Country name conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde Background The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; they 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.Location Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal Area total: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km Area - comparative slightly larger than Rhode Island Coastline 965 km 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 hazards prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active Environment - current issues soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing 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 412,137 (July 2003 est.) Age structure 0-14 years: 41% (male 85,254; female 83,716)
15-64 years: 52.3% (male 103,690; female 111,992)
65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,498; female 16,987) (2003 est.) Median age total: 18.7 years
male: 17.9 years
female: 19.6 years (2002) Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.) 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) Internet country code .cv Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.) Government type republic National holiday Independence Day, 5 July (1975) Legal system derived from the legal system of Portugal International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) 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 72% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%, of which fishing accounts for 1.5%. 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. Prospects for 2003 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government"s development program. Exports - partners Portugal 38.5%, UK 26.4%, France 23.1%, US 8.2% (2002) Currency Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) Currency code CVE Exchange rates Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - NA (2002), 123.21 (2001), 115.88 (2000), 102.7 (1999), 98.16 (1998) Airports 9
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2002) Airports - with paved runways total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2002) Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002) Disputes - international none |
