Cuba is an outlier in Latin America. Up to 1959 it followed a pattern not dissimilar to other countries in Central America and the Caribbean. The economy and State was controlled by a narrow European descended elite aligned with US economic and strategic interests and there was a large native and African descended underclass. The Castro revolution in 1959 was widely popular at first since it promised to enfranchise the downtrodden majority and was looked upon as model for other countries in the region.

However, the Cold War and Castro’s alignment with the East Block resulted in a complete rupture with the US which was eager to protect it’s backyard. There followed, then, several decades during which Cuba was embargoed by the West and traded on  favoured terms with Eastern Europe.   

This period ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the Cuba economy suffered a severe contraction in the early 1990's. Since then it has normalised tourism and trade relations with Canada and the EU but the US has been much slower to lift the embargo. Now US residents can travel freely to Cuba but trading and tourism relations are still far from normal.

Cuba’s exports are mostly based on primary products and it also earns foreign currency from tourism. Given the importance of geography to trade it is difficult to see how it can advance further industrially without complete normalisation with the US.

Contents

Introduction

The Modern Period

The Current Era

The Modern State

Economics from the Ground Up

Political Systems

Trade Theory

The EU as a Model of Integration

Industrialisation

Synopsis

Data                                   

            World GDP                                           2018

            World GDP PPP                                   2018  

            GDP per capita ppp                           2018

            Exports  &  Imports                           2018

            Container Traffic                  2010 & 2018

            Oil Production                                    2018

            Migrant Remittances                        2018

            Tourism Statistics                              2017

            Tourism Americas                              2017              

Latin America         

Background

The US and Latin America

Economy

The EU and Latin America

Mercosur

World Exports                                      2000-2018

Cuba                               

            Introduction

            Castro Takeover

            Economy

            Tourism & Exports

            Charts & Chart Commentary

Sources

63 pages