 Map of the Cuban Diaspora in the world | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Cubans: ~13.9 million (2024) Diaspora: ~4.2 million | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Cuba 9,748,532 (2024)[1][2][3] | |
 United States | 2,568,036 (2023)[4][5] |
 Spain | 223,532 (2023)[6][7] |
 Brazil | 50,355 (2024)[8] |
 Mexico | 25,976 (2020)** |
 Uruguay | 24,485 (2020)[5] |
 Italy | 23,531 (2023)** |
 Canada | 19,545 (2021)[9][10] |
 Chile | 19,068 (2022) |
 Venezuela | 10,769 (2020)[11] |
 Ecuador | 10,768 (2022)[12][11] |
 Germany | 9,185 (2022)[13] |
 Puerto Rico | 8,891 (2023)[14] |
 Costa Rica | 6,908 (2020)[11] |
 France | 5,466 (2020)[11] |
 Switzerland | 3,574 (2020)[11] |
 Dominican Republic | 3,402 (2020)[11] |
 Peru | 3,170 (2020)[11] |
 Sweden | 2,992 (2020)[11] |
 Colombia | 2,534 (2020)[11] |
 Trinidad and Tobago | 2,412 (2020)[11] |
 United Kingdom | 2,333 (2020)[11] [15][16][17] |
 Russia | 2,224 (2020)[11] |
 Panama | 2,194 (2020)[11] |
 Australia | 1,021 (2023)[11] |
 Bolivia | 1,971 (2020)[11] |
 Belgium | 1,926 (2020)[11] |
 Portugal | 1,858 (2020)[11] |
 South Africa | 1,846 (2020)[11] |
 Jamaica | 1,825 (2020)[11] |
 Guinea | 1,714 (2020)[11] |
 Netherlands | 1,501 (2020)[11] |
 Haiti | 1,185 (2020)[11] |
 Argentina | 1,116 (2020)[11][18][19] |
| Languages | |
| Cuban Spanish,Lucumí,English (Miami accent),Spanglish,Cubonics | |
| Religion | |
| Majority: Roman Catholicism[20] Minority: Irreligion,Protestantism,Santería,Ifá,Palo,Judaism,Islam[21] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| · Puerto Ricans · Floridanos · Spaniards · Africans · Taíno · Canarians · Catalans · Galicians · Andalusians · Portuguese · French | |
Cubans (Spanish:Cubanos) are the citizens and nationals ofCuba. The Cuban people have varied origins with the most spoken language beingSpanish. The larger Cubandiaspora includes individuals that trace ancestry to Cuba andself-identify as Cuban but are not necessarilyCuban by citizenship. The United States has the largest Cuban population in the world after Cuba.
The modern nation of Cuba, located in theCaribbean, emerged as an independent country following theSpanish-American War of 1898, which led to the end of Spanish colonial rule. The subsequent period of American influence, culminating in the formalindependence of Cuba in 1902, initiated a complex process of national identity formation. This identity is characterized by a blend of IndigenousTaíno, African, and Spanish cultural elements, reflecting a uniquemulticultural heritage. TheCuban Revolution of 1959, which broughtFidel Castro topower, marked a significant turning point as it transformed the political landscape, reinforced a sense of national identity centered around revolutionary andsocialist ideals and led to the continuingCuban exodus, establishing the Cuban Diaspora.
The population of Cuba was 11,167,325 inhabitants in 2012.[22]The largest urban populations of Cubans in Cuba (2012) are to be found inHavana (2,106,146),Santiago de Cuba (506,037),Holguín (346,195),Camagüey (323,309),Santa Clara (240,543) andGuantánamo (228,436).[23] According to Cuba's Oficina Nacional de Estadisticas ONE 2012 Census, the population was 11,167,325 including: 5,570,825 men and 5,596,500 women.
| Year | White / % | Mulatto/ Mestizo / % | Black / % | East Asian (Amarillo) / % | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1774 | 96,440 | 56.2 | 75,180 / 43.8 |  171,620 | |||||
| 1861 | 793,484 | 56.8 | 603,046 / 43.2 | 1,396,530 | |||||
| 1899 | 1,052,397 | 67.9 | 270,805 | TBD | 234,738 | TBD | 14,857 | TBD | 1,572,797 |
| 1943 | 3,553,312 | 74.3 | 743,113 | 15.6 | 463,227 | 9.7 | 18,931 | 0.4 | 4,778,583 |
| 2002 | 7,271,926 | 65.0 | 2,658,675 | 24.86 | 1,126,894 | 10,08 | 112,268 | 1,02 | 11,177,743 |
| 2012 | 7,160,399 | 64.1 | 2,972,882 | 26.6 | 1,034,044 | 9.3 | - | - |  11,167,325 |
In the 2012 Census of Cuba, 64.1% of the inhabitants self-identified aswhite. Based ongenetic testing (2014) in Cuba, the average percentages of European, African and Native American ancestry in those auto-reporting to be white were 86%, 6.7%, and 7.8%, respectively.[27] The majority of the European ancestry comes from Spain.
The Afro-Cuban population was 9.3% in the 2012 Census of Cuba. Just about 1.3 million Cubans described themselves asblack.[22] Thus a significant proportion of those living on the island affirm some sub-Saharan African ancestry.
Based on genetic testing in 2014, the average African, European and Native American ancestry in those self-reporting to be "negro (Black)" was 65.5% "African", 29% "European" ancestry and 5.5% "Native American" or other ancestry.[27]
Although Afro-Cubans can be found throughout Cuba,Eastern Cuba has a higher concentration of Blacks than other parts of the island.Havana has the largest population of blacks of any city in Cuba.[28]
In the 2012 Census of Cuba, 26.6% (2.97 million) of the Cubans self-identified asmulatto ormestizo.[29]
Officially calledamarilla (yellow in English) in the Cuban census,[30] Cubans of East Asian origins made up 1.02% of the population in the 2002 Census of Cuba. They are primarily made up of ethnic Chinese who are descendants ofindentured laborers who came in the 19th century to buildrailroads and work inmines. Historically, Chinese descendants in Cuba were once classified as "white".[31]
The number of people identifying asTaíno has not been formally recorded. Most of them live on the eastern part of the island, notably in Granma, Guantánamo, and Las Tunas.
The intermixing between European settlers and the nativeTaíno was prevalent in the early colonial era. Their mixed-race descendants have been historically undercounted.
According to a 2018genome-wide data study, the eastern region of the island had an average Native American ancestry contribution of 10%, as compared to an average of 5% in the rest of the island.[32]
Additionally, many North American Indians living inSpanish missions in Georgia andFlorida were evacuated toSpanish Cuba along with the fleeing Spanish settlers following the loss ofSpanish Florida. As a result, descendants of theCalusa,Tequesta,Timucua and other now-extinctindigenous peoples of Florida have been assimilated into the mainstream Cuban population. They comprise part of Cuba's Amerindian genetic makeup.
Intermarriage between diverse groups is so frequent as to be the rule.[33]
Cuba'sbirth rate (9.88 births per thousand population in 2006)[34] is one of the lowest in the Western Hemisphere. Its overall population increased from around 7 million in 1961 to 11 million today, but the rate of increase slowed over time and has recently turned to a decrease, with the Cuban government in 2006 reporting the first drop in the population since theMariel boatlift. Immigration and emigration have had noticeable effects on the demographic profile of Cuba during the 20th century. Between 1900 and 1930, close to a million Spaniards migrated to the island.
Since 1959, over two million Cubans have left the island, primarily toMiami, Florida, where a vocal, well-educated and economically successfulexilecommunity exists.[35]
Anautosomal study from 2014 found the genetic ancestry in Cuba to be 72% European, 20% African and 8% Amerindian.[27] Of note, there is high variability between regions within Cuba, with individuals from Western provinces having higher European ancestry on average, and those in the Eastern region having more African and Native American genetic contribution.[32] Cubangenealogy has become a rising interest for Cubans in the last 15 years.[36]
A 1995 study done on the population ofPinar del Río, found that 50% of theMt-DNA lineages (female lineages) could be traced back to Europeans, 46% to Africans and 3% to Americans. This figure is consistent with both the historical background of the region, and the current demographics of it. According to another study in 2008, regarding the geographical origin attributed to each mtDNA haplogroup, 55% of the sequences found in Cubans are of West Eurasian origin (namely, Europe and the Middle East) and 45% of African origin[37]RegardingY-chromosome haplogroups (male lineages), 78.8% of the sequences found in Cubans are of West Eurasian origin, 19.7% of African origin and 1.5% of East Asian origin. Among the West Eurasian fraction, the vast majority of individuals belong to West Europeanhaplogroup R1b. The African lineages found in Cubans have a Western (haplogroupsE1,E2,E1b1a ) and Northern (E1b1b-M81 ) African origin. The North African haplogroup E1b1b1b (E-M81), is found at a frequency of 6.1%.[37]
According to Fregel et al. (2009), the fact that autochthonous male E-M81 and female U6 lineages from the Canaries have been detected in Cuba and Iberoamerica, demonstrates that Canary Islanders with indigenousGuanche ancestors actively participated in the American colonization.[38]
The United States has the largest number of Cubans outside Cuba. As of 2023, theUnited States Census Bureau'sAmerican Community Survey showed a total population of 1,450,808 Cuban immigrants.[39] As of 2015, 68% of Cuban-born residents of the United States havenaturalized[40] automatically losing their Cuban citizenship.[41] Significant populations of Cubans exist in the cities ofHialeah andMiami inFlorida (995,439 Cubans in this state in 2017) and inTexas (60,381),New Jersey (44,974),California (35,364),New York (26,875), and Illinois (22,541)[42]
The second largest Cuban diaspora is in Spain. As of 2019, there were 151,423 Cubans in Spain.[6] Smaller numbers of Cubans live inBrazil,Uruguay,[43]Italy*,Mexico*, andCanada.[44]
After the founding of the republic in 1902, a considerable migration (over 1 million) arrived from theIberian peninsula to the island, between them were more than a few former Spanish soldiers who participated in the wars, and yet it never created an obstacle for the respect and affection of Cubans, who have always been proud of their origins.[45]In December 2008, Spain began accepting citizenship applications from the descendants of people who went into exile after its brutal 1936-39 Civil War, part of a 2007 law meant to address the painful legacy of the conflict. This newHistorical Memory Law has granted to more than 140,000 Cubans ofSpanish ancestry theSpanish citizenship, and there were 143,048 Cubans with Spanish citizenship in Cuba and 93,004 in Spain on January 1, 2019.[6] Under the law, the descendants had until December 2011 to present themselves at the Spanish embassy in their home country and turn in documentation that proves their parents or grandparents fled Spain between 1936 and 1955. They did not need to relinquish their current citizenship.[46][47]
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The first people known to have inhabited Cuba was theSiboney, anAmerindian people. They were followed by another Amerindian people, theTaíno who were the main population both of Cuba and other islands inThe Antilles whenChristopher Columbus first sighted the island in 1492. He claimed the islands for Spain and Cuba became aSpanish colony. It was to remain so until 1902 apart from a brief occupation byBritain in 1762, before being returned in exchange forFlorida.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Spain had lost most of its American possessions and a series ofrebellions had shaken Cuba. This, combined with calls for annexation of Cuba in the United States, led to theSpanish–American War, and in 1902 Cuba gained formal independence.[48]
During the first decades of the 20th century, USA interests were dominant and in Cuba, leading to large influence over the island. This ended in 1959 whende facto leaderFulgencio Batista was ousted byrevolutionaries led byFidel Castro. Quickly deterioratingrelations with the US led to Cuba's alliance with the Soviet Union and Castro's transformation of Cuba into a declaredsocialist republic. Cuban soldiers weresent overseas to fight in theAngolan Civil War andOgaden War in the 1970s-1980s. Castro remained in power until 2008, first asPrime Minister then from 1976 asPresident of Cuba. Fidel was succeeded by his brotherRaúl Castro.[citation needed]Miguel Díaz-Canel succeeds the brothers Fidel and Raúl Castro, making him the first non-Castro leader of Cuba since the revolution in 2018.Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel y Bermúdez (Spanish: [mi.ˈɣel ˈdi.as kaˈnel]; born 20 April 1960) is a politician and engineer who is the third first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba.
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The culture of Cuba reflects the island's influences from various cultures, primarilyEuropean (Spanish),Taino and African.
One of the most distinctive parts of Cuban culture isCuban music and dancing, being well-known far outside the country. Well known Hispanic music styles such asmambo,salsa,rumba,cha-cha-chá,bolero, andson originated in Cuba. The origins of much of Cuban music can be found in the mix of Spanish and West African music, while American musical elements such as trombones andbig band were also significant elements in the formation of Cuban music.Cuban literature includes some of the most well-known names of the islands, such as writer and independence heroJosé Martí in the late 19th century. More contemporary Cuban authors includeDaína Chaviano,Pedro Juan Gutiérrez,Antonio Orlando Rodríguez,Zoé Valdés andLeonardo Padura Fuentes.[49]
TheSpanish language is spoken by virtually all Cubans on the island itself.Cuban Spanish is characterized by the reduction of several consonants, a feature that it shares with other dialects ofCaribbean Spanish as well as theCanary Islands. Many Cuban-Americans, while remaining fluent in Spanish, useAmerican English as one of their daily languages.[50]
Cuba's prevailing religion isRoman Catholicism, although in some instances it is profoundly modified and influenced throughsyncretism. A common syncretic religion isSantería, which combined theYoruba religion of the African slaves with some Catholicism; it shows similarities toBrazilianUmbanda and has been receiving a degree of official support.[51]
TheRoman Catholic Church estimates that 60 percent of the population is Catholic,[52] with 10 percent attending mass regularly,[53] while independent sources estimate that as few 1.5 percent of Catholics do so.[54]
Membership inProtestant churches is estimated to be 5 percent and includesBaptists,Pentecostals,Seventh-day Adventists,Presbyterians, Episcopal Church of Cuba|Episcopalians,Methodists,Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), andLutherans. Other groups include theGreek Orthodox Church, theRussian Orthodox Church,Jehovah's Witnesses,Hindus,Muslims,Buddhists,Jews,Baháʼís, andthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Cuba is home to a variety of syncretic religions of largely African cultural origin. According to a US State Department report,[52] some sources estimate that as much as 80 percent of the population consults with practitioners of religions with West African roots, such as Santeria or Yoruba. Santería developed out of the traditions of theYoruba, one of the African peoples who were imported to Cuba during the 16th through 19th centuries to work on the sugar plantations. Santería blends elements ofChristianity andWest African beliefs and as such made it possible for the slaves to retain their traditional beliefs while appearing to practice Catholicism. La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre (Our Lady Of Charity) is the Catholic patroness of Cuba, and is greatly revered by the Cuban people and seen as a symbol of Cuba. In Santería, she has been syncretized with the goddessOchún. The important religious festival "La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre" is celebrated by Cubans annually on 8 September. Other religions practised arePalo Monte, andAbakuá, which have large parts of their liturgy in African languages.
Theflag of Cuba is red, white, and blue; and was first adopted byNarciso López on a suggestion by the poetMiguel Teurbe Tolón. The design incorporates three blue stripes, representing the three provinces of the time (Oriente, Centro, and Occidente), and two white stripes symbolizing the purity of the patriotic cause. The red triangle stands for the blood shed to free the nation. The white star in the triangle stands for independence.[55]
Artículo 32.- Los cubanos no podrán ser privados de su ciudadanía, salvo por causas legalmente establecidas. Tampoco podrán ser privados del derecho a cambiar de esta. No se admitirá la doble ciudadanía. En consecuencia, cuando se adquiera una ciudadanía extranjera, se perderá la cubana. La ley establece el procedimiento a seguir para la formalización de la perdida de la ciudadanía y las autoridades facultadas para idirlo. / (English translation) Dual citizenship will not be admitted. Consequently, when foreign citizenship is acquired, Cuban citizenship will be lost.
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