GENERAL
Official name of the state
Republic of Cuba.
Capital
La Habana (Havana).
Geography
As a country located in North America according to philosophynearby, Cuba is the largest Caribbean island and the westernmost of the Greater Antilles. It is located 145 km south of Florida. A quarter of the country is mountainous. In the west and east there are mountain ranges that reach a height of 2500 m. To the west of Havana is the Sierra de los Organos, which rises to 750 m. The Trinidad Mountains are in the middle of the island and reach a height of 1100 m in the east. The rugged mountains of the Sierra Maestra rise around the port of Santiago de Cuba. 25% of the island is covered with pine and mahogany forests. The coast is often swampy with dense mangrove forests.
Government
Socialist republic since 1959. Constitution from 1976, last amended in 2002. The 609 members of the People’s Congress (Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular) are elected every 5 years. State Council with 31 members; The chairman of the Council of State is both head of state and chairman of the Council of Ministers. Independent since 1898 (former Spanish colony under US administration from 1898-1902).
Head of state
Raúl Castro, since February 2008.
Head of government
Raúl Castro, since August 2006.
Electricity
110/230 V, 60 Hz; American two-pin plug. Certain hotels have European plugs. It is recommended to take an adapter with you.
Time zone
Cuba Standard Time: CET -6 (CET -5 from March 12 to November 5, 2017)
ECONOMY
Business etiquette
Business trips are best placed between November and April (little rainfall).
Business hours: Mon-Fri 8.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m.-4.30 p.m.
Economy
Trade and Economic Department of the Cuban Embassy
Stavanger Straße 20, D-10439 Berlin
Tel: (030) 91 61 18 11.
Internet: www.botschaft-kuba.de
Trade Department of the Cuban Embassy
Himmelhofgasse 40 ac, A-1130 Vienna
Tel: (01) 877 81 98.
Internet: www.ecuaustria.at
Cámara de Comercio de la República de Cuba (Chamber of Commerce)
Calle 21, No. 661, esq. a A, Vedado Ciudad de La Habana
Tel: 55 14 52.
Internet: www.camaracuba.cu
Business contacts
Trade and Economic Department of the Cuban Embassy
Stavanger Straße 20, D-10439 Berlin
Tel: (030) 91 61 18 11.
Internet: www.botschaft-kuba.de
Trade Department of the Cuban Embassy
Himmelhofgasse 40 ac, A-1130 Vienna
Tel: (01) 877 81 98.
Internet: www.ecuaustria.at
Cámara de Comercio de la República de Cuba (Chamber of Commerce)
Calle 21, No. 661, esq. a A, Vedado Ciudad de La Habana
Tel: 55 14 52.
Internet: www.camaracuba.cu
COMMUNICATION
Phone
Dial-up remote service.
Cellphone
Cell phones can be rented from Cubacel (Internet: www.cubacel.cu). C_Com’s GSM 900 network only works in the Havana and Varadero metropolitan areas.
Internet
There is access to the Internet and e-mail in hotels, post offices, in branches of the state telecommunications company Etecsa, Internet cafes and in Internet centers. The main provider is Cubaweb (Internet: www.cubaweb.cu).
Post Office
Letters to Europe often take several weeks; Airmail is recommended.
The international code for international calls is 119 plus the country code. Calling cards for internal and external calls can be bought in many stores. Some calls need to be made through an international switch, often with delays.
Radio
Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.
SHOP
Overview
Particularly popular souvenirs include cigars, rum, cassettes with Cuban music and local arts and crafts. Special currency shops also offer goods that are otherwise not available. There are duty-free shops in all international airports and some hotels in Cuba.
Opening times: Mon-Sat 9 am-6pm and Sun 9 am-12pm.
CULINARY
ACCOMMODATION
Hotels
The best hotels can be found in Havana, Varadero, Holguin, Caye Coco and Santiago de Cuba, where there are accommodations of all categories. Since most vacation stays in Cuba are package tours, the hotels are selected by the operator. Most of the larger hotels have a tourist office. Further information is available from the Cuban Tourist Office (see addresses).
CULTURE
Religion
56% of the population without religious affiliation, 39% Catholics, also Afro-Cuban, Protestant and Jewish religious communities.
Social rules of conduct
Manners: Shake hands to greet you. Cubans greet each other with compañero, visitors should use Señor or Señora. All Cubans have two surnames, but only the first is used when addressing them.
Clothing: Since the revolution, clothing has been much more casual. Cuban men wear guayabera (a slightly wrinkled shirt worn over trousers). Smart clothing is rarely necessary. Men should only wear shorts near the beach. Women wear cotton dresses during the day or trousers and cocktail dresses on special occasions.
Tip: A small tip is appropriate.
Smoke:In Cuba, smoking is prohibited in all public buildings and means of transport, as well as in cinemas, theaters, shops, restaurants, bars and pubs. However, guest establishments can have smoking areas, which are closed off by walls and doors and equipped with ventilation systems.
CLIMATE
Best travel time
Hot, subtropical climate all year round. Most of the precipitation falls from May to October. Cyclones can occur in autumn (August – November). The cooler months of January and April have the least amount of rainfall.
COUNTRY DATA
Area code +53 Area (km2) 110860 Population 11031433 Population density (per km2) 100 Population in 2015 Member of the EU No main emergency number 106