economy

Butterfly Jasmine.

The flag. Photo: © Karel Miragaya / 123RF

The National Assembly of People’s Power is the supreme organ of state power, represents the people and expresses their sovereign will� The Council of State is the organ of the National Assembly of People’s Power that represents it between one and another session; and that of Ministers, the highest executive and administrative body, and constitutes the Government of the Republic�

ECONOMY

Cuba continues updating its economic model, focused on the process of monetary and exchange rate reorganization, with the establishment of the Cuban peso as the only currency, in order to transform incomes, increase and diversify exports, substitute imports, perfect the state enterprise; and achieve the productive linkage with foreign investment and the non-state sector, which has more than half a million workers�

The Mariel Special Development Zone is making progress and tourism is being reaffirmed as one of the sectors that generates the most income�

NATIONAL SYMBOLS

The Flag

It is formed by a white star inside a red triangle, three blue stripes and two white stripes� It was flown for the first time in the

The trogon (Tocororo) is the national bird.

city of Cárdenas, Matanzas province, when in 1850 a group of Cubans rose up in arms against the Spanish colonial power�

National Anthem

It was composed by patriot Perucho Figueredo, who wrote the music in 1867 and the lyrics in 1868� Following is the English version:

Hasten to battle, men of Bayamo For the homeland looks proudly upon you. Do not fear a glorious death Because to die for the country is to live.

To live in chains Is to live in dishonor and ignominy. Hear the clarion call Hasten, brave ones, to battle!.

Shield

It has the shape of a pointed shield, in whose top field appears a golden key that symbolizes Cuba’s key position between the two Americas� The nascent sun embodies the emergence of a new nation, and the five stripes (three blue and two white) represent the departments in which the island was divided during the colonial period� The royal palm tree is a symbol of nobility and serene firmness, characteristics of the Cuban people�

National flower

The national flower is the White Ginger or Butterfly Jasmine, which grows on the