The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency (ereader iphone .txt) 📖

Northwest Passage; US works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Cape Verde

Introduction
Cape Verde

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
Cape Verde

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:

Political Map of the World

Area:

total: 4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

965 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines 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 extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources:

salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Land use:

arable land: 11.41% permanent crops: 0.74% other: 87.85% (2005)

Irrigated land:

30 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.3 cu km (1990)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%) per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

People
Cape Verde

Population:

426,998 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 36.1% (male 77,533/female 76,489) 15-64 years: 57.4% (male 120,208/female 125,009) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 10,226/female 17,533) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 20.6 years male: 19.9 years female: 21.5 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.595% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

23.95 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-11.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 42.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 48.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 36.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71.33 years male: 67.99 years female: 74.76 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.17 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.035% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

775 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

225 (as of 2001)

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.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

6.3% of GDP (2006)

Government
Cape Verde

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:

name: Praia geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa 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 holiday:

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution:

25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Legal system:

based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Pedro Verona PIRES (since 22 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 in 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 branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 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, UCID 2

Judicial branch:

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders:

African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria
Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr.
Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic
Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]; Democratic Renovation
Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]; Democratic and Independent Cape
Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or
MPD [Agostinho LOPES]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr.
Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias
RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: environmentalists; political pressure groups

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Fatima Lima VEIGA chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 consulate(s) general: Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Marianne M. MYLES embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00 FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55

Flag description:

five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side

Economy
Cape Verde

Economy - overview:

This island economy suffers from a poor natural 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 about three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. 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. Cape Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.603 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.428 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.9% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,200 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9.3% industry: 16.7% services: 74% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

120,600 (1990)

Unemployment rate:

21% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

37% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $436.1 million expenditures: $449.7 million (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.4% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

8.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.55% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$574 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$689 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.049 billion (31 December 2007)

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:

7.5% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

47 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

43.71 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

2,117 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

1,785 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

-$132.6 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$76.5 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners:

Spain 37.2%, Portugal 29.9%, Morocco 7%, US 6.6% (2007)

Imports:

$743.6 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, industrial products,