Map of Cabo Verde | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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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.


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

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N 24 00 W

Map reference: World

Area
Comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 965 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

Climate: temperate; warm dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain: steep rugged rocky volcanic

Elevation

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

Land use

Irrigated land: 30 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active

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


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Population: 401,343 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 0.98% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71% African 28% European 1%

Languages: Portuguese Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.98% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 29.67 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 7.38 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -12.49 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 54.58 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 4.19 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

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

Dependent areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders: African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES chairman]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA founder and president]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Dr. Oresimo SILVEIRA 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 OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCL WHO WIPO WMO WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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 2000 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows remittances and the momentum of the government's development program.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1500 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: bananas corn beans sweet potatoes sugarcane coffee peanuts; fish

Industries: food and beverages fish processing shoes and garments salt mining ship repair

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5% (1999)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $38 million (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: fuel shoes garments fish bananas hides
Partners: Portugal Germany Spain France UK Malaysia

Imports: $225 million (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs industrial products transport equipment fuels
Partners: Portugal Netherlands France UK Spain US

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $220 million (1998)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 107.280 (December 1999) 102.700 (1999) 98.158 (1998) 93.177 (1997) 82.591 (1996) 76.853 (1995)


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Electricity
Production: 40 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 37 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 22,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: 0 (1995)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $4 million (FY96)
Percent of gdp: 1.8% (FY96)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 6 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe