Cabo Verde

The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Independence was achieved in 1975.

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

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

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

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

• strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes;
• important communications station;
• important sea and air refueling site

0-14 years:

41.9% (male 86,466; female 84,918)

15-64 years:

51.5% (male 100,684; female 109,841)

65 years and over:

6.6% (male 10,363; female 16,488) (2002 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.63 male(s)/female

total population:

0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

noun:

Cape Verdean(s)

adjective:

Cape Verdean

conventional long form:

Republic of Cape Verde

conventional short form:

Cape Verde

local short form:

Cabo Verde

local long form:

Republica de Cabo Verde

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

• 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)

chief of state:

President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001)

head of government:

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

cabinet:

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

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

• 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 [Anibal MEDINA, president];
• Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Jose BRITO

consulate(s) general:

Boston

FAX:

[1] (202) 965-1207

telephone:

[1] (202) 965-6820

chancery:

3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission:

Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON

embassy:

Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia

mailing address:

C. P. 201, Praia

telephone:

[238] 61 56 16, 61 56 17

FAX:

[238] 61 13 55

• 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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

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 is scheduled for completion in 2003

international:

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

total:

1,100 km

paved:

858 km

unpaved:

242 km (1996)

• 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