He was the last surviving remnant of the Cold War, an 81-year-old dictator ruling a staunchly communist state located only 90 miles from the Florida coastline.

During his 49-year-long career as President, Fidel Castro survived numerous assassination attempts, an invasion by a CIA-trained army and a standoff with Washington over nuclear missiles that pushed the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Living by his rallying cry "Socialism or Death", he survived attempts by no fewer than ten US administrations - starting with Dwight Eisenhower and ending with George W. Bush - to undermine, unseat or kill him.

Such was the dictator's apparent invincibility that many in the nation of 11 million appear to have been convinced that he would never die, and jokes about his apparent indestructibility have become commonplace in Cuba.

One, told in the New Yorker, tells of him being given a present of a turtle from the Galapagos islands. Told that it is likely to live only 100 years, he turns it down. "That's the problem with pets. You get attached to them and then they die on you," he says.

His resignation will finally put an end to all the jokes. Yet, over the past few months, the clear indications were that Castro was preparing his subjects for today's announcement.

On July 31, 2006 he announced that he had undergone emergency intestinal surgery and was temporarily stepping aside. He appointed his brother, the Defence Minister Raul, 76, to lead Cuba during his recovery. The President also appointed a group of six other men to head projects in the fields of health, education and energy.

In December, he took another step towards retirement by publishing a letter saying that it was his duty "not to cling to power".

Then, today, in his resignation statement, he told the online version of the official daily Granma: "I neither will aspire to nor will I accept - I repeat - I neither will aspire to nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief."

With the exception of monarchs, Castro - who seized power in a revolution on January 1, 1959 - was the world’s longest ruling head of state.

Ironically, the United States was the first country to recognise his rule after the revolution, but his radical economic reforms and the rapid trials of supporters of his predecessor, Fulgencio Batista, quickly unsettled American leaders.

As it became clear that Cuba was becoming a bulwark of Soviet-inspired Communism on its doorstep, Washington slapped a trade embargo on the island and severed diplomatic ties. In response, Castro seized American property and businesses and moved closer to the Soviets for military and economic assistance.

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