Castro's rule was severely tested in the aftermath of the Soviet collapse

Food shortages were similar to North Korea; priority was given to the elite classes and the military, while ordinary people had little to eat

Cuba has found a new source of aid and support from China, and new allies in Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela and Evo Morales, President of Bolivia, both major oil and gas exporters

On July 31, 2006 Fidel Castro temporarily delegated his major duties to his brother, First Vice President, Raúl Castro, while Fidel recovered from surgery for an acute intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding

In February 2008 Fidel announced his resignation as President of Cuba, and on 24 February Raúl was elected as the new President

The European Union in 2003 accused the Castro regime of "continuing flagrant violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms".

The United States continues an embargo against the island of Cuba "so long as it continues to refuse to move toward democratization and greater respect for human rights".

United States President Barack Obama stated on April 17, 2009 that "the United States seeks a new beginning with Cuba", and reversed the Bush Administration’s prohibition on travel by Cuban-Americans from the United States to Cuba.

Cuba has the highest doctor-to-population ratio in the world and has sent thousands of doctors to more than 40 countries around the world

According to the UN, the life expectancy in Cuba is 78.3 years (76.2 for males and 80.4 for females)

This ranks Cuba 37th in the world and 3rd in the Americas, behind only Canada and Chile, and just ahead of the United States.

Infant mortality in Cuba declined from 32 (infant deaths per 1,000 live births) in 1957, to 10 in 1990–95

Infant mortality in 2000–2005 was 6.1 per 1,000 live births (compared to 6.8 in the USA)

Recent years have seen a trend towards more private sector employment. By the year 2006, public sector employment was 78% and private sector 22%, compared to 91.8% to 8.2% in 1981

The average wage at the end of 2005 was 334 regular pesos per month ($16.70 per month) and the average pension was $9 per month

Tourism was initially restricted to enclave resorts where tourists would be segregated from Cuban society, referred to as "enclave tourism" and "tourism apartheid“

Thecommunist agricultural production system was ridiculed by Raúl Castro in 2008. Cuba now imports up to 80% of its food

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cu.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Cuba

http://www.cubatrade.org/

http://www.cubapolidata.com/gpc/gpc.html