American Samoa (2001) | Cape Verde (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western | 17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
38.44% (male 13,278; female 12,512) 15-64 years: 56.57% (male 18,784; female 19,163) 65 years and over: 4.99% (male 1,779; female 1,568) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 40% (male 83,835; female 82,318)
15-64 years: 53.3% (male 106,846; female 114,312) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,580; female 17,403) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish |
Airports | 4 (2000 est.) | 7
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total:
199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island |
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | slightly larger than Rhode Island |
Background | Settled as early as 1000 B. C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year. | 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. |
Birth rate | 24.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 26.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97) |
revenues: $252.9 million
expenditures: $269.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003) |
Capital | Pago Pago | Praia |
Climate | tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic |
Coastline | 116 km | 965 km |
Constitution | ratified 1966, in effect 1967 | 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) |
Country name | conventional long form:
Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS |
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) |
Death rate | 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $325 million (2002) |
Dependency status | unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of the US) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of the US) | chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 consulate(s) general: Boston |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994 | $136 million (1999) |
Economy - overview | This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism, a developing sector, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia. | 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 72% 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 accounted 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 are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Prospects for 2004 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. |
Electricity - consumption | 120.9 million kWh (1999) | 39.08 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 130 million kWh (1999) | 42.03 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata 966 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island) |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines | soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5% | Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002), 123.228 (2001), 115.877 (2000), 102.7 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8% |
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 |
Exports | $500 million (1998) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | canned tuna 93% | fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides |
Exports - partners | US 99.6% | Portugal 31%, France 27.6%, UK 17.2%, US 17.2% (2003) |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | calendar year |
Flag description | blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club | 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $600 million (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 10%
industry: 16.5% services: 62.8% (2003) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 4% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 14 20 S, 170 00 W | 16 00 N, 24 00 W |
Geography - note | Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean | strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site |
Highways | total:
350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km |
total: 1,100 km
paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | - | used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center |
Imports | $471 million (1996) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% | foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels |
Imports - partners | US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7% | Portugal 46.7%, Netherlands 9.1%, Belgium 3.8% (2003) |
Independence | none (territory of the US) | 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair |
Infant mortality rate | 10.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 49.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 54.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 3% (2003) |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior) | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia |
Labor force | 14,000 (1996) | NA (1980) |
Labor force - by occupation | government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
5% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 70% other: 15% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5% other: 89.82% (2001) |
Languages | Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English
note: most people are bilingual |
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) |
Legal system | NA | derived from the legal system of Portugal |
Legislative branch | bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - only independents elected note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate for a sixth term |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
75.32 years male: 70.89 years female: 80.02 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 70.14 years
male: 66.83 years female: 73.54 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal |
Map references | Oceania | Political Map of the World |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 1 foreign-owned: United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Coast Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $12.3 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.5% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 98,394 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 55,477 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | Flag Day, 17 April (1900) | Independence Day, 5 July (1975) |
Nationality | noun:
American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan |
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean |
Natural hazards | typhoons common from December to March | prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active |
Natural resources | pumice, pumicite | salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish |
Net migration rate | 3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -12.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA] | 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 [Isaias RODRIGUES, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 67,084 (July 2001 est.) | 415,294 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 30% (2000) |
Population growth rate | 2.42% (2001 est.) | 0.73% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u | Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002) |
Radios | 57,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30% | Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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 is scheduled for completion in 2003 international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 13,000 (1997) | 71,700 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,550 (1997) | 53,300 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002) |
Terrain | five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island) | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic |
Total fertility rate | 3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.62 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 16% (1993) | 21% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |