A look at Fidel Castro's life

NAME: Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz.

TITLES: President of Council of State and Council of Ministers, first secretary of Communist Party of Cuba, commander in chief of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces. Before announcing he was ill and ceding power to his brother Raul on July 31, 2006, was world's longest-ruling head of government, and leader of one of world's last few communist states. He officially resigned as president on Feb. 19, 2008.

BIRTHDATE: Officially listed as Aug. 13, 1926, in Cuba's Oriente province, although some say he was born year later.

EDUCATION: Attended Roman Catholic schools and University of Havana, where he earned law and …