1998 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 92,175; female 90,557) 15-64 years: 48% (male 90,183; female 102,541) 65 years and over: 6% (male 9,765; female 14,636) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

34.47 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

7.04 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

47.53 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.5 years male: 67.21 years female: 73.89 years (1998 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

-12.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

399,857 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.49% (1998 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.08 children born/woman (1998 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 note: there may be a new administrative structure of 16 districts (Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Nicolau, Sao Filipe, Sao Vicente, Tarrafa)

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

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 president on the recommendation of the prime minister from among the members of the 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 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 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

[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

ACCT, 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) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Chief of Mission is Charge d'Affaires Manuel MATOS chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia Political parties and leaders: Movement for Democracy or MPD [Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and president]; 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 [Joao ALEM, president]

Legal system

derived from the legal system of Portugal

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

revenues: $188 million expenditures: $228 million, including capital expenditures of $116 million (1996)

Currency

1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos

Debt-external

$202 million (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $70 million (1995)

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 birth rate. 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 GDP in 1995 was only 8%, of which fishing accounts for 1.5%. 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 foreign aid and remittances from emigrants; remittances constitute a supplement to GDP of more than 20%. 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 1998 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.

Electricity-capacity

7,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

92 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

40 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1-95.400 (December 1997), 93.177 (1997), 82.591 (1996), 76.853 (1995), 81.891 (1994), 80.427 (1993)

Exports

total value: $12.8 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: shoes, garments, fish, bananas, hides, partners: Portugal, Spain, France, UK

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$538 million (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 8% industry: 18% services: 74% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$1,370 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

4.5% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $237 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels partners: Portugal 41%, Netherlands, France, Spain, US

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

6.2% (1996)

Labor force

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine fiber-optic cable system scheduled for completion in 1998 international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

22,900 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997 est.)

Televisions

7,000 (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA %

Airports

6 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1995 est.) Ports and harbors: Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Merchant marine

total: 4 (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,620 GRT/13,920 DWT ships by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1 (1997 est.)

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

2.2% (1997 est.)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 81,265 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 46,235 (1998 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 (dependent territory of the UK)