Amazing Facts About Cuba
Government and People
Cuba’s government is considered a Marxist-Leninist single-party state. The Castro family run the place.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union stabilized its economy but has since moved towards self-employment (roughly 476,000 Cubans registered as self-employed) and independent currency.
On Exports and Supplies
Cuba facts are getting interesting
A communist-totalitarian state
Geography
Ecosystems and Nature
Here’s a fun Cuba fact: the smallest bird in the world resides right on the island called the Bee Hummingbird. It is only two inches in length.
Original Inhabitants
Traditions
Cuba Facts Interesting Tidbits
Some Cuba facts are strange.
- It is illegal to take photos of military personnel, police officers, or airport personnel.
- Known as Mentirita, rum, and coke (lime) translates to little lie.
- John F. Kennedy bought precisely 1,200 cigars hours before he signed the trade embargo into effect.
- The government required both men and women to serve two years of military service between the age of 17 and 28.
- Among the many US schemes against Castro, the most ridiculous involved the use of a chemical that would make his beard hairs fall out.
- Fidel allowed only one kosher butcher to stay on the island to serve their Jewish population.
Some are fascinating
- Back in 1857, the island received it’s first and only snowfall in history.
- The state used two types of currency. One is for natives, and the other is for tourists.
- While the United States has paid Cuba $4,000 per month to lease Guantanamo Bay, the state has refused to accept or cash the payment since 1959. Instead, they just allow the US to use it.
- Their law required government vehicles to pick up hitchhikers.
- Unlike in the United States, voting is mandatory.
- There are no animals or plants that are toxic/poisonous on the island.
- Cuba has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, keeping their population stabilized. This has nothing to do with government, however.
Others will have you scratching your head
- Cuba prohibited the use of Cell phones until 2008, as were private computers.
- On average, 150,000 US travelers visit Cuba each year. An additional 50,000 do so illegally.
- When Fidel overthrew the previous corrupt regime, he strangely ordered to destroy all Monopoly games of the capitalist ideals the game promotes.
- The people are fans of both ballerina dancing and South Korean soap operas.
- After Hurrican Katrina, Cuba offered medical aid, gasoline, and USD 5 million to the United States. The Bush Administration rejected all of it.