledgments This fourth edition of Cuba: A Country Study supersedes the 1987 edition edited by James D. Rudolph. The authors acknowledge any general background information that the 1987 edition may have provided for the presentvolume, which is a completely new edition. EnriqueJ. Lopez is gratefully acknowledged for providing the section on telecommunications in chapter three. The book editor would also like to thank the chapter authors for review- ing and commenting on various chapters ofthis volume. Their shared expertise contributed greatly to its overall quality. The authors are grateful to individuals in various agencies of the United States government and international organizations, including nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as well as , scholars affiliated with universities or other institutions, who offered their time, special knowledge, or research facilities and materials to provide information and perspective. None of these individuals is, however, in any way responsible for the work or points ofview ofthe authors. The book editor would also like to thank members of the Federal Research Division who contributed directly to the preparation ofthe manuscript. These include Sandra W. Med- itz, who reviewed all textual and graphic materials, served as liaison with the sponsoring agency, provided numerous substantive and technical contributions, and prepared the index; Marilyn L. Majeska, who provided substantive editing and man- aged editing and production;Janie L. Gilchrist, who did the word processing and prepared the camera-ready copy; and Stephen C. Cranton, who provided automation and typesetting support. The firm ofMaryland Mapping and Graphics prepared the book's maps and charts based on the book editor's drafts, as well as the photographs and illustrations for the cover and chapter title pages. Finally, the book editor acknowledges the generosity ofthe individuals and the United States Government, diplomatic, and international agencies and organizations who allowed their photographs to be used in this study.