Cuba faces rapid population aging and demographic decline

Cuba is undergoing a rapid demographic transformation characterized by an aging and shrinking population. According to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), between 25.7% and 26.7% of the population is aged 60 or older, positioning the country among the most aged territories in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Several factors contribute to this shift, including low fertility rates, increased life expectancy, and the migration of young people of working and reproductive age. The total population has decreased from approximately 11.2 million in 2016 to 9.7 million by the end of 2024, with a loss of about 1.4 million inhabitants between 2020 and 2024. This decline is driven by negative natural growth; in 2024, deaths (128,098) significantly outnumbered births (71,358).

In response to these challenges, the public health sector is implementing specialized elderly care programs. In Las Tunas, institutions such as the Carlos Font Nursing Home provide medical and nursing assistance to residents, aiming to address the social and physical needs of the growing elderly demographic.