1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
4,040 km2, divided among 10 islands and several islets WATER
Coastline
965 km
Limits of territorial waters
12 nm (fishing 200 nm, economic 200 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
about 71% mulatto; 28% African; 1% European
Labor force
bulk of population engaged in subsistence agriculture
Language
Portuguese and Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words
Literacy
37%
Nationality
noun—Cape Verdean(s); adjective—Cape Verdean
Population
293,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 0.6%
Religion
Catholicism, fused with local superstitions
Government
Branches
National Assembly, 56 members; the official party is the supreme political institution
Capital
Praia
Communists
a few Communists, some sympathizers
Government leaders
President Aristides PEREIRA; Prime Minister Pedro P1RES; Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvino da LUZ
Legal system
to be determined
Member of
FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMCO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
National holiday
- 12 September
- Independence Day, 5 July
Official name
Republic of Cape Verde
Political subdivisions
10 islands
Suffrage
universal over age 15 Elections: national elections held December 1980, the first since independence Political parties and leaders: only legal party, African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), led by Aristides Pereira, Secretary General; PAICV established in January 1981 to replace the former ruling party in both Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PA1GC), in protest of the November 1980 coup in Guinea-Bissau
Type
republic; achieved independence from Portugal in July 1975
Economy
Agriculture
main crops—corn, beans, manioc, sweet potatoes; barely self-sufficient in food
Budget
$17.1 million public revenue, $22.1 million current expenditures (1980 est.)
Electric power
6,000 kW capacity (1980); 9 million kWh produced (1980); 27 kWh per capita
Exports
$4.1 million (f.o.b., 1979); fish, bananas, salt, flour
Fiscal year
calendar year
Fishing
catch 8,331 metric tons (1979 est.); largely undeveloped but provides major source of export earnings
GDP
$40.7 million (1978 est.); $136 per capita income; 0.0% growth rate
Imports
$71.1 million (c.i.f., 1979); petroleum products, corn, rice, machinery, textiles
Major industries
salt mining
Major trade partners
Portugal, UK, Japan, African neighbors
Monetary conversion rate
47 escudos=US$1 (1981)
Communications
Airfields
6 total, 6 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
2 major transport aircraft
Ports
1 major (Mindelo), 3 minor
Telecommunications
interisland radio-relay system, HF radio to mainland Portugal and Guinea-Bissau, about 1,700 telephones (0.5 per 100 popl.); 1 FM station and 1 AM station; 2 coaxial submarine cables
Military and Security
Military budget
for fiscal year including 31 December 1980, $15 million; about 5% of central government budget
Military manpower
males 15-49, 79,000; 45,000 fit for military service