Cuba - Country Profile

The Health in the Americas+¹ country profiles are based on the interagency indicators available as of the dates referenced. The sources are referenced in this table. In some cases, the values of the indicators may differ from the most recent data available in the country.

Environmental and social determinants of health

In 2000 the total population of Cuba was 11 109 109 inhabitants; by 2024 this figure had fallen to 10 979 783, representing a 1.2% decrease. Regarding the country’s demographic profile, in 2024 people over 65 years of age accounted for 16.6% of the total population, an increase of 6.8 percentage points compared to the year 2000. In 2024, there were 102.7 women per 100 men and 108.3 older people (65 years or older) per 100 children under 15 years of age, as can be seen in the country’s population pyramids, distributed by age group and sex (Figure 1). Considering the population between 15 and 64 years of age to be potentially active (i.e., potential participants in the labor force), this group represented 68.1% of the total population of the country in 2024 (7 481 292 people). When we add these figures to the potentially passive population (1 679 243 under 15 years of age and 1 819 249 over 65 years of age), the result is a dependency ratio of 46.8 potentially passive people per 100 potentially active people. This ratio was 45.1 in 2000.

Life expectancy at birth in 2024 was 78.3 years, higher than the average for the Region of the Americas and 2.4 years higher that in 2000 (75.9).

Figure 1. Population pyramids of Cuba, years 2000 and 2024

Between 2002 and 2019, the average number of years of schooling in Cuba increased by 4.8%, reaching an average of 10.7 years in the latest year for which information is available. The unemployment rate in 2023 was 1.2%. Disaggregated by sex, the rate was 1.2% for women and 1.2% for men. The literacy rate was 99.9% in 2021. In men and women the rate was the same 99.9%.

During the period 2000-2022, the country improved its score on the Human Development Index, with an increase of 10.1% (from a score of 0.694 to a score of 0.764); during the same period, the index rose 14.6% internationally and 11.2% in Latin America (Figure 2).
 

Figure 2. Human Development Index in the Region of the Americas, 2022

In 2021, public expenditure on health accounted for 12.63% of gross domestic product (GDP) (Figure 3) and 21.48% of total public expenditure, while out-of-pocket spending on health accounted for 8.39% of total health expenditure.

Figure 3. Domestic general government health expenditure as percentage of gross domestic product, 2021

Digital coverage

In 2021, 71.1% of the population had an internet connection, representing a considerable increase from 2000, when .5% of the population had an internet connection.

Health situation

Maternal and child health

Between 2000 and 2021, infant mortality in Cuba increased from 7.2 to 7.6 deaths per 1000 live births, a decrease of 5.6% (Figure 4). The percentage of low-weight births (less than 2500 g) increased from 6.1% to 6.6% between 2000 and 2021, while exclusive breastfeeding in the child population up to 6 months of age was 52.8% in 2006 (the latest year for which information is available).

Regarding the immunization strategy, measles vaccination coverage was 100% in 2022, an increase of 6.0 percentage points from 2000.

Figure 4. Infant mortality per 1000 live births, 1995–2021

The maternal mortality ratio in 2020 was estimated at 39.3 deaths per 100 000 live births, representing a 16.5% reduction compared to the estimated value in 2000 (Figure 5). In relation to fertility, it is estimated that in 2024 women had an average of 1.4 children throughout their reproductive lives. In the specific case of adolescent fertility, there was a 1.1% decrease, from 48.8 live births per 1000 women aged 15 to 19 years in 2000 to 48.2 in 2024. In 2021, 99.9% of births were attended by skilled birth personnel. Between 2014 and 2019 the percentage of pregnant people who had four or more consultations for antenatal care decreased from 97.8% to 79.3%.

Figure 5. Maternal mortality per 100 000 live births, 2000–2020

Communicable diseases

In 2022, there were 6 new cases of tuberculosis per 100 000 population in Cuba. In 2019, the overall tuberculosis mortality rate (age-adjusted and per 100 000 population) was 0.3 (0.1 in women and 0.4 in men).

In 2022, the estimated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection incidence rate (new diagnoses) was 20 per 100 000 population. The age-adjusted mortality rate for HIV was 3.8 per 100 000 population in 2019. It should be noted that during the 2000-2019 period this indicator decreased by 227.6%.

Noncommunicable diseases and risk factors

In Cuba in 2023, the prevalence of tobacco use among people aged 15 and older was 15.9%. In the same age group, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 55.6% in 2022.

Also in 2016, 73.8% of the population reported insufficient physical activity. 

In 2015, the reported prevalence of arterial hypertension (high blood pressure) among people aged 18 years or older was 19%, a decrease of 6.2 percentage points compared to 2000 (25.2%). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus, which stood at 7.3% in 2000, increased to 8.4% in 2014.

Mortality

In 2019, the adjusted rate of potentially preventable premature mortality in Cuba was 210.9 deaths per 100 000 population, a decrease of 16.3% compared to the rate of 252 in 2000. This meant that in 2019 the rate in the country was 7% lower than the average rate reported for the Region of the Americas as a whole. Among potentially preventable premature deaths, the rate for preventable causes was 125.2 per 100 000 population in 2019, which is 8.7% lower than the regional average rate; and the rate for treatable causes was 85.7 per 100 000 population, below the regional average of 89.6.

The overall age-adjusted mortality rate was 5.3 per 1000 population in 2019, a decrease of 6.0% compared to 2000 (5.6 deaths per 1000 population).

When deaths are categorized into three main groups, it is observed that, in 2019, the age-adjusted mortality rate from communicable diseases was 49.3 per 100 000 population (59 per 100 000 in men and 40.7 per 100 000 in women), while the age-adjusted mortality rate from noncommunicable diseases was 431 per 100 000 population (519.6 per 100 000 in men and 353.7 per 100 000 in women). The rate of age-adjusted mortality from external causes was 45.5 per 100 000 population (62.9 per 100 000 in men and 28.3 per 100 000 in women), including road traffic accidents (7.4 per 100 000 population), homicides (5 per 100 000 population) and suicides (10.2 per 100 000 population). In 2000, the percentage distribution of causes was 81.3% for noncommunicable diseases, 8.8% for communicable diseases, and 9.9% for external causes; in 2019, the percentages were 83.3%, 9.2%, and 7.5%, respectively (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Proportional mortality in Cuba, 2000 and 2019

Cancer mortality

Regarding cancer mortality from tumors, in 2019, the adjusted mortality rate from prostate cancer was 32.2 per 100 000 men; lung cancer, 67.7 per 100 000; and colorectal cancer, 13.2 per 100 000. In women, these values were 15.8 deaths per 100 000 for breast cancer; 38.1 per 100 000 for lung cancer; and 14.4 per 100 000 for colorectal cancer.

The sources of the interagency indicators used in this profile can be found in this table.

For the latest data on health indicators for the Region of the Americas, be sure to visit the PAHO Core Indicators portal.

Additional Data Provided Directly by Cuba