Summary of the first year from BBC

It has proved a smooth transition, despite many predicting communism would collapse without Fidel at the helm.

Raul Castro’s programme of reforms has been hit by three hurricanes and the global economic crisis.

But there has been success in foreign policy, ending the island’s international isolation.

It was never going to be easy replacing his famous brother, the only leader that Cuba had known for almost half a century.

But within weeks of formally taking over the presidency, on 24 February last year, Raul Castro won widespread support at home for a series of small but symbolic reforms.