Cuba Publishes Partial Final Statistics from 2012 Census
HAVANA TIMES – Cuba’s National Bureau of Statistics and Information published today a summary of the final results of some indicators investigated in the Population and Housing Census in 2012.
The census confirms the trend of population aging on the island, and the reduction of its total population, now 11,167,325 inhabitants, less than a decade ago.
The statistics also reveal that the country increased the number of homes in some 354 000, compared to the previous census in 2002, and currently has 3,882,424 houses and apartments.
The proportion of married adults is 56.8 % nationally, while 21.7% stated they were living together. The indicator does not reflect the status of unions between persons of the same sex, an issue denounced at the time by LGBT activists on the island.
These results are a first preview of the information contained in the census that will be published gradually, said Juan Carlos Alfonso, national Census director at a press conference.
The ‘Devil is in the details’ in this census. The Cuban population is aging rapidly. The increase in public health care costs along with a decrease in the size of the labor pool should be of grave concern to Cuban demographers. Cuban productivity is very low and one way to motivate workers to improve productivity is to increase salaries. However, even lapdog Cuban economists know that to increase salaries without a corresponding increase in productivity is inflationary. An aging population is also less likely to revolt. So while it may be in the economy’s best interest to placate and motivate the youth to stay on the island and have babies, young people are also more likely to demand political reform. Older folks costs more money but are more likely to support the status quo. The Castros seem to be focused on the here and now and their cosmetic reforms reflect an agenda to simply stay in power despite the costs to the long-term. Current policies eschew the demands that a dwindling young population would desire, like 3D movie theaters, for the lesser good served by maintaining tight controls. This census reflects policies that favor maintaining the Castro regime over providing a better future for young Cubans.