:Cape Verde Geography Total area: 4,030 km2 Land area: 4,030 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than Rhode Island Land boundaries: none Coastline: 965 km Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm 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 NEGL%; meadows and pastures 6%; forest and woodland NEGL%; other 85%; includes irrigated 1% Environment: subject to prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active; deforestation; overgrazing Note: strategic location 500 km from African coast near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site :Cape Verde People Population: 398,276 (July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992) Birth rate: 48 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: - 8 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 61 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 60 years male, 64 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Cape Verdean(s); adjective - Cape Verdean Ethnic divisions: Creole (mulatto) about 71%, African 28%, European 1% Religions: Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs Languages: Portuguese and Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words Literacy: 66% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) Labor force: 102,000 (1985 est.); agriculture (mostly subsistence) 57%, services 29%, industry 14% (1981); 51% of population of working age (1985) Organized labor: Trade Unions of Cape Verde Unity Center (UNTC-CS) :Cape Verde Government Long-form name: Republic of Cape Verde 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) Constitution: 7 September 1980; amended 12 February 1981, December 1988, and 28 September 1990 (legalized opposition parties) National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975) Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy minister, secretaries of state, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular) Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia) Leaders: Chief of State: President Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (since 22 March 1991) Head of Government: Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA (since 13 January 1991) 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 Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: People's National Assembly: 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 President: last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results - Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (MPD) received 72.6% of vote Member of: ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Carlos Alberto Santos SILVA; Chancery at 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone (202) 965-6820; there is a Cape Verdean Consulate General in Boston US: Ambassador Francis T. (Terry) McNAMARA; Embassy at Rua Hoji Ya Henda Yenna 81, Praia (mailing address is C. P. 201, Praia); telephone [238] 61-43-63 or 61-42-53; FAX [238] 61-13-55 :Cape Verde Government Flag: 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 :Cape Verde Economy Overview: Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, a 17-year drought, and a high birthrate. The economy is service oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for 65% of GDP during the period 1985-88. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, agriculture's share of GDP is only 16%; 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. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $310 million, per capita $800; real growth rate 4% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1990 est.) Unemployment rate: 25% (1988) Budget: revenues $98.3 million; expenditures $138.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.) Exports: $10.9 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.) commodities: fish, bananas, salt partners: Portugal 40%, Algeria 31%, Angola, Netherlands (1990 est.) Imports: $107.8 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: petroleum, foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products partners: Sweden 33%, Spain 11%, Germany 5%, Portugal 3%, France 3%, Netherlands, US (1990 est.) External debt: $150 million (December 1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 18% (1988 est.); accounts for 7% of GDP Electricity: 15,000 kW capacity; 15 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: fish processing, salt mining, clothing factories, ship repair, construction materials, food and beverage production Agriculture: 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 Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY75-89), $88 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $537 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $12 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $36 million Currency: Cape Verdean escudo (plural - escudos); 1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos :Cape Verde Economy Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 71.28 (March 1992), 71.41 (1991), 64.10 (November 1990), 74.86 (December 1989), 72.01 (1988), 72.5 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year :Cape Verde Communications Ports: Mindelo, Praia Merchant marine: 7 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,717 GRT/19,000 DWT Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft Airports: 6 total, 6 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: interisland 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 :Cape Verde Defense Forces Branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP) - Army and Navy are separate components of FARP; Security Service Manpower availability: males 15-49, 72,916; 43,010 fit for military service Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP