Why is Havana in Cuba shrinking?

[bailey_187]

According to The Economist Pocket World in Figures, Havana's population is shrinking by 1.4% (annualy i think). All the other cities listed as shrinking are for the most part in Russia and Eastern Europe(which i guess is due to collapse of industry, fall in birth rate etc, but thats not what this threads about).

Why is Cuba's capital shrinking then?

BTW, this is absolutly in no way an attack on Cuba, but a question, as many people on this forum are quite knowledgable on Cuba. All the fastest growing cities listed are in Africa where people are forced to live in shanty towns and slums upon arival, so it seems the situation in Cuba is not all that bad

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

Emigration?

(There are shanty towns in Havana, also.)

[bailey_187]

Emigration?

Internal? Why though?



(There are shanty towns in Havana, also.)

did no know this, but im guessing they are not like the slums of Nigeria, Angola etc?

[Rusty Shackleford]

Maybe because Capitols dont have to be the most populated or grandest of places?

but yeah, im guessing emigration.


populations move internally very often. mostly, it has to do with economics.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

Internal? Why though?



did no know this, but im guessing they are not like the slums of Nigeria, Angola etc?

I reckon both internal and external emigration are fairly common. I don't know any detailed statistics, but I fancy there might possibly places with better employment opportunities, though this might reverse with how the reforms proceed, which might lead to larger concentration in the city.

I don't fancy they are any different - they consist of improvised shacks - but they aren't anywhere near as large.

Picture:

http://i52.tinypic.com/2crvng0.jpg

[brigadista]

empowerment of Cuban women perhaps? taking control over their fertility possibly? if so implies a very good family planning programme and education.. but I dont know.....

[bailey_187]

Maybe because Capitols dont have to be the most populated or grandest of places?

why so defensive




populations move internally very often. mostly, it has to do with economics.

yeah, but its rare for developing countries to see declines in city populations. what economic condititons in Cuba are causing people to move out of the capital this though?

Aa far as i know, Cuba isnt suffering a mass decline in industry like Russia, which has cities that dominate the list of shrinking cities

[bailey_187]

empowerment of Cuban women perhaps? taking control over their fertility possibly? if so implies a very good family planning programme and education.. but I dont know.....

hmm, this could be a contributing factor, Cuba is also on the list for slowest growing population (0.02% per year)

[bailey_187]

http://i52.tinypic.com/2crvng0.jpg

never seen pics like this before, your right, it doesnt look nice,but it doesnt seem as bad as:
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTSIhIgqm7q7ecyd4KW0ExqNQWjbvifZ mvEVicLi57x6EESz0xm&t=1


But anyway, this isnt important, was just trying to point out im not attacking cuba

[brigadista]

when I was there didnt see any large families and i went all over the island but im no authority

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

why so defensive



yeah, but its rare for developing countries to see declines in city populations. what economic condititons in Cuba are causing people to move out of the capital this though?

Aa far as i know, Cuba isnt suffering a mass decline in industry like Russia, which has cities that dominate the list of shrinking cities

Although this is true, it is worth to note that Cuba never had anywhere near the industrial development of the Soviet Union (the Soviet Union actively worked against it at times, I think this was why Che was gotten rid off from the Ministry of Industry); and that prior to the revolution, Havana was quite dependent on the tourist industry (and sadly still remains quite so). This lack of industrial development coupled with the decline of Havana as a primary tourist destination - with the advent of the newer more isolated hotel complexes further to the east - might be partially responsible for this decline.

[brigadista]

found this

Cuba's Population Reaches 11.2 Million People
2011-04-07
http://www.npfpc.gov.cn/en/detail.aspx?articleid=110408174418703200

HAVANA-- Cuba's population increased to 11.241 million people by the end of 2010, the Cuban National Statistics Office (NSO) said Wednesday, releasing the latest data on population growth of the Caribbean island nation.

Some 75 percent of Cuba's population, or 8.466 million people, reside in urban areas while only 2.775 million Cubans live in rural areas, the NSO said, adding the population is made up with 5.612 million women and 5.629 million men.

Cuba plans to carry out a new census in September 2012 on population and housing developments that will cover the entire population of the country, Jose Carlos Puente Smith, director of the NSO, recently said.

The survey will update the total number and characteristics of the current Cuban population and will provide reliable demographic, social and economic data useful for the decisions of the government, said Puente.

Calls have been growing for Cuban authorities to update the information on housing conditions as more than 1 million of the 3.9 million houses in the country have been affected by natural disasters since the last census was carried out eight years ago.

A total of 17 censuses have been carried out in Cuba's history, with the first known census developed in 1774 and the last in September 2002.

[Rusty Shackleford]

why so defensive
i didnt mean to come off so defensive :lol:




yeah, but its rare for developing countries to see declines in city populations. what economic condititons in Cuba are causing people to move out of the capital this though?

Aa far as i know, Cuba isnt suffering a mass decline in industry like Russia, which has cities that dominate the list of shrinking cities


Well, since the global recession, cuba's revenues have taken a hit so maybe certain industries in the cities are being transferred or shut down in favor of other industries elsewhere in response to the crisis?

they also had to allow for some small private enterprise too unfortunately. maybe these new businesses arent havana centeral.

[S.Artesian]

Anybody check into fertility rates; live births per 1000 women, that sort of thing? Has that declined? That seems like the most likely explanation, that and/or declining emigration from the countryside.