Geography
Area: 4,033 sq. km. (1,557 sq. mi.), slightly larger than Rhode Island.
Cities: Capital--Praia (pop. 106,052). Other city--Mindelo (pop. 67,844).
Terrain: Rugged volcanic islands.
Climate: Dry, temperate.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Cape Verdean(s).
Population (2005): 507,000.
Annual growth rate (2001): 2.9%.
Ethnic groups: Creole (mixed African and Portuguese), African, European.
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant.
Languages: Portuguese (official); Crioulo (national).
Education: Literacy (2004)--76%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2001)--37/1,000. Life expectancy (2004)--70 yrs.

Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: July 5, 1975.
Constitution: 1982; revised 1992, 1995, and 1999.
Branches: Executive--president (head of state), prime minister (head of government), Council of Ministers. Legislative--National Assembly. Judicial--Supreme Court, lower courts.
Administrative subdivisions: 17 administrative districts.
Political parties: African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV); Movement for Democracy (MPD); Party for Democratic Convergence (PCD); Party for Democratic Renovation (PRD); Party for Labor and Solidarity (PTS); Social Democratic Party (PSD).
Suffrage: Universal over 18.

Economy
GDP (2004): $983 million.
GDP per capita (2004): $2,091.
Annual real GDP growth rate (2005): 6.6%.
Inflation (2005): 0.4%.
Natural resources: Salt, pozzolana, limestone.
Agriculture: Products--bananas, corn, beans, sugarcane, coffee, fruits, vegetables, livestock products.
Industry: Types--fish and fish products, clothing, shoes, beverages, salt, construction, building materials, ship repair, furniture, metal products, tourism.
Trade (2004): Exports--$55 million: fuel, clothing, shoes and shoe parts, fish and crustaceans. Imports--$350.7 million: consumer goods, intermediary goods, capital goods, petroleum. Major trading partners, exports--Portugal 60.2%, U.S. 17.5%, U.K. 11.5%, Denmark 2.1%, Germany 1.7%. Major trading partners, imports--Portugal 40.7%, U.S. 12%, Netherlands 8.1%, Spain 5.1%, Italy 4.1%.
Fiscal year: Calendar year.
Currency: Escudo (CVEsc 91.03 = $1), which is pegged to the Euro.
Economic aid received: $92 million (2002). Largest donors: Portugal ($11 million); Luxembourg; Japan; and the United States ($5.9 million).

GEOGRAPHY
The Cape Verde Islands are located in the mid-Atlantic Ocean some 450 kilometers (about 300 mi.) off the west coast of Africa. The archipelago includes 10 islands and 5 islets, divided into the windward (Barlavento) and leeward (Sotavento) groups. The main islands in the Barlavento group are Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Sal, and Boa Vista; those of the Sotavento group include Maio, Santiago, Fogo, and Brava. All larger islands but Santa Luzia are inhabited.

Three islands--Sal, Boa Vista, and Maio--generally are level and very dry. Mountains higher than 1,280 meters (4,200 ft.) are found on Santiago, Fogo, Santo Antão, and São Nicolau.

Sand carried by high winds has created spectacular rock formations on all islands, especially the windward ones. Sheer, jagged cliffs rise from the sea on several of the mountainous islands. Natural vegetation is sparse in the uplands and coast, but interior valleys support denser growth.

Rainfall is irregular, and the archipelago suffers periodic droughts and consequent food shortages. The average precipitation per year in Praia is 24 centimeters (9.5 in.). During the winter, storms blowing from the Sahara sometimes cloud the sky, but sunny days are the norm year round.
PEOPLE
The Cape Verde archipelago was uninhabited until the Portuguese discovered the islands in 1456. African slaves were brought to the islands to work on Portuguese plantations. As a result, Cape Verdeans are of mixed African and European origin. The influence of African culture is most pronounced on the island of Santiago, where half the population resides. Sparse rain and few natural resources historically have induced Cape Verdeans to emigrate. It is believed that of the more than 1 million individuals of Cape Verdean ancestry, fewer than half actually live on the islands. Some 500,000 people of Cape Verdean ancestry live in the United States, mainly in New England. Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, France, and Senegal also have large communities.

The official language is Portuguese, but most Cape Verdeans also speak a Creole dialect--Crioulo--which is based on archaic Portuguese but influenced by African and European languages. Cape Verde has a rich tradition of Crioulo literature and music.

HISTORY
In 1462, Portuguese settlers arrived at Santiago and founded Ribeira Grande (now Cidade Velha)--the first permanent European settlement city in the tropics. In the 16th century, the archipelago prospered from the transatlantic slave trade. Pirates occasionally attacked the Portuguese settlements. Sir Francis Drake sacked Ribeira Grande in 1585. After a French attack in 1712, the city declined in importance relative to Praia, which became the capital in 1770.

With the decline in the slave trade, Cape Verde's early prosperity slowly vanished. However, the islands' position astride mid-Atlantic shipping lanes made Cape Verde an ideal location for resupplying ships. Because of its excellent harbor, Mindelo (on the island of São Vicente) became an important commercial center during the 19th century.

Portugal changed Cape Verde's status from a colony to an overseas province in 1951 in an attempt to blunt growing nationalism. Nevertheless, in 1956, Amilcar Cabral, a Cape Verdean, and a group of Cape Verdeans and Guinea-Bissauans organized (in Guinea-Bissau) the clandestine African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which demanded improvement in economic, social, and political conditions in Cape Verde and Portuguese Guinea and formed the basis of the two nations' independence movement. Moving its headquarters to Conakry, Guinea in 1960, the PAIGC began an armed rebellion against Portugal in 1961. Acts of sabotage eventually grew into a war in Portuguese Guinea that pitted 10,000 Soviet bloc-supported PAIGC soldiers against 35,000 Portuguese and African troops.

By 1972, the PAIGC controlled much of Portuguese Guinea despite the presence of the Portuguese troops, but the organization did not attempt to disrupt Portuguese control in Cape Verde. Portuguese Guinea declared independence in 1973 and was granted de jure independence in 1974. Following the April 1974 revolution in Portugal, the PAIGC became an active political movement in Cape Verde. In December 1974, the PAIGC and Portugal signed an agreement providing for a transitional government composed of Portuguese and Cape Verdeans. On June 30, 1975, Cape Verdeans elected a National Assembly, which received the instruments of independence from Portugal on July 5, 1975.

Immediately following the November 1980 coup in Guinea-Bissau, relations between Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau became strained. Cape Verde abandoned its hope for unity with Guinea-Bissau and formed the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV). Problems have since been resolved, and relations between the countries are good. The PAICV and its predecessor established a one-party system and ruled Cape Verde from independence until 1990.

Responding to growing pressure for pluralistic democracy, the PAICV called an emergency congress in February 1990 to discuss proposed constitutional changes to end one-party rule. Opposition groups came together to form the Movement for Democracy (MpD) in Praia in April 1990. Together, they campaigned for the right to contest the presidential election scheduled for December 1990. The one-party state was abolished September 28, 1990, and the first multi-party elections were held in January 1991. The MpD won a majority of the seats in the National Assembly, and the MpD presidential candidate Mascarenhas Monteiro defeated the PAICV's candidate with 73.5% of the votes. Legislative elections in December 1995 increased the MpD majority in the National Assembly. The party won 50 of the National Assembly's 72 seats. A February 1996 presidential election returned President Mascarenhas Monteiro to office. Legislative elections in January 2001 returned power to the PAICV, with the PAICV holding 40 of the National Assembly seats, MpD 30, and Party for Democratic Convergence (PCD) and Party for Labor and Solidarity (PTS) 1 each. In February 2001, the PAICV-supported presidential candidate Pedro Pires defeated former MpD leader Carlos Veiga by only 13 votes.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
The Cape Verde constitution--adopted in 1980 and revised in 1992, 1995, and 1999--forms the basis of government. The president is head of state and is elected by popular vote for a 5-year term. The prime minister is head of government and proposes other ministers and secretaries of state. The prime minister is nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president. Members of the National Assembly are elected by popular vote for 5-year terms.

Cape Verde enjoys a stable democratic system. The Movement for Democracy (MpD) captured a governing majority in the National Assembly in the country's first multi-party general elections in 1991. The MpD was returned to power with a larger majority in the general elections held in December 1995. In 2001, the PAICV regained power, with four parties holding seats in the National Assembly--PAICV 40, MPD 30, PCD 1, and PTS 1. Nationwide municipal elections were held March 21, 2004.

In January 2006, Cape Verde held a successful round of parliamentary elections, followed by successful presidential elections on February 12, 2006. The National Electoral Commission (NEC) judged both elections free and fair. However, the leading parliamentary opposition party has filed a court case in an attempt to overrule the NEC on the grounds of alleged fraud.

The judicial system is comprised of a Supreme Court of Justice--whose members are appointed by the president, the National Assembly, and the Board of the Judiciary--and regional courts. Separate courts hear civil, constitutional and criminal cases. Appeal is to the Supreme Court.

Principal Government Officials
President--Pedro Verona Pires
Prime Minister and Defense Minister--Jose Maria Neves
President of the National Assembly--Aristides Lima
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Victor Borges
Ambassador to the United States--vacant
Ambassador to the United Nations--Fatima Lima Veiga

Cape Verde maintains an embassy in the United States at 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20007 (tel. 202-965-6820) and one consulate at 535 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116 (tel. 617-353-0014).

ECONOMY
Cape Verde has few natural resources and suffers from poor rainfall and limited fresh water. Only 4 of the 10 main islands (Santiago, Santo Antão, Fogo, and Brava) normally support significant agricultural production. Mineral resources include salt, pozzolana (a volcanic rock used in cement production), and limestone.

The economy of Cape Verde is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for more than 70% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, agriculture and fishing contribute only about 10% of GDP. Light manufacturing accounts for most of the remainder. An amount estimated at about 20% of GDP is contributed to the domestic economy through remittances from expatriate Cape Verdeans.

Since 1991, the government has pursued market-oriented economic policies, including an open welcome to foreign investors and a far-reaching privatization program. It established as top development priorities the promotion of market economy and of the private sector; the development of tourism, light manufacturing industries, and fisheries; and the development of transport, communications, and energy facilities. From 1994 to 2000 there was a total of about $407 million in foreign investments made or planned, of which 58% were in tourism, 17% in industry, 4% in infrastructure, and 21% in fisheries and services.

Fish and shellfish are plentiful, and small quantities are exported. Cape Verde has cold storage and freezing facilities and fish processing plants in Mindelo, Praia, and on Sal.

Cape Verde's strategic location at the crossroads of mid-Atlantic air and sea lanes has been enhanced by significant improvements at Mindelo's harbor (Porto Grande) and at Sal's international airport. Ship repair facilities at Mindelo were opened in 1983, and the harbors at Mindelo and Praia were recently renovated. The major ports are Mindelo and Praia, but all other islands have smaller port facilities. In addition to the international airport on Sal, airports have been built on all of the inhabited islands. All but the airport on Brava enjoy scheduled air service. The archipelago has 3,050 kilometers (1,830 mi.) of roads, of which 1,010 kilometers (606 mi.) are paved.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
Cape Verde pursues a nonaligned foreign policy and seeks cooperative relations with all states. Angola, Brazil, China, Cuba, France, Portugal, Senegal, Russia, and the United States maintain embassies in Praia. Several others, mostly European countries, maintain honorary consulates. In addition, Cape Verde maintains multilateral relations with other Lusophone nations and holds membership in many international organizations. It currently is working to accede to the World Trade Organization.
U.S.-CAPE VERDEAN RELATIONS
The cordial relations between the United States and Cape Verde have strong historical roots. In the early 18th century, U.S. whaling ships appear to have begun recruiting crews from Brava and Fogo to hunt whales that were abundant in the waters surrounding Cape Verde. Ties between the American colonies and Cape Verde are documented as early as the 1740s, when American ships routinely anchored in Cape Verdean ports to trade for salt or buy slaves. The tradition of emigration to the United States began at that time and continues today.

The first U.S. consulate in sub-Saharan Africa was established in Cape Verde in 1818. U.S. consular representation continued throughout the 19th century. The United States recognized Cape Verde on its independence day and supported its admission to the United Nations. Cape Verde assigned one of its first ambassadors to the United States, and a resident U.S. ambassador was posted to Cape Verde in 1983. Prime Minister Jose Neves visited Cape Verdean communities in New England during an official trip to the United States in 2002, and President Pires visited the United States in April 2005.

The United States provided emergency humanitarian aid and economic assistance to Cape Verde in the period immediately following Cape Verde's independence, as well as after natural disasters, including a hurricane that struck the island of Brava in 1982, and after a severe volcanic eruption on Fogo in 1995. The United States normally delivers about 15,000 metric tons of grain yearly to Cape Verde. Cape Verde also is eligible for trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and has signed an Open Skies agreement to facilitate air travel safety and expansion. On July 4, 2005, Cape Verde became the third country to sign a compact with the U.S. Government-funded Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC); the three-year assistance package is worth over $110 million in addressing rural economic expansion, infrastructure development, and development of tourism and a community college system.

Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Roger D. Pierce
Deputy Chief of Mission--Paul Pometto
Consul--Kristen Thompson

The U.S. Embassy in Cape Verde is at Rua Abílio Macedo, 81, Praia; C.P.201, tel. (238) 260 890, fax 611 355.

 

Introduction

Cape Verde

Background:

The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde 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.

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)
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:	423,613 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 36.9% (male 78,971/female 77,524) 15-64 years: 56.4% (male 116,751/female 122,065) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,423/female 17,879) (2007 est.)
Median age:	total: 20.2 years male: 19.4 years female: 21.1 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:	0.606% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:	24.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:	6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:	-11.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.956 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.583 male(s)/female total population: 0.948 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 45.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 50.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 71.02 years male: 67.69 years female: 74.44 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:	3.28 children born/woman (2007 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.)

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 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 the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%
Legislative branch:	unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 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 Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]; Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]
Political pressure groups and leaders:	NA
International organization participation:	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 consulate(s) general: Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Roger D. PIERCE embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00 FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55
Flag description:	five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side

Economy

Cape Verde

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 66% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which fishing accounted 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. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cape Verde has been exploring European Union membership in recent years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):	$3.129 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):	$1.128 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:	5.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):	$6,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: 9.6% industry: 16.6% services: 73.8% (2006 est.)
Labor force:	120,600 (1990)
Unemployment rate:	21% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:	30% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	5.4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):	37.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:	revenues: $354.2 million expenditures: $398.5 million (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:	bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
Industries:	food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
Electricity - production:	45 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source:	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:	41.85 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:	0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:	0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:	1,150 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:	NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:	NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:	0 bbl (1 January 2006)
Natural gas - production:	0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:	0 cu m (2005 est.)
Current account balance:	$-129 million (2006 est.)
Exports:	$88 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:	fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
Exports - partners:	Spain 43.3%, Portugal 21.9%, Netherlands 12.8%, Morocco 4.6% (2006)
Imports:	$561 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:	foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:	Portugal 41.2%, Netherlands 10.6%, Spain 6.2%, Italy 5.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.2%, Brazil 4.8% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:	$160.6 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:	$254 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external:	$325 million (2002)
Currency (code):	Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)
Currency code:	CVE
Exchange rates:	Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002)
Fiscal year:	calendar year

Communications

Cape Verde

Telephones - main lines in use:	71,600 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:	108,900 (2006)
Telephone system:	general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995 domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004 international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:	AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:	100,000 (2002 est.)
Television broadcast stations:	1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:	15,000 (2002 est.)
Internet country code:	.cv
Internet hosts:	344 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):	1 (2002)
Internet users:	29,000 (2005)

Transportation

Cape Verde

Airports:	8 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:	total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:	total: 1,350 km paved: 932 km unpaved: 418 km (2000)
Merchant marine:	total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,922 GRT/7,726 DWT by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5 foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals:	Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Military

Cape Verde

Military branches:	People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:	18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military service; 14-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:	males age 18-49: 84,641 females age 18-49: 87,310 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 18-49: 65,614 females age 18-49: 73,662 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:	0.7% (2005)

Transnational Issues

Cape Verde

Disputes - international:	none
Illicit drugs:	used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe; the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 6 December, 2007