2000 Edition

Background

The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a trading center for African slaves. Most Cape Verdeans descend from both groups. Independence was achieved in 1975.

Area

land

4,033 sq km

total

4,033 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

highest point

Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 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, Hazardous Wastes, 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%

forests and woodland

0%

other

83% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

6%

Location

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

Map references

World

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

contiguous zone

24 nm

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: 44% (male 88,202; female 86,630) 15-64 years: 50% (male 95,079; female 105,928) 65 years and over: 6% (male 10,043; female 15,461) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

29.67 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

7.38 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

54.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.29 years (2000 est.)

male

65.63 years

total population

68.91 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

63.8% (1995 est.)

male

81.4%

total population

71.6%

Nationality

adjective

Cape Verdean

noun

Cape Verdean(s)

Net migration rate

-12.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

401,343 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.98% (2000 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: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.19 children born/woman (2000 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, 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Lawrence Neal BENEDICT

embassy

Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia

mailing address

C. P. 201, Praia

telephone

61 56 16

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Ferdinand Amilcar Spencer LOPES

telephone

(202) 965-6820

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister from among the members of the National Assembly

chief of state

President Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (since 22 March 1991)

election results

Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro reelected president; percent of vote - Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (independent) 80.1%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991)

FAX

(202) 965-1207

61 13 55

consulate(s) general

Boston

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)

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - MPD 61.3%, PAICV 29.8%, PCD 6.7%, other 2.2%; seats by party - MPD 50, PAICV 21, PCD 1

elections

last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 2000)

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Political parties and leaders

African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV ; Movement for Democracy or MPD ; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Dr. Oresimo SILVEIRA, president]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$188 million

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 1998 was only 13%, 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 2000 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.

Electricity - consumption

37 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

40 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 107.280 (December 1999), 102.700 (1999), 98.158 (1998), 93.177 (1997), 82.591 (1996), 76.853 (1995)

Exports

$38 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

fuel, shoes, garments, fish, bananas, hides

Exports - partners

Portugal, Germany, Spain, France, UK, Malaysia

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $618 million (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

13%

industry

19%

services

68% (1998)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$225 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners

Portugal, 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)

5% (1999)

Labor force

NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

73,000 (1997)

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 - main lines in use

22,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

2,000 (1997)

Airports

6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

858 km

total

1,100 km

unpaved

242 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 4, chemical tanker 1 (1999 est.)

total

5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,523 GRT/11,795 DWT

Ports and harbors

Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Railways

0 km

Military branches

single branch that includes both ground and naval elements

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$4 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.8% (FY96)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 86,675 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 49,069 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

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

CAYMAN ISLANDS