| ECONOMY |
| Overview |
The
government continues to balance the need for economic loosening
against a desire for firm political control. It has undertaken
limited reforms in recent years to increase enterprise efficiency
and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and
services but is unlikely to implement extensive changes. A
major feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively
efficient export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors.
The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower
level than before the severe economic depression of the early
1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic
inefficiencies. High oil import prices, recessions in key
export markets, damage from Hurricanes Isidore and Lili, and
the tourist slump after 11 September 2001 hampered growth
in 2002. |
| GDP |
purchasing
power parity - $30.69 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate |
1.1% (2002
est.) |
| GDP
- per capita |
purchasing
power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector |
agriculture:
7.6%
industry: 34.5%
services: 57.9% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line |
NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices) |
7.1% (2002
est.) |
| Labor
force |
4.3 million
note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation |
agriculture
24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999) |
| Unemployment
rate |
4.1% (2001
est.) |
| Industries |
sugar, petroleum,
tobacco, chemicals, construction, services, nickel, steel,
cement, agricultural machinery, biotechnology |
| Industrial
production growth rate |
0.2% (2001
est.) |
