The 2001 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

pastures: 6%

      forests and woodland: 0%

      other: 83% (1993 est.)

      Irrigated land: 1,500 to 2,000 hectares (1999)

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

      Environment - current issues: 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

      Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,

       Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification,

       Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

      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

      Cape Verde People

      Population: 405,163 (July 2001 est.)

      Age structure: 0–14 years: 42.79% (male 87,458; female 85,895)

      15–64 years: 50.76% (male 97,812; female 107,834)

      65 years and over: 6.45% (male 10,204; female 15,960) (2001 est.)

      Population growth rate: 0.92% (2001 est.)

      Birth rate: 28.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Death rate: 7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Net migration rate: −12.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

      under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

      15–64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

      65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

      total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 53.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.21 years

      male: 65.93 years

      female: 72.6 years (2001 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

      HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

      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: 71.6%

      male: 81.4%

      female: 63.8% (1995 est.)

      Cape Verde Government

      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: 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; note - there may be a new administrative structure of 16 districts (Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Nicolau, Sao Filipe, 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; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president

      Legal system: derived from the legal system of Portugal

      Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch: chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22

       March 2001)

      head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 1991)

      cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister from among the members of the National Assembly

      elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president

      election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note: the election was won by only twelve votes

      Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

      elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005)

      election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%, ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

      Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de

       Justia

      Political parties and leaders: African Party for Independence of

       Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria NEVES, chairman]; Democratic

       Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of

       PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto

       SANTOS, president]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Antonio Gualberto

       do ROSARIO, president]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr.

       Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS

       [Dr. Oresimo SILVEIRA, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD

       [Joao ALEM, president]; Union for an Independent Democratic Cape

       Verde or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO, president]

      Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

      International organization participation: ACCT, 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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAET, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,

       WTrO (observer)

      Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador

       Ferdinand Amilcar Spencer LOPES

      chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

      telephone: [1] (202) 965–6820

      FAX: [1] (202) 965–1207

      consulate(s)