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• Cuba is a country that consists of the island of Cuba, the Isle of Youth and several adjacent small islands. Cuba is south of the eastern United States and the Bahamas. The Cayman Islands and Jamaica are to the south.

  Cuban leader Raul Castro announced on April 16, 2009, that he would be willing to engage in talks with the Obama administration about "everything". Castro also stated that Cuba may have been "wrong" to avoid U.S./Cuban talks in the past. Both White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were impressed by the statement and Clinton told the press, "We are taking a very serious look at how we intend to respond."Fox News: White House Embraces Opening for Talks... (April 17, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Official name: Republic of CubaUS Department of State: Cuba
  2. Capital: HavanaUS Department of State: Cuba
  3. Population: 11,423,952 (2008) - the most populous country in the CaribbeanCIA World Factbook: Cuba
  4. Independence: May 20, 1902US Department of State: Cuba
  5. Government: Totalitarian Communist StateUS Department of State: Cuba
  6. Assumed power: January 1, 1959, by forceUS Department of State: Cuba
  7. Current leader: Raul Castro
  8. Currency: Cuban peso
  9. GDP: $47.35 billion (2007)US Department of State: Cuba
  10. Official language: Spanish
  11. National holiday: Triumph of the Revolution, January 1

• Travel Ban

  In March 2009 bipartisan support appeared to be behind a renewed push to end the 50 year old travel ban to Cuba from the United States. Supporters of the bill say it would generate billions in revenue and create thousands of jobs, while detractors fear it would only provide tourism dollars to support the Castro government. The proposed legislation would leave the rest of the U.S. embargo intact.name="LAT">Los Angeles Times: Ban on travel to Cuba may be lifted... (April 1, 2009)

  On April 13, 2009, President Obama lifted restrictions to allow U.S. residents to visit or send money to their relatives in Cuba. Travel restrictions will remain in place for U.S. citizens of non-Cuban origin.CNN: Obama eases Cuba travel restrictions (April 13, 2009)

• Brief History

  Christopher Columbus claimed Cuba for Spain in 1492. The Republic of Cuba gained formal independence in 1902 after years of fighting the Spanish in conflicts such as the Ten Years' War and the Little War.

  Cuba is a cultural mix of the indigenous Taíno and Ciboney peoples, African slaves, and Spanish colonists.

  Cuba's most famous leader was Fidel Castro, a communist revolutionary who overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and ruled over the country from 1959 to 2006. His brother Raul Castro assumed the duties as President in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008.Reuters: Cuba Marks 50th Anniversary of Castro Revolution (January 1, 2009)

  On January 1, 2009, Cuba marked the 50th anniversary of the transformation of the country into a communist state.Reuters: Cuba Marks 50th Anniversary of Castro Revolution (January 1, 2009)

• New Cabinet

  On March 2, 2009, Raul Castro announced major changes to his cabinet, signaling what some have called the biggest changes in Cuba in over 40 years. Raul Castro replaced some of his brother's cabinet personnel with his own. Significant offices affected include the Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Minister positions. Analysts are unsure what these changes may hold for the country, but are hopeful that it signals a move towards more freedoms.CNN: Raul Castro reorganizes Cuban cabines (March 2, 2009)

• Trade Embargo with the U.S.

  A trade embargo against Cuba from the United States has been in place since 1962, one year after the revolution. It includes a ban of trade between United States businesses and Cuba and prohibits the travel of any American to Cuban soil. Cuba claims to have lost $86 billion in trade since the embargo began.IHT: US Trade Embargo Has Cost Cuba $4 Billion... (October 2, 2006)

  On April 13, 2009, President Obama eased travel restrictions to allow U.S. residents to visit relatives in Cuba. Travel restrictions for all other U.S. citizens will remain in place.CNN: Obama eases Cuba travel restrictions (April 13, 2009)

• 2009 Peace Concert in Cuba (Paz Sin Fronteras II)

  This is the second concert headlined by Juanes and performed on September 20, 2009 in Plaza de la Revolución, Havana, Cuba. The concert was a way to convey a message of peace, unity, change the way of thinking, and to leave behind old politics, hatred, and prejudices.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Cuba Vacation | Cuba Tours | Cuba Restaurants | Fidel Castro | Hugo Chavez | Raul Castro | Guantanamo Manual | Che Guevara | Caribbean Sea | Gulf of Mexico | Guyana | Venezuela | How to Speak Spanish

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