1997 Edition

Area

total: 4,030 sq km land: 4,030 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Climate

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Coastline

965 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point : Pico 2,829 m

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 species of birds and reptiles; overfishing

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Geography - 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

Irrigated land

30 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 11% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 83% (1993 est.)

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 hazards

prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active

Natural resources

salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish

Terrain

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (male 91,409; female 89,810) 15-64 years: 48% (male 87,868; female 100,948) 65 years and over: 6% (male 9,594; female 14,214) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

35.45 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

49.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 70.04 years male: 66.76 years female: 73.42 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.6% male: 81.4% female: 63.8% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean

Net migration rate

-12.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

393,943 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.54% (1997 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.2 children born/woman (1997 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

Constitution

new constitution came into force 25 September 1992

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde

Data code

CV

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission : Ambassador Lawrence Neal BENEDICT (17 June 1996) embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 61 56 16

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alberto Santos SILVA CARLOS 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) head of government : Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister from among the members of the People's National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2001); prime minister nominated by the People's National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro elected president; percent of vote - Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (independent) 80.1%

FAX

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

[238] 61 13 55

Flag description

three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white (with a horizontal 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

Government type

republic

Independence

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

International organization participation

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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral People's National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - MPD 59%, PAICV 28%, PCD 6%; seats by party - MPD 50, PAICV 21, PCD 1

National capital

Praia

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Political parties and leaders

Movement for Democracy or MPD [Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and chairman]; African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, chairman]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD; Social Democratic Party or PSD [leader NA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish

Budget

revenues: $253.7 million expenditures: $276 million (FY96/97 est.)

Currency

1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos

Debt - external

$170 million (1994)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - 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 almost 70% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of agriculture in GNP is only 14%, of which fishing 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 1997 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.

Electricity - capacity

17,000 kW

Electricity - consumption per capita

39 kWh (1991 est.)

Electricity - production

15 million kWh (1991)

Exchange rates

Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 84.770 (December 1996), 82.591 (1996), 76.853 (1995), 81.891 (1994), 80.427 (1993), 68.018 (1992)

Exports

total value: $10 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: fish, bananas, fuels, basic manufactures partners: Netherlands, Portugal 50%, Angola, Spain, Singapore, UK

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $472 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture : 14% industry: 17% services: 69% (1992 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.7% (1995 est.)

Imports

total value : $211.8 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels partners : Portugal 45%, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Brazil, France, Cote d'Ivoire

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

7.8% (1995)

Labor force

NA

Unemployment rate

NA %

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system international : 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

1,740 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1987 est.)

Televisions

7,000 (1991 est.)

Airports

6 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1996 est.)

Highways

total : 1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 3 (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,032 GRT/5,966 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1 (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Railways

0 km

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$3.4 million (1994)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 78,622 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 44,870 (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

increasingly used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe ______________________________________________________________________ CAYMAN ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)