Cape Verde

The Portuguese discovered and colonized the uninhabited islands of Cabo Verde in the 15th century; Cabo Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. The fusing of European and various African cultural traditions is reflected in Cabo Verde’s Crioulo language, music, and pano textiles. After gaining independence in 1975, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cabo Verde continues to sustain one of Africa's most stable democratic governments and relatively stable economies, maintaining a currency pegged first to the Portuguese escudo and then to the euro since 1998. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cabo Verde's expatriate population -- concentrated in Boston, Massachusetts and Western Europe -- is greater than its domestic one. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Cabo Verde’s population descends from its first permanent inhabitants in the late 15th-century -- a preponderance of West African slaves, a small share of Portuguese colonists, and even fewer Italians and Spaniards. Among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is varied. The islands in the east are very dry and are home to the country's growing tourism industry. The more western islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged their soil fertility and vegetation. For centuries, the country’s overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration. 

land

4,033 sq km

total

4,033 sq km

water

0 sq km

slightly larger than Rhode Island

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic

965 km

highest point

Mt. Fogo (a volcano on Fogo Island) 2,829 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

16 00 N, 24 00 W

strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site; one of four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are Azores (Portugal), Canary Islands (Spain), and Madeira (Portugal)

35 sq km (2012)

total

0 km

agricultural land

18.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)

forest

21% (2018 est.)

other

60.4% (2018 est.)

Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal

Africa

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

note

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea

12 nm

prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically activevolcanism: Fogo (2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano

salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable; islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled to exploit their extensive salt deposits; the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged the soil fertility and vegetation; approximately half of the population lives on Sao Tiago Island, which is the location of the capital of Praia; Mindelo, on the northern island of Sao Vicente, also has a large urban population as shown in this population distribution map

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

0-14 years

26.4% (male 80,973/female 80,129)

15-64 years

67.2% (male 201,084/female 209,676)

65 years and over

6.4% (2024 est.) (male 15,049/female 24,103)

beer

2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

4.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

1.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

17.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

NA

55.8% (2018)

6% of GDP (2020)

46.9% (2023 est.)

5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Cabo Verde’s population descends from its first permanent inhabitants in the late 15th-century – a preponderance of West African slaves, a small share of Portuguese colonists, and even fewer Italians, Spaniards, and Portuguese Jews. Over the centuries, the country’s overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration.Labor migration historically reduced Cabo Verde’s population growth and still provides a key source of income through remittances. Expatriates probably outnumber Cabo Verde’s resident population, with most families having a member abroad. Cabo Verdeans have settled in the US, Europe, Africa, and South America. The largest diaspora community in New Bedford, Massachusetts, dating to the early 1800s, is a byproduct of the transatlantic whaling industry. Cabo Verdean men fleeing poverty at home joined the crews of US whaling ships that stopped in the islands. Many settled in New Bedford and stayed in the whaling or shipping trade, worked in the textile or cranberry industries, or operated their own transatlantic packet ships that transported compatriots to the US. Increased Cabo Verdean emigration to the US coincided with the gradual and eventually complete abolition of slavery in the archipelago in 1878.During the same period, Portuguese authorities coerced Cabo Verdeans to go to Sao Tome and Principe and other Portuguese colonies in Africa to work as indentured laborers on plantations. In the 1920s, when the US implemented immigration quotas, Cabo Verdean emigration shifted toward Portugal, West Africa (Senegal), and South America (Argentina). Growing numbers of Cabo Verdean labor migrants headed to Western Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. They filled unskilled jobs in Portugal, as many Portuguese sought out work opportunities in the more prosperous economies of northwest Europe. Cabo Verdeans eventually expanded their emigration to the Netherlands, where they worked in the shipping industry. Migration to the US resumed under relaxed migration laws. Cabo Verdean women also began migrating to southern Europe to become domestic workers, a trend that continues today and has shifted the gender balance of Cabo Verdean emigration.Emigration has declined in more recent decades due to the adoption of more restrictive migration policies in destination countries. Reduced emigration along with a large youth population, decreased mortality rates, and increased life expectancies, has boosted population growth, putting further pressure on domestic employment and resources. In addition, Cabo Verde has attracted increasing numbers of migrants in recent decades, consisting primarily of people from West Africa, Portuguese-speaking African countries, Portugal, and China. Since the 1990s, some West African migrants have used Cabo Verde as a stepping stone for illegal migration to Europe.

elderly dependency ratio

8

potential support ratio

12.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.2

youth dependency ratio

39.2

improved: rural

rural: 90% of population

improved: total

total: 96.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 10% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

7.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Creole (Mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

1.03 (2024 est.)

2.1 beds/1,000 population

female

18.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male

26.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

22.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a Portuguese-based creole language with two main dialects)

female

76.7 years

male

72 years

total population

74.3 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

87.4% (2021)

male

94.2%

total population

90.8%

168,000 PRAIA (capital) (2018)

42 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

29.6 years

male

27.9 years

total

28.8 years (2024 est.)

adjective

Cabo Verdean

noun

Cabo Verdean(s)

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

11.8% (2016)

0.83 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

female

313,908 (2024 est.)

male

297,106

total

611,014

among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable; islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled to exploit their extensive salt deposits; the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged the soil fertility and vegetation; approximately half of the population lives on Sao Tiago Island, which is the location of the capital of Praia; Mindelo, on the northern island of Sao Vicente, also has a large urban population as shown in this population distribution map

1.16% (2024 est.)

Roman Catholic 72.5%, Protestant 4% (includes Adventist 1.9%, Nazarene 1.8%, Assembly of God 0.2%, God is Love 0.1%), Christian Rationalism 1.7%, Muslim 1.3%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Church of Jesus Christ 1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 1.2%, none 15.6%, no response 0.4% (2021 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 73.3% of population

improved: total

total: 85.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 91.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 26.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 14.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 8.3% of population

female

13 years (2018)

male

12 years

total

13 years

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.62 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

5.4% (2020 est.)

male

17.3% (2020 est.)

total

11.4% (2020 est.)

2.1 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

68% of total population (2023)

22 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Porto Novo, Praia, Ribeira Brava, Ribeira Grande, Ribeira Grande de Santiago, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina do Fogo, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Lourenco dos Orgaos, Sao Miguel, Sao Salvador do Mundo, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal, Tarrafal de Sao Nicolau

etymology

the earlier Portuguese name was Villa de Praia ("Village of the Beach"); it became just Praia in 1974 (prior to full independence in 1975)

geographic coordinates

14 55 N, 23 31 W

name

Praia

time difference

UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Cabo Verde

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

amendments

proposals require support of at least four fifths of the active National Assembly membership; amendment drafts require sponsorship of at least one third of the active Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership; constitutional sections, including those on national independence, form of government, political pluralism, suffrage, and human rights and liberties, cannot be amended; revised 1995, 1999, 2010

history

previous 1981; latest effective 25 September 1992

conventional long form

Republic of Cabo Verde

conventional short form

Cabo Verde

etymology

the name derives from Cap-Vert (Green Cape) on the Senegalese coast, the westernmost point of Africa and the nearest mainland to the islands

local long form

Republica de Cabo Verde

local short form

Cabo Verde

chief of mission

Ambassador Jennifer ADAMS (since 10 September 2024)

email address and website

PraiaConsular@state.govhttps://cv.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Rua Abilio Macedo 6, Praia

FAX

[238] 261-1355

mailing address

2460 Praia Place, Washington DC  20521-2460

telephone

[238] 260-8900

chancery

3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Jose Luis do Livramento MONTEIRO ALVES DE BRITO (since 23 December 2020)

consulate(s) general

Boston

email address and website

embassy.wdc@mnec.gov.cvhttps://www.embcv-usa.gov.cv/

FAX

[1] (202) 965-1207

telephone

[1] (202) 965-6820

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 9 November 2021)

election results

2020: Jose Maria Pereira NEVES elected president; percent of vote - Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (PAICV) 51.7%, Carlos VEIGA (MPD) 42.4%, Casimiro DE PINA (independent) 1.8%, Fernando Rocha DELGADO (independent) 1.4%, Helio SANCHES (independent) 1.14%, Gilson ALVES (independent) 0.8%, Joaquim MONTEIRO (independent) 3.4%2016: Jorge Carlos FONSECA reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge Carlos FONSECA (MPD) 74.1%, Albertino GRACA (independent) 22.5%, other 3.4%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 October 2021 (next to be held in October 2026); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Jose Ulisses CORREIA e SILVA (since 22 April 2016)

five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10 yellow, five-pointed stars is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side; blue stands for the sea and the sky, the circle of stars represents the 10 major islands united into a nation, the stripes symbolize the road to formation of the country through peace (white) and effort (red)

parliamentary republic

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief justice and at least 7 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and administrative sections)

judge selection and term of office

judge appointments - 1 by the president of the republic, 1 elected by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Superior Judicial Council (SJC), a 16-member independent body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general, 8 private citizens, 2 judges, 2 prosecutors, the senior legal inspector of the Attorney General's office, and a representative of the Ministry of Justice; chief justice appointed by the president of the republic from among peers of the Supreme Court of Justice and in consultation with the SJC; judges appointed for life

subordinate courts

appeals courts, first instance (municipal) courts; audit, military, and fiscal and customs courts

civil law system of Portugal

description

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party MPD 50.2%, PAICV 39.6%, UCID 9.0%, other 1.2%; seats by party - MPD 38, PAICV 30, UCID 4; composition - men 44, women 28, percentage women 38.9%

elections

last held on 18 April 2021 (next to be held in April 2026)

lyrics/music

Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA

name

"Cantico da Liberdade" (Song of Freedom)

note

note: adopted 1996

selected World Heritage Site locales

Cidade Velha; Historic Center of Ribeira Grande

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

ten, five-pointed, yellow stars; national colors: blue, white, red, yellow

African Party for Independence of Cabo Verde or PAICV Democratic and Independent Cabo Verdean Union or UCID Democratic Christian Party or PDC Democratic Renewal Party or PRD Movement for Democracy or MPD Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS Social Democratic Party or PSD 

18 years of age; universal

sugarcane, tomatoes, coconuts, pulses, goat milk, vegetables, bananas, milk, cabbages, potatoes (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

expenditures

$503.059 million (2017 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$574.917 million (2017 est.)

Fitch rating

B- (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B (2013)

Current account balance 2021

-$250.632 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$69.634 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$82.487 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external 2022

$1.46 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

stable, middle-income, developing island economy; strong GDP growth led by tourism sector recovery; sustained poverty reduction through PEDS II development plan; high reliance on foreign remittances and aid to finance external debt

Currency

Cabo Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

98.495 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

96.796 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

93.218 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

104.863 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

101.805 (2023 est.)

Exports 2021

$465.348 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$860.578 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$951.224 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

fish, shellfish, garments, natural gas, scrap iron (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Spain 56%, Portugal 12%, Italy 9%, US 6%, India 5% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

39.7% (2023 est.)

government consumption

20.4% (2023 est.)

household consumption

74.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-54.1% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

4.5% (2023 est.)

industry

10.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

70.6% (2023 est.)

$2.587 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

42.4 (2015 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

32.3% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

2.2% (2015 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2021

$1.117 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$1.31 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.424 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, fish, plastic products, milk, cars (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Portugal 41%, Spain 12%, China 8%, Netherlands 7%, Togo 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

1.18% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

0.61% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.86% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.93% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

257,000 (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

35.2% (2015 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt 2017

125.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$3.971 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$4.663 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$4.903 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

7.03% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

17.44% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.15% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$6,800 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$7,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$8,200 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

15.33% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

13.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

12.24% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$769.65 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$704.63 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$816.554 million (2023 est.)

18.39% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

13.91% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

12.27% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

11.99% (2023 est.)

female

34.1% (2023 est.)

male

24.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

28.7% (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

681,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

681,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

327 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

204,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

106 million kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - rural areas

96.9%

electrification - total population

97.1% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

95.3%

fossil fuels

83.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

2.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

14.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

16.298 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

4,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2020 est.)

total

24,839 (2020 est.)

state-run TV and radio broadcast network plus a growing number of private broadcasters; Portuguese public TV and radio services for Africa are available; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available (2019)

.cv

percent of population

70% (2021 est.)

total

413,000 (2021 est.)

domestic

9 per 100 fixed-line teledensity and nearly 100 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)

general assessment

LTE reaches almost 40% of the population; regulator awards commercial 4G licenses and starts 5G pilot; govt. extends USD 25 million for submarine fiber-optic cable project linking Africa to Portugal and Brazil (2020)

international

country code - 238; landing points for the Atlantis-2, EllaLink, Cabo Verde Telecom Domestic Submarine Cable Phase 1, 2, 3 and WACS fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Africa, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

57,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

99 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

589,000 (2022 est.)

10 (2024)

D4

by type

general cargo 14, oil tanker 2, other 28

total

44 (2023)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,728,152 (2015) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

140,429 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

5

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

key ports

Porto da Praia, Porto Grande

ports with oil terminals

1

small

1

total ports

2 (2024)

very small

1

paved

932 km

total

1,350 km

unpaved

418 km (2013)

the FACV is responsible for territorial defense; it also has an internal security role in collaboration with the police if required; its duties include monitoring and patrolling the country's air and maritime spaces, participating in training exercises, conducting search and rescue, countering narcotics and other forms of illicit trafficking, and supporting the police and civil society (2024)

Cabo Verdean Armed Forces (FACV): National Guard (GN; serves as the army and includes a small air component), Cabo Verde Coast Guard (Guardia Costeira de Cabo Verde, GCCV) (2024)

note

note:  the National Police are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs

the military has approximately 1,000 personnel (2023)

the FACV has a limited amount of mostly dated or second-hand equipment, largely from China, some European countries, and the former Soviet Union (2024)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

18-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; 24-month conscript service obligation; 17 years of age for voluntary service (with parental consent) (2024)

narcotraffickers transit cocaine, cannabis, and other drugs to Africa and Europe; domestic trafficking contributes to increased consumption of illicit substances;

stateless persons

115 (2022)

carbon dioxide emissions

0.54 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.13 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

31.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic

deforestation due to demand for firewood; water shortages; prolonged droughts and improper use of land (overgrazing, crop cultivation on hillsides lead to desertification and erosion); environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

agricultural land

18.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)

forest

21% (2018 est.)

other

60.4% (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.38% of GDP (2018 est.)

300 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

400,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

1.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

rate of urbanization

1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

68% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

132,555 tons (2012 est.)