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.

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 965 km

Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate; warm, dry, summer precipitation very erratic

Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, pozzolana, limestone, kaolin, fish

Land use: 9% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 6% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 85% other; includes 1% irrigated

Geography
Note: strategic location 500 km from African coast near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site

Population: 374,984 (July 1990), growth rate 3.0% (1990)

Nationality: noun--Cape Verdean(s; adjective--Cape Verdean

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

Languages: Portuguese and Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words

Religions: Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs

Birth rate: 49 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 11 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 8 migrants/1000 population (1990)

Environment
Current issues: subject to prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active; deforestation; overgrazing

Infant mortality rate: 65 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 59 years male, 63 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 6.7 children born/woman (1990)

Literacy: 48% (1986)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde

Government type: republic

Capital: Praia

Administrative divisions: 12 districts (concelhos, singular--concelho; Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Maio, Paul, Praia, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal; there may be 2 new districts named Porto Novo and Santa Cruz

Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution: 7 September 1980, amended 12 February 1981 and December 1988

Suffrage: universal at age 15

Executive branch: Chief of State--President Aristides Maria PEREIRA (since 5 July 1975; Head of Government--Prime Minister Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, (since 5 July 1975; Deputy Minister Aguinaldo Liboa RAMOS (since NA February 1990)

Legislative branch: People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP; Army, Navy, and Air Force are separate components of FARP

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Jose Luis FERNANDES LOPES; Chancery at 3,415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,007; telephone (202) 965-6,820; there is a Cape Verdean Consulate General in Boston; US--Ambassador Terry McNAMARA; Embassy at Rua Hojl Ya Yenna 81, Praia (mailing address is C. P. 201, Praia; telephone p238o 614-363 or 253

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; in the upper portion of the red band is a black five-pointed star framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea-Bissau which is longer and has an unadorned black star centered in the red band

Economy overview: Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, a 17-year drought, and a high birth rate. The economy is service oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for 60% of GDP during the period 1984-86. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, agriculture's share of GDP is only 16%; the fishing and manufacturing sectors are 4% each. About 90% of food must be imported. The fishing potential of the islands is not fully exploited (the fish catch--mostly lobster and tuna--came to only 10,000 tons in 1985). Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by remittances from emigrants, cash grants, food aid, and foreign loans.

Agriculture products: accounts for 16% of GDP; largely subsistence farming; bananas are the only export crop; other crops--corn, beans, sweet potatoes, coffee; growth potential of agricultural sector limited by poor soils and limited rainfall; annual food imports required; fish catch provides for both domestic consumption and small exports

Industrial production growth rate: 0% (1986 est.)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 25% (1988)

Budget: revenues $80 million; expenditures $87 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1988 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $8.9 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: fish, bananas, salt
Partners: Portugal, Angola, Algeria, Belgium/Luxembourg, Italy

Imports: $124 million (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: petroleum, foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products
Partners: Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, France, US, FRG

Debt external: $140 million (December 1988)

Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1--72.31 (February 1990), 74.86 (December 1989), 72.01 (1988), 72.5 (1987), 76.56 (1986), 85.38 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 14,000 kW capacity; 18 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1989)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 11.8% of GDP (1981)

Airports: 6 total, 6 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Merchant marine: 5 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,308 GRT/16,172 DWT