A look at Raul Castro's life

NAME: Raul Castro Ruz.

TITLES: First vice president of Council of State and Council of Ministers, defense minister, second secretary of Cuba's Communist Party. Named provisional president of Cuba by his brother Fidel Castro on July 31, 2006.

BORN: June 3, 1931, eastern Cuba.

EDUCATION: Attended Roman Catholic schools, studied administration at University of Havana.

BEFORE REVOLUTION: Joined Fidel in effort to topple dictator Fulgencio Batista with unsuccessful 1953 barracks raid. Arrested, the brothers were later freed in a general amnesty and formed a rebel army in Mexico. In 1958 returned to Cuba, where Raul eventually led 4,000 rebels.

AFTER REVOLUTION: Named defense minister in 1959. In 1962 became deputy prime minister and in 1972 first deputy prime minister, behind Fidel. When prime minister's post was eliminated, named first vice president, again as Fidel's successor.