Countries
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Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe, particularly because of Lusophone links to Brazil, Portugal, and Guinea-Bissau; has taken steps to deter drug money laundering, including a 2002 anti-money laundering reform that criminalizes laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking and other crimes and the establishment in 2008 of a Financial Intelligence Unit
Military branches: Armed Forces: Army (also called the National Guard, GN), Cape Verde Coast Guard (Guardia Costeira de Cabo Verde, GCCV; includes naval infantry)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military service; 14-month conscript service obligation
Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 132,087, females age 16-49: 136,956
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 6,029
female: 6,026
Military expenditures: 0.5% of GDP
country comparison to the world: 160
Airports: 9
country comparison to the world: 159
Roadways: 1,350 km
country comparison to the world: 178
Merchant marine: 13
country comparison to the world: 104
by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 3 (Greece 1, Spain 1, UK 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (unknown 1)
Ports and terminals: Porto Grande
Telephones - main lines in use: 72,000
country comparison to the world: 156
Telephones - mobile cellular: 371,900
country comparison to the world: 170
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)
Broadcast media: state-run TV and radio broadcast network plus a growing number of private broadcasters; Portuguese public TV and radio services for Africa are available; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available
Internet country code: .cv
Internet hosts: 31
country comparison to the world: 216
Internet users: 150,000
country comparison to the world: 148
This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought and poor soil for agriculture on several of the islands. The economy is service oriented with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. Although about 40% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. 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 its large pool of emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Despite the lack of resources, sound economic management has produced steadily improving incomes. Continued economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy and mitigate high unemployment. 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 became a member of the WTO in July 2008.
Government type: republic
Administrative divisions: 17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Porto Novo, Praia, Ribeira Brava, Ribeira Grande, Ribeira Grande de Santiago, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina do Fogo, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Lourenco dos Orgaos, Sao Miguel, Sao Salvador do Mundo, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal, Tarrafal de Sao Nicolau
Legal system: civil law system of Portugal
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)
Religions: Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Population: 523,568
country comparison to the world: 171
Median age: 23.1 years
male: 22.3 years
female: 23.9 years
Population growth rate: 1.428%
country comparison to the world: 83
urban population: 61% of total population
rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change
Major cities - population: PRAIA (capital) 125,000
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71 years
country comparison to the world: 143
male: 68.78 years
female: 73.27 years
Total fertility rate: 2.44 children born/woman
country comparison to the world: 83
Health expenditures: 3.9% of GDP
country comparison to the world: 165
Education expenditures: 5.9% of GDP
country comparison to the world: 31
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.3%
male: 89.3%
female: 79.4%
Location: Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 965 km
Climate: temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic
Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum
Land use: arable land: 11.41%, permanent crops: 0.74%, other: 87.85%
Natural hazards: prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
volcanism: Fogo (elev. 2,829 m), 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
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.
Cape Verde
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