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.

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map reference: World

Area
Total: 4,030 km²
Land: 4,030 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 965 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Pico 2,829 m

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.)

Irrigated land: 30 km² (1993 est.)

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

Population: 393,943 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 1.54% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Cape Verdean(s)
Adjective: Cape Verdean

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

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

Religions: Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs

Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (male 91,409; female 89,810)
15-64 years: 48% (male 87,868; female 100,948)
65 years and over: 6% (male 9,594; female 14,214) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.54% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 35.45 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 7.3 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -12.73 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 49.6 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.04 years
Male: 66.76 years
Female: 73.42 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.2 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 71.6%
Male: 81.4%
Female: 63.8% (1995 est.)

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

Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution: new constitution came into force 25 September 1992

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (since 22 March 1991)
Head of government: Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister from among the members of the People's National Assembly
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2001); prime minister nominated by the People's National Assembly and appointed by the president
Election results: Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro elected president; percent of vote - Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (independent) 80.1%

Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
Election results: percent of vote by party - MPD 59%, PAICV 28%, PCD 6%; seats by party - MPD 50, PAICV 21, PCD 1

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

International organization participation: 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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Alberto Santos SILVA CARLOS
In the us chancery: 3,415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 965-6,820
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
In the us consulates general: Boston
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence Neal BENEDICT (17 June 1996)
From the us embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia
From the us mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
From the us telephone: [238] 61 56 16
From the us 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 overview: Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought, and a high birthrate. 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 GNP is only 14%, of which fishing accounts for 4%. 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 remittances from emigrants and foreign aid, which form important supplements to GDP. 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 1997 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.

Real gdp growth rate: 4.7% (1995 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1995 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 14%
Industry: 17%
Services: 69% (1992 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA %

Budget
Revenues: $253.7 million
Expenditures: $276 million (FY96/97 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports
Total value: $10 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
Commodities: fish, bananas, fuels, basic manufactures
Partners: Netherlands, Portugal 50%, Angola, Spain, Singapore, UK

Imports
Total value: $211.8 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Partners: Portugal 45%, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Brazil, France, Cote d'Ivoire

Debt external: $170 million (1994)

Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 84.770 (December 1996), 82.591 (1996), 76.853 (1995), 81.891 (1994), 80.427 (1993), 68.018 (1992)

Electricity
Capacity: 17,000 kW
Production: 15 million kWh (1991)
Consumption per capita: 39 kWh (1991 est.)

Telephones: 1,740 (1987 est.)

Telephone system
Domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system
International: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $3.4 million (1994)
Percent of gdp: NA%

Airports: 6 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5 (1996 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine
Total: 3 (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,032 GRT/5,966 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1 (1996 est.)

Disputes international: none

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