The 2001 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
general: Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Michael D. METELITS
embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 61 56 16
FAX: [238] 61 13 55
Flag description: 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
Cape Verde Economy
Economy - overview: Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects 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 almost 70% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of agriculture in GDP in 1998 was only 13%, of which fishing accounts for 1.5%. About 90% 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 constitute a supplement to GDP of 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 2001 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $670 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13%
industry: 19%
services: 68% (1998)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2000)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 24% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $188 million
expenditures: $228 million, including capital expenditures of $116 million (1996)
Industries: food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 40 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)
Electricity - consumption: 37.2 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
Exports: $40 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: fuel, shoes, garments, fish, bananas, hides
Exports - partners: Portugal, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Malaysia
Imports: $250 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners: Portugal, Netherlands, France, UK, Spain, US
Debt - external: $260 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $111.3 million (1995)
Currency: Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)
Currency code: CVE
Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos per US dollar - 123.080 (December 2000), 115.877 (2000), 102.700 (1999), 98.158 (1998), 93.177 (1997), 82.591 (1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Cape Verde Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 45,644 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 19,729 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: effective system, being improved
domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine fiber-optic cable system which was scheduled for completion in 1998
international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 11 (and 14 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 73,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 2,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .cv
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 5,000 (2000)
Cape Verde Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,100 km
paved: 858 km
unpaved: 242 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal
Merchant marine: total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,523
GRT/11,798 DWT
ships by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 1 (2000 est.)
Airports: 8 (2000)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2000)
Cape Verde Military
Military branches: Army, Coast Guard/Marines
Military manpower - availability: males age 15–49: 89,543 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15–49: 50,615 (2001 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $4 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.8% (FY96)
Cape Verde Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe
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@Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands Introduction
Background: The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent.
Cayman Islands Geography
Location: Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras
Geographic coordinates: 19 30 N, 80 30 W
Map references: Central America