Gained independence from Spain in 1898. President Fidel Castro Ruz since 1959. The official language is Spanish. GMT - 5. Some calls must be made through the international operator, and may be subject to delays.
Services are widely available.
Available at hotels. These may be sent from all post offices in Havana and from RCA offices in major hotels in large towns. Letters to Western Europe can take several weeks. It is advisable to use the airmail service. Papers are in Spanish, although the Communist Party daily newspaper, Granma , publishes a weekly edition, called Granma International , in English, Portuguese and French.