Cabo Verde

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

republicIndependence 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Cabo Verde as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 112 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

Area4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

405,163 people July 2001 est. · 374,984 in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.92% 2001 est. · 3.03% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

69.21 years 2001 est. · 62.18 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.05 children per woman 2001 est. · 6.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

53.22 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 65 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,700 2000 est. · $800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

6% 2000 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

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

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

18 fields

Coastline

965km

land boundaries: 0 kmMaritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Irrigated land

1,500to 2,000 hectares

(1999)

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references

World

Area

total: 4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km

Climate

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

Terrain

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land: 11% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 83% (1993 est.)

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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping 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

18 fields

Population

405,163

(July 2001 est.)growth rate: 0.92% (2001 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2001 est.)

Birth

28.71Death

7.19Net migration

-12.37

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.79% (male 87,458; female 85,895) 15-64 years: 50.76% (male 97,812; female 107,834) 65 years and over: 6.45% (male 10,204; female 15,960) (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

53.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.21 years male: 65.93 years female: 72.6 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS - deaths

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 Portuguese and West African words)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.6% male: 81.4% female: 63.8% (1995 est.)

Government

Republic

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

49.43%

Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%

National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional, 72 seatsone dot, one seat

PAICV 40MPD 30ADM 2

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

Government type

republic

Capital

Praia

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; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president

Legal system

derived from the legal system of Portugal

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 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 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA February 2006);
prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president 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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005) 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

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders

African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria NEVES, chairman];
Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID);
Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president];
Movement for Democracy or MPD [Antonio Gualberto do ROSARIO, president];
Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president];
Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Dr. Oresimo SILVEIRA, president];
Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president];
Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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, UNTAET, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ferdinand Amilcar Spencer LOPES 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 Michael D. METELITS 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, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought.

31 fields

Real growth rate

(2000 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

(2000)

Unemployment rate

24%

(1999 est.)

Debt - external

$260million

(2000)

Electricity

Electricity production

40 million (1999)Electricity consumption

37.2 million (1999)

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 2001 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $670 million (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (1998)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

Budget

revenues: $188 million expenditures: $228 million, including capital expenditures of $116 million (1996)

Industries

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

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

$40 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

fuel, shoes, garments, fish, bananas, hides

Exports - partners

Portugal, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Malaysia

Imports

$250 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners

Portugal, Netherlands, France, UK, Spain, US

Economic aid - recipient

$111.3 million (1995)

Currency

Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Currency code

CVE

Exchange rates

Cape Verdean escudos per US dollar - 123.080 (December 2000), 115.877 (2000), 102.700 (1999), 98.158 (1998), 93.177 (1997), 82.591 (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields

Mobile cellular

19,729

(1997)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

45,644

(2000) · country code .cv

Telephone system

general assessment:: effective system, being improved 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)