Cabo Verde

Republic of Cape VerdeRepublica de Cabo Verde

republicIndependence 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Cabo Verde as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 94 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
Position16 00 N, 24 00 W
Area4,030 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, group of Islands in the North Atlantic
1998

Every edition of Cabo Verde

Populationas each edition published it
399,857 people July 1998 est. · 374,984 in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.49% 1998 est. · 3.03% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
70.5 years 1998 est. · 62.18 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
5.08 children per woman 1998 est. · 6.7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
47.53 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 65 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,370 1997 est. · $800 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
4.5% 1997 est. · 4% in 1993

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

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 4,030 sq km

arable land 11%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 6%forests and woodland 0%other 83% (1993 est.)irrigated 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
4,030sq km
land: 4,030 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmslightly larger than Rhode Island
Coastline
965km
land boundaries: 0 kmMaritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselinesexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
2,829m
Picolowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Climate

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

Terrain

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Natural resources

salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish

Natural hazards

  • prolonged droughts;
  • harmattan wind can obscure visibility;
  • volcanically and seismically active

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

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

15 fields
Population
399,857
(July 1998 est.)growth rate: 1.49% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth
34.47Death
7.04Net migration
-12.54

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1998 est.)70.5
67.21 · 73.89
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)71.6%
81.4% · 63.8%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

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.)

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.)

Infant mortality rate

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

Total fertility rate

5.08 children born/woman (1998 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; President Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (since 22 March 1991); Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991)

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

59%
MPD 59%PAICV 28%PCD 6%last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)

Legislature, 72 seats, elected 17 December 1995one dot, one seat

MPD 50PAICV 21PCD 1

Percent of vote

MPD 59%PAICV 28%PCD 6%

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

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)

Independence

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution

new constitution came into force 25 September 1992

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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%

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

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]

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

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

FAX

[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

Economy

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.

28 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
-$538million
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
-$1,370
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
Real growth rate
4.5%
(1997 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

GDP-composition by sector(1996 est.)

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

Budget

Revenues
$188 millionExpenditures
$228 million (1996)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $116 million
Fixed lines
22,900
(1995 est.)

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.

Industries

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

Electricity-capacity

7,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production

40 million kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products

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

Exports

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

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

Debt-external

$202 million (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $70 million (1995)

Currency

1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0

Televisions

7,000 (1991 est.)

Transportation

6 fields

Merchant marine, 4 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1997 est.)

cargo 3chemical tanker 1

Networkskm

Highways
1,100Railways
0
Highways: paved: 858 km · unpaved: 242 km (1995 est.)

Highways

total:
1,100 km
paved:
858 km
unpaved:
242 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors

Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Airports

6 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total:
6
over 3,047 m:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1997 est.)

Military

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

5 fields

Military branches

People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP; includes Army and Navy), Security Service

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 81,265 (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Illicit drugs

increasingly used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe CAYMAN ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Cape Verde.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/cabo-verde/1998.

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