The 2010 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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

      volcanism: Fogo (elev. 2,829 m, 9,281 ft), which last erupted in 1995, is Cape Verde's only active volcano

      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:

      508,659 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

      Age structure:

      0–14 years: 35.2% (male 76,012/female 74,993)

      15–64 years: 58.5% (male 123,376/female 127,653)

      65 years and over: 6.4% (male 10,040/female 17,400) (2010 est.)

      Median age:

      total: 22.3 years

      male: 21.4 years

      female: 23.1 years (2010 est.)

      Population growth rate:

      1.459% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

      Birth rate:

      21.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

      Death rate:

      6.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

      Net migration rate:

      −0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

      Urbanization:

      urban population: 60% of total population (2008)

      rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005–10 est.)

      Sex ratio:

      at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

      under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

      15–64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

      65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female

      total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

      total: 27.89 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 78 male: 31.86 deaths/1,000 live births

      female: 23.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

      total population: 70.41 years country comparison to the world: 144 male: 68.24 years

      female: 72.64 years (2010 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

      2.54 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

      0.04% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

      775 (2001) country comparison to the world: 144

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

      225 (as of 2001) country comparison to the world: 103

      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 (official), 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:

      5.7% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 39

      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 created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

      Legal system:

      based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

      Suffrage:

      18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

      chief of state: President Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES (since 22 March 2001)

      head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001)

      cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of