Table Of Contentarea 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 coun-
try, 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 sub-
stantive 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.
