"August's book is a study of the elections in one such municipality in Havana, and in particular, one of the 104 wards contained therein. This ward, number 12, is about 8 square blocks and is home to 1,291 citizens. They are entitled to one municipal delegate."
So we have a 1/1,291 ratio of reps to population.
How does the U.S. compare?
The following #s are from the census bureau and the encylopedia Brit.
Year #of reps total population ratio _______________________________________________ 1800 65 5,308,483 1/81,168 1900 435 76, 212,168 1/175,208 2000 435 287,518,486 1/660,962
It is, of course, not fair to compare a country of 287 million people to a country with 11 million; still ratios don't lie and, more interesting, is the unchanging population in the house of representataives -- unwavering at 435, though the population of the country has nearly quadrupled.
Joanna