1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 4,030 km2 land area: 4,030 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Rhode Island
Climate
temperate; warm, dry, summer; precipitation very erratic
Coastline
965 km
Environment
subject to prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active; deforestation; overgrazing
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
20 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 9% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 0% other: 85%
Location
in the southeastern North Atlantic Ocean, 500 km west of Senegal in Western Africa
Map references
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
salt, basalt rock, pozzolana, limestone, kaolin, fish
Note
strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site
Terrain
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
People and Society
Birth rate
47.02 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
9.43 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Infant mortality rate
59.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
102,000 (1985 est.) by occupation: agriculture (mostly subsistence) 57%, services 29%, industry 14% (1981) note: 51% of population of working age (1985)
Languages
Portuguese, Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 62.18 years male: 60.3 years female: 64.15 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 66% male: NA female: NA
Nationality
noun: Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean
Net migration rate
-7.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
410,535 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
3.03% (1993 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs
Total fertility rate
6.41 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
14 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Maio, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal
Capital
Praia
Chief of State
President Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (since 22 March 1991)
Constitution
7 September 1980; amended 12 February 1981, December 1988, and 28 September 1990 (legalized opposition parties)
Digraph
CV
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto Santos SILVA chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 965-6820 consulate general: Boston
Executive branch
president, prime minister, deputy minister, secretaries of state, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
FAX
[238] 61-13-55
Flag
a new flag of unknown description reportedly has been adopted; previous flag consisted of two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; in the upper portion of the red band is a black five-pointed star framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea-Bissau, which is longer and has an unadorned black star centered in the red band
Head of Government
Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991)
Independence
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Judicial branch
Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)
Legal system
NA
Legislative branch
unicameral People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
Member of
ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN (Cape Verde assumed a nonpermanent seat on the Security Council on 1 January 1992), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde
National holiday
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
People's National Assembly
last held 13 January 1991 (next to be held January 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (79 total) MPD 56, PAICV 23; note - this multiparty Assembly election ended 15 years of single-party rule
Political parties and leaders
Movement for Democracy (MPD), Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and chairman; African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, chairman
President
last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results - Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (MPD) received 72.6% of vote
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph SEGARS embassy: Rua Hoji Ya Henda 81, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 61-56-16 or 61-56-17
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 20% of GDP (including fishing); largely subsistence farming; bananas are the only export crop; other crops - corn, beans, sweet potatoes, coffee; growth potential of agricultural sector limited by poor soils and scanty rainfall; annual food imports required; fish catch provides for both domestic consumption and small exports
Budget
revenues $104 million; expenditures $133 million, including capital expenditures of $72 million (1991 est.)
Currency
1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY75-90), $93 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $586 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $12 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $36 million
Electricity
15,000 kW capacity; 15 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 75.47 (January 1993), 73.10 (1992), 71.41 (1991), 64.10 (November 1990), 74.86 (December 1989), 72.01 (1988)
Exports
$5.7 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: fish, bananas, hides and skins partners: Portugal 40%, Algeria 31%, Angola, Netherlands (1990 est.)
External debt
$156 million (1991)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$120 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment partners: Sweden 33%, Spain 11%, Germany 5%, Portugal 3%, France 3%, Netherlands, US (1990 est.)
Industrial production
growth rate 18% (1988 est.); accounts for 4% of GDP
Industries
fish processing, salt mining, clothing factories, ship repair, construction materials, food and beverage production
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8.7% (1991 est.)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $310 million (1990 est.)
National product per capita
$800 (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate
4% (1990 est.)
Overview
Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, a serious, long-term drought, and a high birthrate. The economy is service oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for 60% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, agriculture's share of GDP is only 16%; the fishing sector accounts for 4%. About 90% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. In 1988 fishing represented only 3.5% of GDP. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by remittances from emigrants and foreign aid. Economic reforms launched by the new democratic government in February 1991 are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy.
Unemployment rate
25% (1988)
Communications
Airports
total: 6 usable: 6 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2
Merchant marine
7 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,717 GRT/19,000 DWT
Ports
Mindelo, Praia
Telecommunications
interisland microwave radio relay system, high-frequency radio to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; over 1,700 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 1 TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP) (including Army and Navy), Security Service
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 75,431; fit for military service 44,358 (1993 est.)