Skip to content
Nations Inquiry — home
Havana's famous malecón

Photo: Rastapopulous · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale

Topic 06 of 18 · Country Index 2026

Cuba: Development & Human Capital

Is a country turning its resources into better lives?

Cuba is placed 83rd of 196 countries on development & human capital in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Social Protection Coverage 63.9 (2025); Maternal Mortality Ratio 34.79 (2023).

Share

Development & Human Capital

83rd

of 196 countries placed

Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics

01The evidence

The 3 key statistics that decide it

Only these place Cuba on development & human capital — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys
  1. Key 1 of 3

    Social Protection Coverage

    International Labour Organization (ILO)

    Why it is a key

    Latest reading per country, 2015–2025 · Cuba’s is from 2022 · CC BY 4.0

    63.9

    Population covered by at least one social protection benefit (%)

    Higher is better

    Cuba: 63.9. Across the 209 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Somalia) to 100 (Switzerland); the world median is 52.1.

    World median
    52.1
    Best in Caribbean
    94.3 Aruba
  2. Key 2 of 3

    Maternal Mortality Ratio

    UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG)

    Why it is a key

    2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO

    34.79

    Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births

    Lower is better

    Cuba: 34.79. Across the 195 countries in this edition, values run from 0.11 (Cook Islands) to 992.83 (Nigeria); the world median is 46.65.

    World median
    46.65
    Best in Caribbean
    11.03 Puerto Rico
  3. Key 3 of 3

    Human Development Index

    UNDP Human Development Report Office

    Why it is a key

    2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO

    0.762

    HDI score (0–1)

    Higher is better

    Ranked 97th of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office

    Cuba: 0.762. Across the 193 countries in this edition, values run from 0.388 (South Sudan) to 0.972 (Iceland); the world median is 0.762.

    World median
    0.762
    Best in Caribbean
    0.851 Antigua and Barbuda

03In context

Cuba beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 196 countries on development & human capital, never a place within the region.

Caribbean
1st196thNot placed · 28 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on development & human capital

Cuba and Caribbean

Cuba has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 196; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.

CountryStandingSocial Protection CoveragePopulation covered by at least one social protection benefit (%)Maternal Mortality RatioMaternal deaths per 100,000 live birthsHuman Development IndexHDI score (0–1)
Puerto Rico63rd58.911.03—
Antigua and Barbuda66th65.434.570.851
Saint Kitts and Nevis67th90.273.520.84
Barbados79th56.734.880.811
Cuba83rd63.934.790.762
Trinidad and Tobago=85th57.254.080.807
Grenada92nd54.348.250.791
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines95th5255.840.798
Dominica96th53.235.550.761
Bahamas99th49.175.950.82
Dominican Republic=106th61124.470.776
Saint Lucia=110th40.143.960.748
Jamaica132nd32.6130.140.72
Haiti177th6.6327.560.554
Anguillanot placed68.9——
Arubanot placed94.3——
British Virgin Islandsnot placed78.3——
Cayman Islandsnot placed94.2——
Curaçaonot placed47.9——
Montserratnot placed81.2——
Saint Martinnot placed———
Sint Maartennot placed———
Turks and Caicos Islandsnot placed52.1——
United States Virgin Islandsnot placed66.7——

“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is

04Context, no vote

Where Cuba is ahead of the world, and behind

31 more statistics filed under development & human capital, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median19

Statistics on which Cuba does better than the middle country measured.

  • Violent Discipline of ChildrenUNICEF · 2025 · world median 75.841.6No earlier reading

    Cuba: 41.6 · world median 75.8 · Children aged 1-14 experiencing violent discipline (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 37.6 to 94; lower is better.

    Position 88th of 90 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Employment Injury Protection CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 45.9100No earlier reading

    Cuba: 100 · world median 45.9 · Labour force covered in the event of a work injury (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 9099▲ Improved since 2015

    Cuba: 99 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 9199▲ Improved since 2015

    Cuba: 99 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.003▼ Worsened since 2020

    Cuba: 0.003 · world median 0.039 · MPI (0–1). Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.517; lower is better.

    Position 96th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Low Birthweight PrevalenceUNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates) · 2020 · world median 10.217.062▲ Improved since 2010

    Cuba: 7.062 · world median 10.21 · Live births weighing under 2,500 g (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates), 2020 edition, data for 2020.

    Published values in that edition run from 3.993 to 27.44; lower is better.

    Position 120th of 158 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2020 dataset

  • Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 13.87.127No earlier reading

    Cuba: 7.127 · world median 13.8 · Children under 5 who are stunted (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.518 to 52.8; lower is better.

    Position 120th of 162 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Wasting Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 3.5462.044No earlier reading

    Cuba: 2.044 · world median 3.546 · Children under 5 who are wasted (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.1 to 22.74; lower is better.

    Position 119th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Life Expectancy at BirthUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 74.6378.09▼ Worsened since 2013

    Cuba: 78.09 · world median 74.63 · Years a newborn would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 54.46 to 86.37; higher is better.

    Position 66th of 222 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.266.811▼ Worsened since 2014

    Cuba: 6.811 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.

    Position 141st of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1344.255▼ Worsened since 2014

    Cuba: 4.255 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.

    Position 141st of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Under-Five Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 14.548.559▼ Worsened since 2014

    Cuba: 8.559 · world median 14.54 · Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.26 to 115.65; lower is better.

    Position 137th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Planetary pressures-adjusted HDIUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6780.723▼ Worsened since 2013

    Cuba: 0.723 · world median 0.678 · PHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.276 to 0.827; higher is better.

    Position 51st of 156 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Completeness of Birth RegistrationUNICEF · 2025 · world median 98.499.8No earlier reading

    Cuba: 99.8 · world median 98.4 · Children under 5 whose birth is registered (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 2.7 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.93310.63▼ Worsened since 2013

    Cuba: 10.63 · world median 9.933 · Mean years of schooling (adults 25+). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.412 to 14.3; higher is better.

    Position 81st of 193 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8582.301▼ Worsened since 2014

    Cuba: 2.301 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.

    Position 115th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.296▼ Worsened since 2013

    Cuba: 0.296 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.

    Ranked 75th of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Gender Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.9710.975▲ Improved since 2013

    Cuba: 0.975 · world median 0.971 · Gender Development Index (1.000 = parity). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.407 to 1.038; higher is better.

    Position 79th of 184 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3413.88▼ Worsened since 2013

    Cuba: 13.88 · world median 13.34 · Expected years of schooling. UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 5.635 to 21.69; higher is better.

    Position 89th of 195 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

Behind the world median8

Statistics on which Cuba does worse than the middle country measured.

  • Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 40.7440.55No earlier reading

    Cuba: 40.55 · world median 40.74 · Infants under 6 months exclusively breastfed (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 3.497 to 83.3; higher is better.

    Position 70th of 136 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.1638.994▼ Worsened since 2013

    Cuba: 8.994 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.

    Position 89th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Old-Age Pension CoverageILO · 2025 · world median 80.860.9No earlier reading

    Cuba: 60.9 · world median 80.8 · People above statutory pensionable age receiving an old-age pension (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Cereal YieldFAO · 2023 · world median 3,0722,070▼ Worsened since 2013

    Cuba: 2,070 · world median 3,072 · Cereal yield (kg per hectare). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 23 to 29,147; higher is better.

    Position 116th of 179 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Historical GDP per Capita (Maddison)GGDC · 2022 · world median 12,8907,649No real change since 2012

    Cuba: 7,649 · world median 12,890 · GDP per capita (2011 international $). Maddison Project, Groningen Growth and Development Centre (GGDC), 2022 edition, data for 2022.

    Published values in that edition run from 596.39 to 149,171; higher is better.

    Position 108th of 166 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2022 dataset

  • Productive Capacities IndexUNCTAD · 2022 · world median 46.6741.46No real change since 2012

    Cuba: 41.46 · world median 46.67 · Productive Capacities Index (1–100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2022 edition, data for 2022.

    Published values in that edition run from 17.8 to 71.02; higher is better.

    Position 130th of 195 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2022 dataset

  • Child MarriageUNICEF · 2025 · world median 17.129.4No earlier reading

    Cuba: 29.4 · world median 17.1 · Women 20–24 married before 18 (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 76.3; lower is better.

    Position 35th of 143 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Child and Family Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 23.750.2No earlier reading

    Cuba: 0.2 · world median 23.75 · Children or households with children receiving child or family cash benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

Level with the median, or no median to compare3

  • Access to ElectricityWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 100100▲ Improved since 2014

    Cuba: 100 · world median 100 · Population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 5.4 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Access to Electricity, RuralWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 100100▲ Improved since 2014

    Cuba: 100 · world median 100 · Rural population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.7 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Unemployment Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 00No earlier reading

    Cuba: 0 · world median 0 · Unemployed people receiving unemployment benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

No better end1

These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.

  • Children with Functional DifficultiesUNICEF · 2024 · world median 1311.5No earlier reading

    Cuba: 11.5 · world median 13 · Children aged 5-17 with a functional difficulty (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.9 to 35.2.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing

06The top of the list

Who leads on development & human capital

The three countries placed highest of 196, and the leaders Cuba can most readily be measured against.

All 196 countries
  1. 1

    Cook Islands

    Polynesia

    1st of 196 · 2 of 3 keys

    Photo: Benedict Adam · CC BY 2.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Norway

    Northern Europe

    2nd of 196 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  3. 3

    Denmark

    Northern Europe

    3rd of 196 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Americas

    Canada=27th3/3 keys
  2. Highest in Caribbean

    Puerto Rico63rd2/3 keys
  3. This page

    Cuba83rd3/3 keys

Positions out of 196 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

08Questions

Cuba on development & human capital: questions answered

Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.

How does Cuba rank on development & human capital?

Cuba is placed 83rd of 196 countries on Development & Human Capital in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Social Protection Coverage, Maternal Mortality Ratio and Human Development Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest Social Protection Coverage figure for Cuba?

63.9 in 2025 (population covered by at least one social protection benefit (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 52.1.

What is the latest Maternal Mortality Ratio figure for Cuba?

34.79 in 2023 (maternal deaths per 100,000 live births), according to UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG). The world median in the same edition was 46.65.

How have Cuba’s development & human capital figures changed?

Maternal Mortality Ratio fell from 48.2 in 2000 to 34.79 in 2023; Human Development Index rose from 0.697 in 2000 to 0.762 in 2023.

Which development & human capital statistics are missing for Cuba?

No current reading is published for Cuba on Account Ownership at a Financial Institution, Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Coefficient of Human Inequality, Comprehensive Wealth per Capita, Country Policy and Institutional Assessment, Disability Benefit Coverage, Foundational ID Ownership, GDP per Capita (PPP), GNI per Capita (PPP), Human Capital Index, Human Capital Wealth per Capita, Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP), Multidimensional Poverty Measure, Net Official Development Assistance Received, Official Development Assistance Given (% of GNI), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up Estimates, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Prosperity Gap and Statistical Performance Indicators. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.

09Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

Poverty lines, inequality and aid received are published here as context rather than as keys, often because they cover fewer countries or are measured too rarely. Development is also not the same as economic size or growth, which belong to Economy & Innovation.

About development & human capital, in full

How the Development & Human Capital standing is decided

A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.

The development & human capital method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built

The key statistics and their licences

The other 31 statistics on this page come from 13 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

Cuba’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Cuba: Development & Human Capital — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/cuba/development

Feedback

Feedback

How are we doing?

Two answers are required — a rating and your email. The rest is up to you.