FACTBOX: Key facts about Cuba
(Reuters) - Key facts about Cuba, whose long-time but ailing ruler, Fidel Castro, said on Tuesday he would not return as president:
* POPULATION: 11.4 million, mainly descendants of Spanish colonists and slaves brought from Africa. Capital Havana has a population of 2.2 million. Official language is Spanish.
* AREA: At 44,206 square miles, Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and lies 90 miles south of the Florida Keys. Cuba is surrounded by an archipelago of 1,600 coral keys and islets, most of which are uninhabited. Apart from the Sierra Maestra, which rises to 6,540 feet in the southeast, the country consists of flat plains and low, undulating hills. Climate is tropical.
* BEST-KNOWN CUBANS:
- Fidel Castro (1926-). Rebel chief who took power in 1959 and is now one of world's longest-serving leaders.
- Jose Marti (1853-95). Writer and hero of 19th century independence struggle against Spanish colonial rule. Died riding into battle.
- Fulgencio Batista (1900-73). Ex-dictator defeated by Castro in 1959 Cuban Revolution. Died in exile in Spain.
- Antonio Maceo (1845-1896). General who led Cuban independence army in 19th century fight against Spaniards.
- Alejo Carpentier (1904-80). Novelist and music expert.
- Javier Sotomayor (1967-). High-jump world-record holder.
- Felix Varela (1787-1853). 19th century priest and pro-independence philosopher.
- Silvio Rodriguez (1946 - ). Singer-composer considered one of founders of Cuba's modern Nueva Trova movement.
- Bene More (1919-63). Singer-composer considered maestro of traditional Cuban rhythms.
* POLITICAL SYSTEM: One-party socialist republic, in which political power is vested in the Cuban Communist Party (PCC). Until his retirement, Fidel Castro occupied four most important political posts as head of state, head of government and the First Secretary of PCC, and supreme head of the armed forces.
* RELIGION: Ruling Communist Party has been traditionally atheist, but Roman Catholic Church continues to operate under some restraints. Church received a boost from Pope John Paul II's ground-breaking visit in January, 1998. A growing network of small Protestant Churches also exist and "santeria", an African-based local form of voodoo, has wide following.
* ECONOMY: Economy wholly under state control since the 1959 revolution, except for tiny private sector since mid-1990s. Main exports: sugar, nickel, tobacco, citrus, seafood. Imports: oil, grains and oilseeds, chemicals, machinery.
(Reporting by Havana bureau and by Paul Grant in Washington, Editing by Michael Christie)
