Expats In Cuba

As the number of expats in Cuba continues to grow there is no doubt that the country is now registering on the radar of more and more people. However, to many others Cuba is still something of a mystery because this country has been hidden away under a socialist government for many years. Indeed it is only this year that Fidel Castro relinquished some of his control over the country and a movement towards a more free market and open economy began.

The economy

While the Cuban economy showed growth of 2.7% through 2011, just under the 3% forecast, it is the control of prices and services by the government which is of major concern. There are some areas of the economy which are effectively "free markets" and while the percentage of free trade continues to grow there is still a lot of work to be done. Investors would be reluctant to pump their hard earned cash into an economy which is effectively rigged regarding prices and services and a free-market economy is the only answer.

Climate

As with so many countries in South America and Central America, the Cuban climate is often misunderstood with many assumptions made. As we touched on above, there is most definitely a rainy season and a dry season although it is the emergence of more than the country's fair share of hurricanes which should make expats wonder about exactly which part of the country they wish to live in.

Demographics

Even though Cuba has for many years now been cut off from the international arena it certainly has more than its fair share of immigrants from overseas. It seems that the first influx of immigrants came from Spain in the late 1800s although they have been followed by immigrants from the UK, Ireland, Portugal, the US and a whole host of other countries. This may well surprise many people bearing in mind the tightknit nature of the political scene in the country.

Social scene

The social scene within Cuba is very reminiscent of the traditional South American/Central American and Spanish social scenes. Families are very important to the Cuban population and indeed much of the traditional Cuban way of life and culture revolves around family circles. However, as we see more and more influence from expats from the likes of Europe we have seen a slight dilution of the Cuban culture and the Cuban way of life.

The future of Cuba

Despite the fact that great progress has been made of late with regards to the opening up of the Cuban economy and free market access to overseas investors there is still much work to be done. Many experts believe that significant capital is now required to kickstart the economy and bring in a number of changes which will take time and will in some cases be painful. However, the politicians have most certainly set out on a very difficult but a potentially very lucrative track for a Cuba and it is hoped that they will not be deterred by short-term influences.