LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Cuba: Cuba Trade
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Before the 1959 Revolution, Cuba was a popular tourist destination for United States citizens. Since the Revolution, Cuba has been subjected to a trade and travel embargo by the United States. While travel between the two neighbors is restricted, it is still possible, though illegal for US citizens.
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Cuba by cracking down on illegal travel there while promoting increased Cuban migration here is a domestic political move, not a thoughtful act of foreign policy. Travel and trade have brought about impressive change in China and Vietnam. They can accomplish the same in Cuba — if given the chance.
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A series of recent economic agreements between Cuba and China have strengthened trade between the two countries. Sino-Cuban trade totaled more than $525 million in 2004, according to China Customs statistics. This represents an increase of more than 47% over 2003. Most of China’s aid involves in-kind supply of goods or technical assistance. During President Hu-Jintao’s visit to Cuba in November 2004, China signed investment-related memorandums of understanding (MOUs) estimated at more than $500 million, according to press reports. If these MOUs are fully realized, they would represent a sharp increase in known Chinese investments in Cuba.
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Cuba, and its capital Havana have become one of the first tourist destinations in the Caribbean. The island (the biggest of the area) with 110,860 sq. km. (44,200 sq. mi.) have a population of 11 million, and its capital, Havana a population of 2 million. Other major cities are Santiago de Cuba, Camaguey, Santa Clara, Holguin, Guantanamo, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, and Pinar del Rio. The terrain is mostly flat or gently rolling plains, with some hills and mountains up to 2,000 meters (6,000 ft.). The climate is tropical, moderated by trade winds, with two main seasons: dry season (November-April), and rainy season (May-October). The official language is Spanish.
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Cuba currently trades with almost every nation in the world, albeit with restrictions from the U.S. embargo. Trade with the United States is restricted to cash-only transactions for food and medicine. Any company that deals with Cuba risks problems dealing with the United States, so internationally operating companies may be forced to choose between Cuba and the United States, which is a far larger market. This extraterritorial U.S. legislation is considered highly controversial, and the U.S. embargo was condemned for the 13th time in 2004 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, by 179 countries (out of 183 voting). The main current trading partners of Cuba are: Venezuela, China, Spain, Canada and, the Netherlands.
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Cuba's once-ambitious foreign policy has been scaled back and redirected as a result of economic hardship and the end of the Cold War. Cuba aims to find new sources of trade, aid, and foreign investment and to promote opposition to U.S. policy, especially the trade embargo and the 1996 Libertad Act. Cuba has relations with over 160 countries and has civilian assistance workers--principally physicians and nurses--in more than 20 nations.
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