1995 Edition

Area

total area: 4,030 sq km land area: 4,030 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Climate

temperate; warm, dry, summer; precipitation very erratic

Coastline

965 km

Environment

current issues: overgrazing of livestock and improper land use such as the cultivation of crops on steep slopes has led to soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several indigenous species of birds and reptiles; overfishing natural hazards: prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active international agreements: party to - Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

20 sq km (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

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

Map references

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 50% (female 106,539; male 110,301) 15-64 years: 47% (female 114,931; male 88,029) 65 years and over: 3% (female 9,781; male 6,402) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate

45.32 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

8.65 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

55.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

102,000 (1985 est.) by occupation: agriculture (mostly subsistence) 57%, services 29%, industry 14% (1981)

Languages

Portuguese, Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 63.01 years male: 61.1 years female: 65.01 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 63% male: 75% female: 53%

Nationality

noun: Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean

Net migration rate

-6.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

435,983 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

2.98% (1995 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs

Total fertility rate

6.23 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

Constitution

new constitution came into force 25 September 1992

Digraph

CV

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jose Eduardo BARBOSA (since 12 February 1994) chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820

Executive branch

chief of state: President Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (since 22 March 1991; election last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results - Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (independent) received 72.6% of vote head of government: Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by prime minister from members of the Assembly

FAX

[1] (202) 965-1207 consulate(s) general: Boston

[238] 61 13 55

Flag

three horozontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white (with a horozontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands

Independence

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, 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 (Assembleia Nacional Popular)

elections 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 - the 1991 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph M. SEGARS embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 61 56 16

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: $174 million expenditures: $235 million, including capital expenditures of $165 million (1993 est.)

Currency

1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

recipient: 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

capacity: 15,000 kW production: 40 million kWh consumption per capita: 73 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 85.537 (1st Quarter 1994), 80.427 (1993), 68.018 (1992), 71.408 (1991), 70.031 (1990)

Exports

$4.4 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: fish, bananas, hides and skins partners: Netherlands, Portugal, Angola

External debt

$156 million (1991)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

increasingly used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe

Imports

$173 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment partners: Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Spain

Industrial production

growth rate 3.6% (1990 est.); accounts for 8% of GDP

Industries

fish processing, salt mining, garment industry, ship repair, construction materials, food and beverage production

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7% (1992)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $410 million (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$1,000 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

3.5% (1992 est.)

Overview

Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of 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 20%; the fishing sector accounts for 4%. About 90% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by remittances from emigrants and foreign aid, which form important supplements to GDP. Economic reforms, launched by the new democratic government in 1991, are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Prospects for 1995 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.

Unemployment rate

26% (1990 est.)

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

over 1,700 telephones; telephine density - about 4 telephones/1,000 persons local: NA intercity: interisland microwave radio relay system, high frequency radio links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Television

broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

Airports

total: 6 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5

Highways

total: 1,100 km (1992) paved: 680 km unpaved: 420 km

Merchant marine

total: 7 (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,609 GRT/19,052 DWT cargo 6, chemical tanker 1

Ports

Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Railroads

0 km

Branches

People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP; includes Army and Navy), Security Service

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $3.4 million, NA% of GDP (1994) ________________________________________________________________________ CAYMAN ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 80,867; males fit for military service 47,225 (1995 est.)