Cabo Verde

Republic of Cape VerdeRepublica de Cabo Verde

republicIndependence 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Cabo Verde as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 100 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

Populationas each edition published it

405,748 people July 1999 est. · 374,984 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.44% 1999 est. · 3.03% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.96 years 1999 est. · 62.18 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.95 children per woman 1999 est. · 6.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

45.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 65 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,450 1998 est. · $800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

7% 1998 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

Mt. Fogo · (a volcano on Fogo Island)lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Location

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

Climate

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

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

405,748

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 1.44% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

33.49Death

6.78Net migration

-12.35

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)70.96

67.66 · 74.36

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:: 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.)

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.)

Infant mortality rate

45.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

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

Religions

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

Languages

Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of creole 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)

18 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, Tarrafal)

Independence

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution

new constitution came into force 25 September 1992

Legal system

derived from the legal system of Portugal

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 Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS

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

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, including serious water shortages exacerbated | by cycles of long-term drought.

30 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,450

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

4.3%

(1998)

Debt--external

$220million

(1998)

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

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

40 million (1996)Electricity consumption

40 million (1996)

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.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$581 million (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

Unemployment rate

NA %

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$43 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports--commodities

shoes, garments, fish, bananas, hides,

Exports--partners

Portugal, Germany, Spain, France, UK, Malaysia

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

Economic aid--recipient

$111.3 million (1995)

Currency

1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

22,900

(1995 est.)

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)