land area:
4,030 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
965 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International 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:
0%
meadows and pastures:
6%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
85%
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; overgrazing; desertification
natural hazards:
subject to prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility;
volcanically and seismically active
international agreements:
party to - Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate
Change
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
@Cape Verde, People
Population: 423,120 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 3.01% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 46.23 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: −7.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 57.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.59 years male: 60.7 years female: 64.58 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.32 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean Ethnic divisions: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% Religions: Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs Languages: Portuguese, Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 66% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: 102,000 (1985 est.) by occupation: agriculture (mostly subsistence) 57%, services 29%, industry 14% (1981) note: 51% of population of working age (1985)
@Cape Verde, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form:
Cape Verde
local long form:
Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form:
Cabo Verde
Digraph:
CV
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)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Constitution:
new constitution came into force 25 September 1992
Legal system:
NA
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (since 22 March 1991) election
last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results -
Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (independent) received 72.6% of vote
head of government:
Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13
January 1991);
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by prime minister from members of the
Assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral
People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular):
elections 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
Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)
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
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS,
NAM, OAU, UN (Cape Verde assumed a nonpermanent seat on the Security
Council on 1 January 1992), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Carlos Alberto Santos SILVA
chancery:
3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
(202) 965–6820
FAX:
(202) 965–1207
consulate(s) general:
Boston
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph M. SEGARS
embassy:
Rua Hoji Ya Henda 81, Praia