British Virgin Islands (2002) | Cape Verde (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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; note - there may be a new administrative structure of 16 districts (Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Nicolau, Sao Filipe, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,401; female 2,351)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 7,962; female 7,509) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 565; female 484) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
42.79% (male 87,458; female 85,895) 15-64 years: 50.76% (male 97,812; female 107,834) 65 years and over: 6.45% (male 10,204; female 15,960) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 8 (2000) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2000) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada |
total:
4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Rhode Island |
Background | First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. | The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a trading center for African slaves. Most Cape Verdeans descend from both groups. Independence was achieved in 1975. |
Birth rate | 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 28.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues:
$188 million expenditures: $228 million, including capital expenditures of $116 million (1996) |
Capital | Road Town | Praia |
Climate | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic |
Coastline | 80 km | 965 km |
Constitution | 1 June 1977 | new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI |
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 | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $36.1 million (1997) | $260 million (2000) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Ferdinand Amilcar Spencer LOPES 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 | NA | $111.3 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 39.1 million kWh (1999) | 37.2 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 42 million kWh (1999) | 40 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 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 (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) | overgrazing of livestock and improper land use such as the cultivation of crops on steep slopes has led to soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; overfishing |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed | Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | 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) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
chief of state:
President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister from among the members of the National Assembly 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 | $6.2 million | $40 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand | fuel, shoes, garments, fish, bananas, hides |
Exports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | Portugal, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Malaysia |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) | 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 - $311 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $670 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 6% services: 92% (1996 est.) |
agriculture:
13% industry: 19% services: 68% (1998) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.4% (2000 est.) | 6% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 30 N, 64 30 W | 16 00 N, 24 00 W |
Geography - note | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico | 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: 177 km
paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
total:
1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center | used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe |
Imports | $230 million (2000 est.) | $250 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery | foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels |
Imports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | Portugal, Netherlands, France, UK, Spain, US |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4% (1985) | NA% |
Industries | tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair |
Infant mortality rate | 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 53.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (2000) | 4% (2000) |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAET, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 1,500 to 2,000 hectares (1999) |
Judicial branch | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia |
Labor force | 4,911 (1980) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
11% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 83% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English (official) | Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) |
Legal system | English law | derived from the legal system of Portugal |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5 |
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: 75.85 years
male: 74.9 years female: 76.84 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
69.21 years male: 65.93 years female: 72.6 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.6% male: 81.4% female: 63.8% (1995 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | World |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT
ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.) |
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.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Coast Guard/Marines |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $4 million (FY96) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.8% (FY96) |
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.) |
National holiday | Territory Day, 1 July | Independence Day, 5 July (1975) |
Nationality | noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
noun:
Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean |
Natural hazards | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) | prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active |
Natural resources | NEGL | salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish |
Net migration rate | 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -12.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL] | African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Antonio Gualberto do ROSARIO, president]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Dr. Oresimo SILVEIRA, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]; Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO, president] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 21,272 (July 2002 est.) | 405,163 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.16% (2002 est.) | 0.92% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Road Town | Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 11 (and 14 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 9,000 (1997) | 73,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991) | Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (1996) | 45,644 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 19,729 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic |
Total fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3% (1995) | 24% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |