from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Cape Verde
Introduction
Background: The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized
by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde
subsequently became a trading center for African slaves
and later an important coaling and resupply stop for
whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in
unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was
established and maintained until multi-party elections
were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one
of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th
century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy
emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate
population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape
Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
Geography
Location: Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic
Ocean, west of Senegal
Geographic 16 00 N, 24 00 W
coordinates:
Map Political Map of the World
references:
Area: total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - slightly larger than Rhode Island
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 965 km
Maritime measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and
very erratic
Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Elevation lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo
Island)
Natural salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay,
resources: gypsum
Land use: arable land: 11.41%
permanent crops: 0.74%
other: 87.85% (2005)
Irrigated 30 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces
hazards: obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
Environment - soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used
current as fuel; desertification; environmental damage has
issues: threatened several species of birds and reptiles;
illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
international Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
agreements: Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa
note: near major north-south sea routes; important
communications station; important sea and air refueling
site
People
Population: 420,979 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.9% (male 80,594/female 79,126)
15-64 years: 55.3% (male 113,450/female 119,423)
65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,542/female 17,844)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 19.8 years
male: 19 years
female: 20.7 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.64% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 24.87 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -11.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 46.52 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 51.63 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 41.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 70.73 years
expectancy at male: 67.41 years
birth: female: 74.15 years (2006 est.)
Total 3.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.035% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 775 (2001)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 225 (as of 2001)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean
Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
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: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.)
Government
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 republic
type:
Capital: name: Praia
geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W
time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa
divisions: Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo,
Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao
Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao
Vicente, Tarrafal
Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
holiday:
Constitution: new constitution came into force 25 September 1992;
underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995,
substantially increasing the powers of the president; a
1999 revision created the position of national
ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)
Legal system: derived from the legal system of Portugal
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Pedro Verona PIRES (since 22
branch: 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 (eligible for a second term); election
last held 12 February 2006 (next to be held February
2011); prime minister nominated by the National
Assembly and appointed by the president
election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president;
percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos
VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%
Legislative unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72
branch: seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held
in January 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV
52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41,
MPD 29, ADM 2
Judicial Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de
branch: Justia
Political African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV
parties and [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic
leaders: 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 [Victor FIDALGO, president];
Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID
[Antonio MONTEIRO]; 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 [Isaias RODRIGUES,
president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM,
president]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
organization ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
participation: ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
representation chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general: Boston
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Roger D. PIERCE
representation embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia
from the US: mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00
FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55
Flag three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double
description: 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
Economy - This island economy suffers from a poor natural
overview: resource base, including serious water shortages
exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought. The economy
is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, tourism,
and public services accounting for 66% of GDP. Although
nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the
share of agriculture in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of
which fishing accounted for 1.5%. About 82% 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 supplement GDP
by more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at
developing the private sector and attracting foreign
investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects
depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the
encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum
of the government's development program.
GDP $2.99 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $1.128 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 5.5% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $6,200 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 12.1%
composition by industry: 21.9%
sector: services: 66% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 120,600
Unemployment 21% (2000 est.)
rate:
Population 30% (2000)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 0.4% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 24.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $328.1 million
expenditures: $393.1 million; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Agriculture - bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane,
products: coffee, peanuts; fish
Industries: food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and
garments, salt mining, ship repair
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 44.15 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 41.06 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003)
production:
Oil - 1,200 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Current $-82 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $73.35 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
commodities:
Exports - Spain 38.2%, Portugal 33.2%, US 9.2%, Morocco 5.4%
partners: (2005)
Imports: $500 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment,
commodities: fuels
Imports - Portugal 41.5%, Italy 8%, Netherlands 7.3%, Spain 5.5%,
partners: France 4.8%, Belgium 4.7%, Brazil 4.3% (2005)
Reserves of $150 million (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $325 million (2002)
external:
Economic aid - $136 million (1999)
recipient:
Currency Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)
(code):
Currency code: CVE
Exchange Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 88.67
rates: (2005), 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002),
123.228 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 71,400 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 81,700 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: effective system, extensive
system: modernization from 1996-2000 following partial
privatization in 1995
domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom
(CVT); fiber optic ring, completed in 2001, links all
islands providing Internet access and ISDN services;
cellular service introduced in 1998
international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine
cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio AM 0, FM 22 (and 12 low power repeaters), shortwave 0
broadcast (2002)
stations:
Radios: 100,000 (2002 est.)
Television 1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 15,000 (2002 est.)
Internet .cv
country code:
Internet 234 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2002)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 25,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 7 (2006)
Airports - total: 7
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways: total: 1,350 km
paved: 932 km
unpaved: 418 km (2000)
Merchant total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,300 GRT/7,726 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4
foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2006)
Ports and Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal
terminals:
Military
Military People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast
branches: Guard (includes maritime air wing)
Manpower males age 18-49: 84,641
available for females age 18-49: 87,310 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 65,614
for military females age 18-49: 73,662 (2005 est.)
service:
Military $7.18 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 0.7% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international:
Illicit drugs: 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