Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/45.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 9.3 KB | 352 lines

@node Geography (Cape Verde)
@section Geography (Cape Verde)

@display

Location:
  in the southeastern North Atlantic Ocean, 500 km west of Senegal in Western
  Africa
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  4,030 km2
 land area:
  4,030 km2  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 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  subject to prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility;
  volcanically and seismically active; deforestation; overgrazing
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



@end display

@node People (Cape Verde)
@section People (Cape Verde)

@display

Population:
  410,535 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  3.03% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  47.02 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  9.43 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -7.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:   59.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  62.18 years
 male:
  60.3 years
 female:
  64.15 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  6.41 children born/woman (1993 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)



@end display

@node Government (Cape Verde)
@section Government (Cape Verde)

@display

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)
Constitution:
  7 September 1980; amended 12 February 1981, December 1988, and 28 September
  1990 (legalized opposition parties)
Legal system:
  NA
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
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
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 People's National Assembly:
  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
 President:
  last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results -
  Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (MPD) received 72.6% of vote
Executive branch:
  president, prime minister, deputy minister, secretaries of state, Council of
  Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (since 22 March 1991)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January
  1991)



@end display

@node Government (Cape Verde 2. usage)
@section Government (Cape Verde 2. usage)

@display

Member of:
  ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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:
  [phone]  consulate general:
  Boston
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Joseph SEGARS
 embassy:
  Rua Hoji Ya Henda 81, Praia
 mailing address:
  C. P. 201, Praia
 telephone:
  [238] 61-56-16 or 61-56-17
 FAX:
  [238] 61-13-55
Flag:
  a new flag of unknown description reportedly has been adopted; previous flag
  consisted of two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a
  vertical red band on the hoist side; in the upper portion of the red band is
  a black five-pointed star framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of
  Guinea-Bissau, which is longer and has an unadorned black star centered in
  the red band



@end display

@node Economy (Cape Verde)
@section Economy (Cape Verde)

@display

Overview:
  Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, a
  serious, long-term drought, and a high birthrate. The economy is service
  oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for 60%
  of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas,
  agriculture's share of GDP is only 16%; the fishing sector accounts for 4%.
  About 90% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster
  and tuna, is not fully exploited. In 1988 fishing represented only 3.5% of
  GDP. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by remittances
  from emigrants and foreign aid. Economic reforms launched by the new
  democratic government in February 1991 are aimed at developing the private
  sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $310 million (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  4% (1990 est.)
National product per capita:
  $800 (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8.7% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  25% (1988)
Budget:
  revenues $104 million; expenditures $133 million, including capital
  expenditures of $72 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
  $5.7 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  fish, bananas, hides and skins
 partners:   Portugal 40%, Algeria 31%, Angola, Netherlands (1990 est.)
Imports:
  $120 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment
 partners:
  Sweden 33%, Spain 11%, Germany 5%, Portugal 3%, France 3%, Netherlands, US
  (1990 est.)
External debt:
  $156 million (1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 18% (1988 est.); accounts for 4% of GDP
Electricity:
  15,000 kW capacity; 15 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
  fish processing, salt mining, clothing factories, ship repair, construction
  materials, food and beverage production
Agriculture:
  accounts for 20% of GDP (including fishing); largely subsistence farming;
  bananas are the only export crop; other crops - corn, beans, sweet potatoes,
  coffee; growth potential of agricultural sector limited by poor soils and
  scanty rainfall; annual food imports required; fish catch provides for both
  domestic consumption and small exports
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY75-90), $93 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $586 million; OPEC
  bilateral aid (1979-89), $12 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $36
  million



@end display

@node Economy (Cape Verde 2. usage)
@section Economy (Cape Verde 2. usage)

@display

Currency:
  1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
  Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 75.47 (January 1993), 73.10 (1992),
  71.41 (1991), 64.10 (November 1990), 74.86 (December 1989), 72.01 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Cape Verde)
@section Communications (Cape Verde)

@display

Ports:
  Mindelo, Praia
Merchant marine:
  7 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,717 GRT/19,000 DWT
Airports:
 total:
  6
 usable:
  6
 with permanent-surface runways:
  6  with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  2
Telecommunications:
  interisland microwave radio relay system, high-frequency radio to Senegal
  and Guinea-Bissau; over 1,700 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 1
  TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Cape Verde)
@section Defense Forces (Cape Verde)

@display

Branches:
  People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP) (including Army and Navy),
  Security Service
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 75,431; fit for military service 44,358 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP



@end display