<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Cuba<nl>Government</hdr><body>
<list>
<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Republic of Cuba
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Cuba
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Republica de Cuba
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> Cuba
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> CU
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> Communist state
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Havana
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 14 provinces (provincias, singular—provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 24 February 1976
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 16 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state and head of government:</hi> President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (Prime Minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; President since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; proposed by the president of the Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly
<item><hi format=bold>National Assembly of People's Power:</hi> (Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular) elections last held February 1993; seats—589 total, indirectly elected from slates approved by special candidacy commissions
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> only party—Cuban Communist Party (PCC), Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary
<item><hi format=bold>Member of:</hi> CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of mission:</hi> Principal Officer Alfonso FRAGA Perez (since August 1992) represented by the Cuban Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy in Washington, DC
<item>• <hi format=ital>chancery:</hi> 2630 and 2639 16th Street NW, US Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, Washington, DC 20009
<item>• <hi format=ital>telephone:</hi> (202) 797-8518 or 8519, 8520, 8609, 8610
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of mission:</hi> Principal Officer Joseph SULLIVAN
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>US Interests Section:</hi> USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada Entre L y M, Vedado Seccion, Havana
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>mailing address:</hi> use street address
<item>• <hi format=ital>telephone:</hi> 33-3351 or 33-3543
<item>• <hi format=ital>FAX:</hi> no service available at this time
<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland—US Interests Section, Swiss Embassy
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white five-pointed star in the center
