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