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NAVIGATION
Republic of Cape Verde
Republica de Cabo Verde
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde local short form: Cabo Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Praia |
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Administrative divisions:
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17 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Calheta, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Nicolau, Sao Filipe, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal |
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Independence:
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5 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 5 July (1975) |
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Constitution:
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new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica) |
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Legal system:
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derived from the legal system of Portugal |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Pedro 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; 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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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, chairman]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Anibal MEDINA, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
consulate(s) general: Boston FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 61 56 16, 61 56 17 FAX: [238] 61 13 55 |
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Flag description:
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three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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Cape Verde 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, and public services accounting for 70% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%, of which fishing accounts 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, launched by the new democratic government in 1991, are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Prospects for 2002 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $600 million (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 11%
industry: 17% services: 72% (2001) |
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Population below poverty line:
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30% (2000) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3% (2001) |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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21% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $112 million
expenditures: $198 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
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Industries:
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food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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41 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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38.13 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish |
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Exports:
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$27.3 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides |
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Exports - partners:
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Portugal 45%, UK 20%, Germany 20%, Guinea-Bissau 5% (1999) |
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Imports:
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$218 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels |
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Imports - partners:
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Portugal 52%, Germany 7%, France 4%, UK 3% (1999) |
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Debt - external:
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$301 million (2000) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$136 million (1999) |
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Currency:
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Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) |
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Currency code:
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CVE |
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Exchange rates:
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Cape Verdean escudos per US dollar - 123.556 (January 2002), 115.877 (2000), 102.700 (1999), 98.158 (1998), 93.177 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |