Cape Verde (2001) | Tokelau (2007) | |
Administrative divisions | 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) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Age structure | 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.) |
0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% |
Agriculture - products | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats; fish |
Airports | 8 (2000) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2000) |
- |
Area | total:
4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Rhode Island | about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. |
Birth rate | 28.71 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues:
$188 million expenditures: $228 million, including capital expenditures of $116 million (1996) |
revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million (1987 est.) |
Capital | Praia | none; each atoll has its own administrative center
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) |
Coastline | 965 km | 101 km |
Constitution | new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Cape Verde conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
Currency | Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) | - |
Death rate | 7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $260 million (2000) | - |
Dependency status | - | self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum on self governance in October 2007 did not produce the two-thirds majority vote necessary for changing the political status |
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 |
none (territory of New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
none (territory of New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | none | Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution |
Economic aid - recipient | $111.3 million (1995) | NA |
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. | Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. |
Electricity - consumption | 37.2 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 40 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island) |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
Environment - current issues | 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 | limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand |
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 | Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% | Polynesian |
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) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002) |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)
head of government: Kolouei O'BRIEN (2006); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders) cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term |
Exports | $40 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $0 f.o.b. (2002) |
Exports - commodities | fuel, shoes, garments, fish, bananas, hides | stamps, copra, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | Portugal, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Malaysia | New Zealand (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | the flag of New Zealand is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $670 million (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
13% industry: 19% services: 68% (1998) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 16 00 N, 24 00 W | 9 00 S, 172 00 W |
Geography - note | strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site | consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level |
Highways | total:
1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1996) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
- |
Illicit drugs | used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe | - |
Imports | $250 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $969,200 c.i.f. (2002) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel |
Imports - partners | Portugal, Netherlands, France, UK, Spain, US | New Zealand (2006) |
Independence | 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing |
Infant mortality rate | 53.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4% (2000) | NA% |
International organization participation | 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) | PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 1,500 to 2,000 hectares (1999) | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia | Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau |
Labor force | NA | 440 (2001) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
11% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 83% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English |
Legal system | derived from the legal system of Portugal | New Zealand and local statutes |
Legislative branch | 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 |
unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has six seats, Fakaofo has seven seats, Atafu has eight seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held January 2005 (next to be held January 2008) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
69.21 years male: 65.93 years female: 72.6 years (2001 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.6% male: 81.4% female: 63.8% (1995 est.) |
NA |
Location | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal | Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | World | Oceania |
Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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.) |
- |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
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 | Independence Day, 5 July (1975) | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
Nationality | noun:
Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean |
noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
Natural hazards | prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active | lies in Pacific typhoon belt |
Natural resources | salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish | NEGL |
Net migration rate | -12.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA |
Political parties and leaders | 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] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 405,163 (July 2001 est.) | 1,449 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.92% (2001 est.) | -0.018% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 11 (and 14 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (one radio station provides service to all islands) (2002) |
Radios | 73,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) | Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant |
Sex ratio | 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.) |
NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
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) |
general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations |
Telephones - main lines in use | 45,644 (2000) | 300 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 19,729 (1997) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | - |
Terrain | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons |
Total fertility rate | 4.05 children born/woman (2001 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 24% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | none | - |