In a 2017 presidential memorandum, the Trump administration claimed that Cuba played "a destabilizing role in the Western Hemisphere". According to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the country provides "a communist foothold in the region and [props] up US adversaries in places like Venezuela and Nicaragua".

Admittedly, the Caribbean nation has a past as colorful as its iconic architecture. But how much do you know about its economy?

As the sudden death of one of its most powerful figures plunges the country into uncertainty, read on to discover the surprising ways Cuba makes and spends its money. All dollar figures in US dollars, unless otherwise stated.