What do you really know about Cuba?

At the request of a good friend, I just finished translating my last article in reference to Cuba’s statistics in the decade of the 50’s and before, just prior to Castro’s presumed Liberation Revolution in 1959.

If you were born, like I was in Cuba, there are statistics that all Cubans and everyone, for that matter, really should be familiar with; what our island-nation was prior to or before Fidel Castro’s presumed “Liberation Revolution” in 1959. For those not familiar, below please find some statistics of the island-nation in the 1950’s, just prior to Castro’s Revolution.

Did you know? According to statistics of the United Nations, in the decade of the 1950’s, Cuba was the 3rd richest nation of Latin America.

Did you know? That in the 1950’s Cuba was the 5th country in per capita income in Latin America.

Did you know? That Cuba’s economy in the 1950’s was above those of Spain, Portugal, Greece, Finland, Hong-Kong, North Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.

Did you know? That of the 33 countries that make up Latin America, Cuba had one of the lowest percentages of illiteracy.

Did you know? That in the decade of the 1950’s Cuba had 50 daily newspapers and 23 T.V. stations.

Did you know? That Cuba was the 2nd nation in the world to have a radio station; and, by the 1950’s had 169 radios per 1000 inhabitants, placing it as 2nd in Latin America, as well.

Did you know? That Cuba was the 2nd nation in the world to have color T.V.’s in 1958, and 45 T.V.’s per every 1000 inhabitants placing it as 5th in the world.

Did you know? That Cuba had the highest longevity and the lowest mortality of children in Latin America and the 13th in the world.

Did you know? That Cuba was the 3rd largest in Latin America in number of doctors and dentists per capita with 128 doctors and dentists per 100,000 inhabitants, above England, and Finland.

Did you know? That in the 50’s Cuba had one hospital bed per every 190 inhabitants – above the minimum number which the United Nations had set for developed nations in the world.

Did you know? That in 1906, Cuba was the first nation in the world that had direct dialing in the phones without the need of an operator.

Did you know? That Cuba was the first nation in the world that in 1952 built a reinforced-concrete building.

Did you know? That Cuba was the first country in the world that in 1951 build a building with central air conditioning.

Did you know? That in the 1950’s, Cuba was the 2nd in Latin America, after Venezuela in number of automobiles per capita.

Did you know? That Cuba was the first Latin American that had a railroad in 1837.

Did you know? That Cuba was the 1st country in Latin America that allowed women to vote in general elections, therefore acknowledging equality of sexes, also giving women the right to be a part of the nation’s labor force.

Did you know? That children mortality in Cuba in 1957 was 32 per 1000 inhabitants, the lowest in all Latin American and the 13th lowest in the world, below France, Belgium, West Germany, Israel, Japan, Austria, Italy, and Spain.

Did you know? That in 1940, Cuba wrote and approved the most advance Constitution in the world.

Did you know? That in 1937, Cuba was the first Latin American nation that declared minimum salary wages based on an 8-hour workday.

Did you know? That in 1958, Cuba was the 3rd most stable country in Latin America, behind only Venezuela and Brazil in its national reserves of gold, dollars, and other assets convertible to gold.

Did you know? That in 1958, Cuba was the 4th in the Americas in compensation to workers and employees relative to the nation’s revenues as follow:

1. Great Britain with 74%
2. United States with 71.11%
3. Canada with 68.5%
4. Cuba with 66%

Did you know? That in the decade of the 50’s, per capita meat production (beef, pork, sheep) was the 3rd largest with 95 lbs. per inhabitant, exceeded only by Argentina with 304 lbs. and Uruguay with 24 lbs.

Did you know? Cuba’s ranking in production of minerals in 1958 was:

1. A) Relative to the World:

Cobalt – No. 1

Nickel – No. 2

Chrome – No. 8

Manganese – No. 8

Cooper – No. 11

1. B) Relative to Latin America:

Cobalt – No. 1

Nickel – No. 2

Chrome – No. 2

Manganese – No. 2

Cooper – No. 6

Did you know? That in decade of the 1950’s Cuba was the 1st in consumption of fresh fish with 5.6 lbs. per capita, followed by the United States with 5.4 lbs.

Did you know? That in the 1950’s Cuba was the 3rd largest in Latin America in per capita consumption of calories with 2,682, exceeded only by Argentina with 3,106 and Uruguay with 2,991.

Did you know? Cuba, during the 1950’s decade was the 2nd ranking country in Latin America on radio-receptors with 5.0, exceeded only by Uruguay with 4.6.

Did you know? That in the 1950’s decade Cuba had the highest number of T.V.’s per capita of 18 inhabitants, followed by Venezuela with 32, Argentina with 60, and Mexico with 70.

Did you know? That in 1958, Cuba ranked 3rd in number of T.V. stations with 23, following Brazil with 26 and Mexico with 23.

Did you know? That in the 1950’s, Cuba ranked 2nd in Latin America in the number of daily newspapers per capita, exceeded only by Uruguay.

Did you know? That in 1958, Cuba had a Social Aid Program with 97 hospitals and 21,141 beds servicing all citizens.

Did you know? That in 1958, Cuba had the second largest number of practicing physicians per inhabitant with 980, exceeded only by Argentina with 840. Mexico was 6 with 2,200 and Brazil with 2,500

Did you know? That in 1958, Cuba was the 3rd largest in number of dentists per inhabitant with 2,978, exceeded only by Uruguay with 1,940 and Argentina with 2,000.

Did you know? That in decade of the 1950’s Cuba was the nation that earmarked the highest % of its national revenues to public education with 23%. Argentina was 3rd with 19.6% and Mexico was 7th with 14.7%.

Did you know? That since 1933, Cuban workers earned maximum wages based on 8 hours/per day and 44 hours workweeks with pay of 48 hours. All workers were also entitled to one month of vacation for every 11 months of work.

Did you know? That in 1955, under National Law No. 5, Cuba gave workers of the National Transport System, pay of 8 hours / day for a 6hr. workday

Today, 64 years after Castro’s Cuban Revolution, Cuba, thanks to Fidel Castro, is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. Thank you Fidel!