Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

1,740 (1987 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1987 est.)

Televisions [time series]

7,000 (1991 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $253.7 million expenditures: $276 million (FY96/97 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos

Debt - external [time series]

$170 million (1994)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

17,000 kW

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

39 kWh (1991 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

15 million kWh (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

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)

Exports [time series]

total value: $10 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: fish, bananas, fuels, basic manufactures partners: Netherlands, Portugal 50%, Angola, Spain, Singapore, UK

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $472 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture : 14% industry: 17% services: 69% (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

4.7% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

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

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

7.8% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

NA

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA %

Area [time series]

total: 4,030 sq km land: 4,030 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

965 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site

Irrigated land [time series]

30 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 11% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 83% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

World

Maritime claims [time series]

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active

Natural resources [time series]

salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish

Terrain [time series]

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

new constitution came into force 25 September 1992

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde

Data code [time series]

CV

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission : Ambassador Lawrence Neal BENEDICT (17 June 1996) embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 61 56 16

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Alberto Santos SILVA CARLOS chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820

Executive branch [time series]

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%

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 965-1207 consulate(s) general: Boston

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[238] 61 13 55

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

International organization participation [time series]

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)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Legal system [time series]

NA

Legislative branch [time series]

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

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Praia

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Movement for Democracy or MPD [Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and chairman]; African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, chairman]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD; Social Democratic Party or PSD [leader NA]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP; includes Army and Navy), Security Service

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$3.4 million (1994)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 78,622 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males: 44,870 (1997 est.)

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

35.45 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

49.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population : 70.04 years male: 66.76 years female: 73.42 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.6% male: 81.4% female: 63.8% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean

Net migration rate [time series]

-12.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

393,943 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.54% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs

Sex ratio [time series]

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.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.2 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

increasingly used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe CAYMAN ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)

Airports [time series]

6 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total : 1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Railways [time series]

0 km