Cape Verde




                                 Geography


Location:
     Western Africa, in the southeastern North Atlantic Ocean, 500 km west
     of Senegal in Western Africa
Map references:
     Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     4,030 sq km
land area:
     4,030 sq km
comparative area:
     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
International disputes:
     none
Climate:
     temperate; warm, dry, summer; precipitation very erratic
Terrain:
     steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Natural resources:
     salt, basalt rock, pozzolana, limestone, kaolin, fish
Land use:
arable land:
     9%
permanent crops:
     0%
meadows and pastures:
     6%
forest and woodland:
     0%
other:
     85%
Irrigated land:
     20 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
     deforestation; overgrazing; desertification
natural hazards:
     subject to prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility;
     volcanically and seismically active




international agreements:
     party to - Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
     Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate
     Change
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


                                  People


Population:
     423,120 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     3.01% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     46.23 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     9.04 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     -7.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     57.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     62.59 years
male:
     60.7 years
female:
     64.58 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     6.32 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Cape Verdean(s)
adjective:
     Cape Verdean
Ethnic divisions:
     Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Religions:
     Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs
Languages:
     Portuguese, Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words
Literacy:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1989)
total population:
     66%
male:
     NA%
female:
     NA%
Labor force:
     102,000 (1985 est.)




by occupation:
     agriculture (mostly subsistence) 57%, services 29%, industry 14%
     (1981)
note:
     51% of population of working age (1985)


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form:
     Cabo Verde
Digraph:
     CV
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) election
     last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results -
     Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (independent) received 72.6% of vote
head of government:
     Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13
     January 1991);
cabinet:
     Council of Ministers; appointed by prime minister from members of the
     Assembly
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular):
     elections last held 13 January 1991 (next to be held January 1996);
     results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (79 total) MPD 56,
     PAICV 23; note - this multiparty Assembly election ended 15 years of
     single-party rule




Judicial branch:
     Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)
Political parties and leaders:
     Movement for Democracy (MPD), Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and
     chairman; African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), Pedro
     Verona Rodrigues PIRES, chairman
Member of:
     ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
     IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS,
     NAM, OAU, UN (Cape Verde assumed a nonpermanent seat on the Security
     Council on 1 January 1992), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL,
     WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Carlos Alberto Santos SILVA
chancery:
     3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
     (202) 965-6820
FAX:
     (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general:
     Boston
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Joseph M. SEGARS
embassy:
     Rua Hoji Ya Henda 81, Praia
mailing address:
     C. P. 201, Praia
telephone:
     [238] 61-56-16 or 61-56-17
FAX:
     [238] 61-13-55
Flag:
     three horozontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white (with
     a horozontal 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,
     a serious, long-term drought, and a high birthrate. The economy is
     service oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services
     accounting for 60% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives
     in rural areas, agriculture's share of GDP is only 20%; the fishing
     sector accounts for 4%. About 90% of food must be imported. The
     fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. In
     1988 fishing represented only 3.5% of GDP. Cape Verde annually runs a
     high trade deficit, financed by remittances from emigrants and foreign
     aid. Economic reforms launched by the new democratic government in
     February 1991 are aimed at developing the private sector and
     attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy.




National product:
     GDP - exchange rate conversion - $415 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     3.3% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
     $1,070 (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     8.7% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     25% (1988)
Budget:
revenues:
     $104 million
expenditures:
     $133 million, including capital expenditures of $72 million (1991
     est.)
Exports:
     $6 million (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
     fish, bananas, hides and skins
partners:
     Portugal 40%, Algeria 31%, Angola, Netherlands (1990 est.)
Imports:
     $145 million (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
     foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment
partners:
     Sweden 33%, Spain 11%, Germany 5%, Portugal 3%, France 3%,
     Netherlands, US (1990 est.)
External debt:
     $156 million (1991)
Industrial production:
     growth rate 18% (1988 est.); accounts for 7% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
     15,000 kW
production:
     15 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     40 kWh (1991)
Industries:
     fish processing, salt mining, clothing factories, ship repair,
     construction materials, food and beverage production
Agriculture:
     accounts for 20% of GDP (including fishing); 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 scanty rainfall; annual food imports
     required; fish catch provides for both domestic consumption and small
     exports




Economic aid:
recipient:
     US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY75-90), $93 million; Western
     (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $586
     million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $12 million; Communist
     countries (1970-89), $36 million
Currency:
     1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
     Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 85.992 (December 1993), 80.574
     (1993), 68.018 (1992), 71.408 (1991), 70.031 (1990), 77.978 (1989)
Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Highways:
total:
     NA
paved:
     NA
unpaved:
     NA
Ports:
     Mindelo, Praia
Merchant marine:
     7 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,717 GRT/19,000 DWT
Airports:
total:
     6
usable:
     6
with permanent-surface runways:
     6
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     2
Telecommunications:
     interisland microwave radio relay system, high-frequency radio to
     Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; over 1,700 telephones; broadcast stations -
     1 AM, 6 FM, 1 TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean
     INTELSAT earth station


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP) (including Army and Navy),
     Security Service
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 78,153; fit for military service 45,804
Defense expenditures:
     $NA, NA% of GDP