2005 Edition

Administrative divisions

17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Age structure

0-14 years: 39% (male 82,249/female 80,752) 15-64 years: 54.3% (male 110,119/female 116,816) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 10,599/female 17,689) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

7 note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) Military Cape Verde

Area

land

4,033 sq km

total

4,033 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Background

The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Geography Cape Verde

Birth rate

25.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$305.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

revenues

$260.6 million

Capital

Praia

Climate

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

Coastline

965 km

Constitution

new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

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

Currency (code)

Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Currency code

CVE

Current account balance

$-93.76 million (2004 est.)

Death rate

6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$325 million (2002)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON

embassy

Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia

FAX

[238] 261 13 55

mailing address

C. P. 201, Praia

telephone

[238] 261 56 16, 261 56 17

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Jose BRITO

consulate(s) general

Boston

FAX

[1] (202) 965-1207

telephone

[1] (202) 965-6820

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

$136 million (1999)

Economy - overview

This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of agriculture in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which fishing accounted for 1.5%. About 82% 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 supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.

Electricity - consumption

40.06 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

43.08 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

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

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002), 123.228 (2001), 119.687 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001)

election results

Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the election was won by only twelve votes

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held February 2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001)

Exports

$61.11 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners

Portugal 59.4%, US 17.2%, UK 11.4% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Cape Verde

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 Economy Cape Verde

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

12.1%

industry

21.9%

services

66% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$600 million (2002 est.)

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 People Cape Verde

Government type

republic

Highways

paved

932 km

total

1,350 km

unpaved

418 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.035% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

225 (as of 2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

775 (2001)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Illicit drugs

used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$387.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners

Portugal 41.8%, US 12.3%, Netherlands 8.4%, Spain 5.2%, Italy 4.2%, Brazil 4% (2004)

Independence

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

42.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

52.95 deaths/1,000 live births

total

47.77 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (2004 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Internet country code

.cv

Internet hosts

118 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002)

Internet users

20,400 (2003) Transportation Cape Verde

Investment (gross fixed)

19.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Irrigated land

30 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Labor force

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

9.68%

other

89.82% (2001)

permanent crops

0.5%

Languages

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

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 - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%, ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

elections

last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held December 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.86 years (2005 est.)

male

67.13 years

total population

70.45 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

69.2% (2003 est.) Government Cape Verde

male

85.8%

total population

76.6%

Location

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

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 84,641 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 65,614 (2005 est.)

Map references

Political Map of the World

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

20.25 years (2005 est.)

male

18.62 years

total

19.4 years

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 2

foreign-owned

1 (United Kingdom 1) (2005)

total

5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT

Military branches

People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$14.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.5% (2004) Transnational Issues Cape Verde

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Nationality

adjective

Cape Verdean

noun

Cape Verdean(s)

Natural hazards

prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Natural resources

salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Net migration rate

-11.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

418,224 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

30% (2000)

Population growth rate

0.67% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 22 (and 12 low power repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios

100,000 (2002 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$112.7 million (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998

general assessment

effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995

international

country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

71,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

53,300 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions

15,000 (2002 est.)

Terrain

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Total fertility rate

3.48 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

21% (2000 est.)