Is Cuba A Third World Country?

Cuba has been a popular travel destination for its lovely weather, stunning beaches, friendly people, and affordable travel options. Depending on who you ask, many consider Cuba to be either a third-world country or an underdeveloped country. But is Cuba a third-world country, or is that just a common misconception?

As of 2022, Cuba would be considered a third-world country by certain standards. However, it would be more appropriate to classify Cuba as either a low-income country or a developing country. That said, Cuba has a lot of wonderful qualities that make it a much more beautiful country than many people might realize. 

Outside of Cuba’s famous resorts, there is a lot to explore about Cuba that would make it much easier to classify them as a developing country. 

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Is Cuba A Third World Country?

Cuba is considered a third-world country by much of the world. The economy in Cuba does have some improvements to be made. In terms of essentials like housing and food, there are some areas of Cuba that experience a shortage in terms of availability. The job market is also fairly slim in Cuba, with little opportunity for Cubans to create their own job opportunities. 

Recent studies have found, however, that Cuba ranks quite high when looking at human development. This includes factors such as life expectancy and quality of education. It also includes the condition of its environment and how it has been either protected or exploited. The country’s natural environment has been taken care of extremely well by both the government and the citizens. 

Due to the government’s structure in Cuba, there isn’t much of an income gap based on occupation. The salary for each job, regardless of education or skill level, remains around the same. The government has a huge say in how much money a person can make in Cuba. For those who work in Cuba’s tourism industry, there is the potential to make more money through earning tips. 

Why Classifying A Country As Third World Is No Longer Accurate 

The meaning of what constitutes a third-world country has changed since the terminology was coined. At first, a country’s status as either first, second, or third-world was related to its allies. As such, who countries had certain agreements with and how they were involved in the UN and NATO would determine their classification. 

The meaning changed around the 1990s to describe a country’s economic situation, as well as how it was set up in terms of innovation. There is also the public’s perception of what constitutes a third-world country, which can lead to the average person misclassifying a country based on opinion rather than tangible evidence. 

As such, trying to classify a country as the first, second, or third-world is no longer considered accurate, as it can mean different things to different people. This is above and beyond the negative connotations associated with this terminology. Instead, the more appropriate terminology that paints a clearer picture of a country’s overall condition would be underdeveloped, developing, or developed. 

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Is Cuba A Developed, Developing, Or Undeveloped Country?

Cuba would be considered a developing country, though some might argue it is underdeveloped in some aspects. Even though the U.S. embargo that has existed on Cuba had initially had a negative impact on Cuba, the people and the government were able to find alternative methods to ensure they could produce what they needed to live on the island. 

As such, Cuba has been able to become quite innovative in terms of agriculture and creating food sources. They were able to do so without exploiting the environment, and this has also led to new ways to generate some movement in the economy. For example, the government called for people to use balconies to grow small gardens for themselves, which helped to generate food sources for individual families. 

The Communist structure of Cuba’s government is also part of the reason the country is classified as developing. The government has a lot of say in the daily lives of Cubans. There is not as much potential in Cuba to start your own business or earn a substantial income, which could be good or bad depending on how you look at it. 

Cuba’s Economic Structure 

Since the economy plays so heavily into a country’s classification, it’s important to look at Cuba’s economic structure to determine how it has earned its classification and third world or developing. Cuba is known for having very little economic freedom in terms of earning potential and business venture opportunities. That said, Cuba has been experiencing somewhat of an increase in economic security over the last few years. 

Taxes are also pretty high in Cuba. For individuals, the income tax rate goes as high as 50%, and for corporations, it goes as high as 30%. Government spending is also fairly high, at almost 70%. There are not a lot of privately owned businesses in Cuba, as the government doesn’t allow for it. 

One point of contention for many Cubans is the inability to start a business, as well as the severe limitations on owning property or transportation. This has led to some unrest in Cuba as of late. There are some people who are self-employed, mainly in the retail sector. 

Due to the embargoes in place, there is not a lot of trade coming in and out of Cuba. This has caused some economic strain on the country for many years, and it doesn’t seem as though it’ll change anytime soon. It is also very difficult for citizens to own property, as the government owns the majority of homes and other structures in the country. 

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What Makes Cuba A Popular Tourist Destination 

While Cuba has had its fair share of financial crises, the government has been aware that investing in creating beautiful tourist resorts would be part and parcel with feeding the economy through tourism. The country and its government has created a variety of resort areas with attractive amenities and affordable prices. 

Cuba has also been ranked as one of the most sustainable countries due to their efforts to reduce their carbon emissions. The country, as a whole, also believes that keeping the environment clean and protecting its natural resources is a major priority. Tourists can easily see the fruition of these efforts by how stunning the country is, how clean the water is, and how lovely the ecosystem is. 

Due to these environmental efforts, which can rival the efforts of many other countries in the world, the government and the citizens of Cuba have been able to avoid exploiting the lush nature, any available resources, and keep the land pristine and as free of waste as possible. Their coral reef system is one of the healthiest in the world. 

How Cuba Compares To Western Countries 

The culture in Cuba is vastly different than in Western countries. For example, Cubans don’t rely on large supermarket chains to supply them with food and other household essentials. It’s common for some Cubans with balconies or available land to grow some of their own food, or shop at smaller markets for other essentials. 

The Internet is also somewhat scarce in Cuba, and those who wish to use it will pay a high price for it. They also do not use credit cards for their purchases, and they don’t have a vast amount of fast food and convenient food options that they can take on the go. 

Cuban Culture 

Cuban people have earned a reputation for being incredibly friendly and open to sharing their culture with tourists. The reputation is a deserved one, though as with every country, you’ll find a range of people who are happy and proud and some who are not. This can be explained easily, as there are some areas of Cuba that are more impoverished than others. 

Cubans also take quite a bit of pride in their music and their food. Cuban jazz is one such form of music unique to the country, and many clubs will hold music nights for Cubans to dance the night away. Music can be heard when walking the streets of Cuba, and many businesses will have people strumming a guitar or bands playing throughout the day. 

As with other countries, the culture can vary depending on where you travel in Cuba. Each pocket of the country has their own unique customs and traditions that the people who live there hold dear. Even though, by Western standards, Cubans live with very little in terms of luxury, it doesn’t seem to phase Cubans or leave them unhappy. 

Final Thoughts

Taking a step outside of Cuba’s resorts, you will see some impoverished and underdeveloped areas, but you will also see a bustling ecosystem with ample resources still intact, areas for wildlife to safely roam, and incredible natural features.  

While tourism has helped boost Cuba’s economy, there is still much progress that can be made in order to help Cuba move from developing to developed and avoid being labeled a third world country. 

Human Development Index Ranking

HDI Rank	Country	Human Development Index (HDI)	Gross national income (GNI) per capita
1	Norway	1	66,494.00
2	Ireland	1	68,371.00
3	Switzerland	1	69,394.00
4	Hong Kong, China (SAR)	0.949	62,985.00
5	Iceland	0.949	54,682.00
6	Germany	0.947	54,682.00
7	Sweden	0.945	54,682.00
8	Australia	0.944	54,682.00
9	Netherlands	0.944	54,682.00
10	Denmark	0.94	58,662.00
11	Finland	0.938	48,511.00
12	Singapore	0.938	88,155.00
13	United Kingdom	0.932	46,071.00
14	Belgium	0.931	52,085.00
15	New Zealand	0.931	40,799.00
16	Canada	0.929	48,527.00
17	United States	0.926	63,826.00
18	Austria	0.919	56,197.00
19	Israel	0.919	40,187.00
20	Japan	0.919	42,932.00
21	Liechtenstein	0.917	131,032.00
22	Slovenia	0.917	38,080.00
23	Korea (Republic of)	0.916	43,044.00
24	Luxembourg	0.916	72,712.00
25	Spain	0.904	40,975.00
26	France	0.901	47,173.00
27	Czechia	0.9	38,109.00
28	Malta	0.895	39,555.00
29	Estonia	0.892	36,019.00
30	Italy	0.892	42,776.00
31	United Arab Emirates	0.89	67,462.00
32	Greece	0.888	30,155.00
33	Cyprus	0.887	38,207.00
34	Lithuania	0.882	35,799.00
35	Poland	0.88	31,623.00
36	Andorra	0.868	56,000.00
37	Latvia	0.866	30,282.00
38	Portugal	0.864	33,967.00
39	Slovakia	0.86	32,113.00
40	Hungary	0.854	31,329.00
41	Saudi Arabia	0.854	47,495.00
42	Bahrain	0.852	42,522.00
43	Chile	0.851	23,261.00
44	Croatia	0.85	28,070.00
45	Qatar	0.848	92,418.00
46	Argentina	0.845	21,190.00
47	Brunei Darussalam	0.838	63,965.00
48	Montenegro	0.829	21,399.00
49	Romania	0.828	29,497.00
50	Palau	0.826	19,317.00
51	Kazakhstan	0.825	22,857.00
52	Russian Federation	0.824	26,157.00
53	Belarus	0.823	18,546.00
54	Turkey	0.82	27,701.00
55	Uruguay	0.817	20,064.00
56	Bulgaria	0.816	23,325.00
57	Panama	0.815	29,558.00
58	Bahamas	0.814	33,747.00
59	Barbados	0.814	14,936.00
60	Oman	0.813	25,944.00
61	Georgia	0.812	14,429.00
62	Costa Rica	0.81	18,486.00
63	Malaysia	0.81	27,534.00
64	Kuwait	0.806	58,590.00
65	Serbia	0.806	17,192.00
66	Mauritius	0.804	25,266.00
67	Seychelles	0.796	26,903.00
68	Trinidad and Tobago	0.796	26,231.00
69	Albania	0.795	13,998.00
70	Cuba	0.783	8,621.00
71	Iran	0.783	12,447.00
72	Sri Lanka	0.782	12,707.00
73	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0.78	14,872.00
74	Grenada	0.779	15,641.00
75	Mexico	0.779	19,160.00
76	Saint Kitts and Nevis	0.779	25,038.00
77	Ukraine	0.779	13,216.00
78	Antigua and Barbuda	0.778	20,895.00
79	Peru	0.777	12,252.00
80	Thailand	0.777	17,781.00
81	Armenia	0.776	13,894.00
82	North Macedonia	0.774	15,865.00
83	Colombia	0.767	14,257.00
84	Brazil	0.765	14,263.00
85	China	0.761	16,057.00
86	Ecuador	0.759	11,044.00
87	Saint Lucia	0.759	14,616.00
88	Azerbaijan	0.756	13,784.00
89	Dominican Republic	0.756	17,591.00
90	Moldova	0.75	13,664.00
91	Algeria	0.748	11,174.00
92	Lebanon	0.744	14,655.00
93	Fiji	0.743	13,009.00
94	Dominica	0.742	11,884.00
95	Maldives	0.74	17,417.00
96	Tunisia	0.74	10,414.00
97	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	0.738	12,378.00
98	Suriname	0.738	14,324.00
99	Mongolia	0.737	10,839.00
100	Botswana	0.735	16,437.00
101	Jamaica	0.734	9,319.00
102	Jordan	0.729	9,858.00
103	Tonga	0.728	12,224.00
104	Libya	0.725	6,365.00
105	Uzbekistan	0.724	15,688.00
106	Bolivia	0.72	7,142.00
107	Indonesia	0.718	8,554.00
108	Philippines	0.718	11,459.00
109	Belize	0.718	9,778.00
110	Samoa	0.716	6,382.00
111	Turkmenistan	0.715	6,309.00
112	Venezuela	0.711	7,045.00
113	South Africa	0.709	12,129.00
114	Palestine	0.708	6,417.00
115	Egypt	0.707	11,466.00
116	Marshall Islands	0.704	5,039.00
117	Viet Nam	0.704	7,433.00
118	Gabon	0.703	13,930.00
119	Kyrgyzstan	0.697	4,864.00
120	Morocco	0.686	7,368.00
121	Guyana	0.682	9,455.00
122	Iraq	0.674	10,801.00
123	El Salvador	0.673	8,359.00
124	Tajikistan	0.668	3,954.00
125	Cabo Verde	0.665	7,019.00
126	Guatemala	0.663	8,494.00
127	Nicaragua	0.66	5,284.00
128	Bhutan	0.654	10,746.00
129	Namibia	0.646	9,357.00
130	India	0.645	6,681.00
131	Honduras	0.645	6,681.00
132	Bangladesh	0.632	4,976.00
133	Kiribati	0.63	4,260.00
134	Sao Tome and Principe	0.625	3,952.00
135	Micronesia	0.62	3,983.00
136	Lao People’s Democratic Republic	0.613	7,413.00
137	Eswatini	0.611	7,919.00
138	Ghana	0.611	5,269.00
139	Vanuatu	0.609	3,105.00
140	Timor-Leste	0.606	4,440.00
141	Nepal	0.602	3,457.00
142	Kenya	0.601	4,244.00
143	Cambodia	0.594	4,246.00
144	Cambodia	0.592	13,944.00
145	Zambia	0.584	3,326.00
146	Myanmar	0.583	4,961.00
147	Angola	0.581	6,104.00
148	Congo	0.574	2,879.00
149	Zimbabwe	0.571	2,666.00
150	Solomon Islands	0.567	2,253.00
151	Syrian Arab Republic	0.567	3,613.00
152	Cameroon	0.563	3,581.00
153	Pakistan	0.557	5,005.00
154	Papua New Guinea	0.555	4,301.00
155	Comoros	0.554	3,099.00
156	Mauritania	0.546	5,135.00
157	Benin	0.545	3,254.00
158	Uganda	0.544	2,123.00
159	Rwanda	0.543	2,155.00
160	Nigeria	0.539	4,910.00
161	Côte d’Ivoire	0.538	5,069.00
162	Tanzania	0.529	2,600.00
163	Madagascar	0.528	1,596.00
164	Lesotho	0.527	3,151.00
165	Djibouti	0.524	5,689.00
166	Togo	0.515	1,602.00
167	Senegal	0.512	3,309.00
168	Afghanistan	0.511	2,229.00
169	Haiti	0.51	1,709.00
170	Sudan	0.51	3,829.00
171	Gambia	0.496	2,168.00
172	Ethiopia	0.485	2,207.00
173	Malawi	0.483	1,035.00
174	Congo (Democratic Republic of the)	0.48	1,063.00
175	Guinea-Bissau	0.48	1,996.00
176	Liberia	0.48	1,258.00
177	Guinea	0.477	2,405.00
178	Yemen	0.47	1,594.00
179	Eritrea	0.459	2,793.00
180	Mozambique	0.456	1,250.00
181	Burkina Faso	0.452	2,133.00
182	Sierra Leone	0.452	1,668.00
183	Mali	0.434	2,269.00
184	Burundi	0.433	754.00
185	South Sudan	0.433	2,003.00
186	Chad	0.398	1,555.00
187	Central African Republic	0.397	993.00
189	Niger	0.394	1,201.00