Cabo Verde

Republic of Cape VerdeRepublica de Cabo Verde

republicIndependence 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Cabo Verde as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPraia

Area4,030 km2

Locationin the southeastern North Atlantic Ocean, 500 km west of Senegal in Western

Populationas each edition published it

410,535 people July 1993 est. · 374,984 in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.03% 1993 est. · 1.12% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

62.18 years 1993 est. · 74.3 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.41 children per woman 1993 est. · 6.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

59.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 65 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$800 1990 est. · $9,900 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

4% 1990 est. · 7.3% in 2025

Corrected. Source files these entries under Canada. Cape Verde and Canada shared the code ca in the text editions. All corrections

Geography

In the southeastern North Atlantic Ocean, 500 km west of Senegal in Western | Africa

14 fields

Land useshare of 4,030 km2

arable land 9%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 6%forest and woodland 0%other 85%irrigated 20 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

4,030km2

land area: 4,030 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Coastline

965km

land boundaries: 0 kmMaritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselinesexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

in the southeastern North Atlantic Ocean, 500 km west of Senegal in Western Africa

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Climate

temperate;
warm, dry, summer;
precipitation very erratic

Natural resources

salt, basalt rock, pozzolana, limestone, kaolin, fish

Environment

subject to prolonged droughts;
harmattan wind can obscure visibility;
volcanically and seismically active;
deforestation;
overgrazing

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

14 fields

Population

410,535

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.03% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

47.02Death

9.43Net migration

-7.31

Ethnic divisions

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

Labor force

102,000

(1985 est.)by occupation: agriculture (mostly subsistence) 57%, services 29%, industry 14% (1981)note: 51% of population of working age (1985)

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1989)total population: 66%male: NAfemale: NA

Infant mortality rate

59.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 62.18 years
male:: 60.3 years
female:: 64.15 years (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective:: Cape Verdean

Religions

Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs

Languages

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

Government

Republic

20 fields

Names

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

Administrative divisions

14 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho);
Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Constitution

7 September 1980; amended 12 February 1981, December 1988, and 28 September 1990 (legalized opposition parties)

Political parties and leaders

Movement for Democracy (MPD), Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and chairman;
African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, chairman

Elections

People's National Assembly:: last held 13 January 1991 (next to be held January 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (79 total) MPD 56, PAICV 23;
note - this multiparty Assembly election ended 15 years of single-party rule
President:: last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results - Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (MPD) received 72.6% of vote

Executive branch

president, prime minister, deputy minister, secretaries of state, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (since 22 March 1991)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991)

ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN (Cape Verde assumed a nonpermanent seat on the Security Council on 1 January 1992), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Carlos Alberto Santos SILVA
chancery:: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:: (202) 965-6820 consulate general: Boston

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Joseph SEGARS
embassy:: Rua Hoji Ya Henda 81, Praia
mailing address:: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone:: [238] 61-56-16 or 61-56-17
FAX:: [238] 61-13-55

Flag

a new flag of unknown description reportedly has been adopted;
previous flag consisted of two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side;
in the upper portion of the red band is a black five-pointed star framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia;
similar to the flag of Guinea-Bissau, which is longer and has an unadorned black star centered in the red band

Economy

Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, a | serious, long-term drought, and a high birthrate.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$800

(1990 est.)

Real growth rate

(1990 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 18% (1988 est.); accounts for 4% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

8.7%

(1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

25%

(1988)

Budget

Revenues

$104 millionExpenditures

$133 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $72 million (1991 est.)

Overview

Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, a serious, long-term drought, and a high birthrate. The economy is service oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for 60% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, agriculture's share of GDP is only 16%;

the fishing sector accounts for 4%. About 90% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. In 1988 fishing represented only 3.5% of GDP. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by remittances from emigrants and foreign aid.

Economic reforms launched by the new democratic government in February 1991 are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $310 million (1990 est.)

Exports

$5.7 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:: fish, bananas, hides and skins
partners:: Portugal 40%, Algeria 31%, Angola, Netherlands (1990 est.)

Imports

$120 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)

commodities:: foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment
partners:: Sweden 33%, Spain 11%, Germany 5%, Portugal 3%, France 3%, Netherlands, US (1990 est.)

External debt

$156 million (1991)

Electricity

15,000 kW capacity; 15 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

fish processing, salt mining, clothing factories, ship repair, construction materials, food and beverage production

Agriculture

accounts for 20% of GDP (including fishing);
largely subsistence farming;
bananas are the only export crop;
other crops - corn, beans, sweet potatoes, coffee;
growth potential of agricultural sector limited by poor soils and scanty rainfall;
annual food imports required;
fish catch provides for both domestic consumption and small exports

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY75-90), $93 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $586 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $12 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $36 million

Communications

4 fields

total:: 6
usable:: 6
with permanent-surface runways:: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 2

Telecommunications

interisland microwave radio relay system, high-frequency radio to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau;
over 1,700 telephones;
broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 1 TV;
2 coaxial submarine cables;
1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP) (including Army and Navy), | Security Service