Cape Verde (2002) | Niue (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | 17 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Calheta, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Nicolau, Sao Filipe, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal | none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 86,466; female 84,918)
15-64 years: 51.5% (male 100,684; female 109,841) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 10,363; female 16,488) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish | coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle |
Airports | 9
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2001) |
1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 6 3
over 3,047 m: 1 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 260 sq km
land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Rhode Island | 1.5 times the size of 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 and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Independence was achieved in 1975. | Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to about 2,100 in 2004), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest. |
Birth rate | 27.81 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $112 million
expenditures: $198 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
Capital | Praia | Alofi |
Climate | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds |
Coastline | 965 km | 64 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, and a further revision in 1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica) | 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act) |
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: Niue former: Savage Island |
Currency | Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) | New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
Death rate | 7.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $301 million (2000) | $418,000 (2002 est.) |
Dependency status | - | self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue |
Diplomatic representation from 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 |
none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in 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 |
none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $136 million (1999) | $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002) |
Economy - overview | Cape Verde 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, and public services accounting for 70% 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 accounts 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, 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 2002 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. | The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 was about $2.6 million. |
Electricity - consumption | 38.13 million kWh (2000) | 2.79 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 41 million kWh (2000) | 3 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
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 near Mutalau settlement 68 m |
Environment - current issues | 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 | increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture |
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 |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% | Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans) |
Exchange rates | Cape Verdean escudos per US dollar - 123.556 (January 2002), 115.877 (2000), 102.700 (1999), 98.158 (1998), 93.177 (1997) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1620 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999) |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2005) election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama HUNUKI (AI) 30% |
Exports | $27.3 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides | canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | Portugal 45%, UK 20%, Germany 20%, Guinea-Bissau 5% (1999) | New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000) |
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 | yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $600 million (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11%
industry: 17% services: 72% (2001) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: 55% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3% (2001 est.) | -0.3% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 16 00 N, 24 00 W | 19 02 S, 169 52 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 | one of world's largest coral islands |
Highways | total: 1,100 km
paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1996) |
total: 234 km
paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001) |
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 | $218 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels | food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs |
Imports - partners | Portugal 52%, Germany 7%, France 4%, UK 3% (1999) | New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000) |
Independence | 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) | on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair | tourism, handicrafts, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | 51.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (2001) | 1% (1995) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) | ACP, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2002) | - |
Irrigated land | 30 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia | Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue |
Labor force | NA | NA (1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5% other: 89.82% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 15.38%
permanent crops: 11.54% other: 73.08% (2001) |
Languages | Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) | Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English |
Legal system | derived from the legal system of Portugal | English common law
note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws |
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 Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives)
elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 69.52 years
male: 66.23 years female: 72.91 years (2002 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.6% male: 81.4% female: 63.8% (1995 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: 95% male: NA female: NA |
Location | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga |
Map references | Political Map of the 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: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
ships by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) |
none |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
Military branches | Army, Coast Guard | no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $9.3 million (FY01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.6% (FY01) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 92,486 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 52,215 (2002 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: Niuean(s)
adjective: Niuean |
Natural hazards | prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active | typhoons |
Natural resources | salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish | fish, arable land |
Net migration rate | -12.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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, 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 [Anibal MEDINA, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president] | Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of Independents or AI [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 408,760 (July 2002 est.) | 2,156 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 30% (2000) | NA |
Population growth rate | 0.85% (2002 est.) | 0.01% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 100,000 (2002 est.) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) | Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
NA (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 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 is scheduled for completion in 2003 international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island
international: country code - 683 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 60,935 (2002) | 1,100 est (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 28,119 (2002) | 400 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic | steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 3.91 children born/woman (2002 est.) | NA children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 21% (2000 est.) | NA (March 1999) |
Waterways | none | - |