1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
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: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 92,721; female 91,083) 15-64 years: 49% (male 92,658; female 104,264) 65 years and over: 6% (male 9,936; female 15,086) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
33.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
6.78 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Infant mortality rate
45.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of creole Portuguese and West African words)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 70.96 years male: 67.66 years female: 74.36 years (1999 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
-12.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
405,748 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.44% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.95 children born/woman (1999 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 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, Tarrafal)
Capital
Praia
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%
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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ferdinand Amilcar Spencer LOPES chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: Boston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence Neal BENEDICT embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
Judicial branch
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia Political parties and leaders: Movement for Democracy or MPD Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS
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 holiday
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
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
$220 million (1998)
Economic aid--recipient
$111.3 million (1995)
Economy--overview
Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought. 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 1999 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.
Electricity--consumption
40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1--96.400 (November 1998), 99.41 (1998), 93.177 (1997), 82.591 (1996), 76.853 (1995), 81.891 (1994)
Exports
$43 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities
shoes, garments, fish, bananas, hides,
Exports--partners
Portugal, Germany, Spain, France, UK, Malaysia
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$581 million (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 8% industry: 18% services: 74% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,450 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
7% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$215 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities
foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Imports--partners
Portugal 25%, Netherlands, France, UK, Spain, US
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair,
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.3% (1998)
Labor force
NA
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NA %
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
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 which was 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.)
Transportation
Airports
6 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal
Merchant marine
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,620 GRT/13,920 DWT ships by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1 (1998 est.)
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
Armed Forces (AF) (includes all armed force elements, both ground and naval)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$3.8 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.8% (1996)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 84,018 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 47,672 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none
Illicit drugs
used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe