The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
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:
other: environmentalists; political pressure groups
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, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fatima Lima VEIGA 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 Marianne M. MYLES 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 ⅜ 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 about three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% 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 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 became a member of the WTO in July 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.603 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.428 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.3% industry: 16.7% services: 74% (2007 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%
Investment (gross fixed):
37% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $436.1 million expenditures: $449.7 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
8.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.55% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$574 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$689 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.049 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
Industries:
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
47 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
43.71 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil