Cape Verde (2007) | Belgium (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 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 | 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Flemish: provincien, singular - provincie); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams Brabant, West-Vlaanderen; note - the Brussels Capitol Region is not included within the 10 provinces |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 36.9% (male 78,971/female 77,524)
15-64 years: 56.4% (male 116,751/female 122,065) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,423/female 17,879) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years:
17.48% (male 916,957; female 876,029) 15-64 years: 65.57% (male 3,390,145; female 3,336,908) 65 years and over: 16.95% (male 709,212; female 1,029,511) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk |
Airports | 8 (2007) | 42 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
total:
24 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
30,510 sq km land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Rhode Island | about the size of Maryland |
Background | 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. | Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. |
Birth rate | 24.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 10.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $354.2 million
expenditures: $398.5 million (2006 est.) |
revenues:
$114.8 billion expenditures: $117 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (1999) |
Capital | name: Praia
geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Brussels |
Climate | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy |
Coastline | 965 km | 66 km |
Constitution | 25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica) | 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state |
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:
Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie |
Currency | - | Belgian franc (BEF); euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Belgium at a fixed rate of 40.3399 Belgian francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002 |
Death rate | 6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $325 million (2002) | $28.3 billion (1999 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Roger D. PIERCE
embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00 FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725 |
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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alexis REYN chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $764 million (1997) |
Economic aid - recipient | $160.6 million (2005) | - |
Economy - overview | 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 66% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, 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. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cape Verde has been exploring European Union membership in recent years. | This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north, although the government is encouraging investment in the southern region of Wallonia. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. About three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Belgium's public debt is expected to fall below 100% of GDP in 2002, and the government has succeeded in balancing is budget. Belgium became a charter member of the European Monetary Union (EMU) in January 1999. Economic growth in 2000 was broad based, putting the government in a good position to pursue its energy market liberalization policies and planned tax cuts. |
Electricity - consumption | 41.85 million kWh (2005) | 75.089 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 8.207 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 9.055 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 45 million kWh (2005) | 79.829 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
40.01% hydro: 0.42% nuclear: 58.33% other: 1.24% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island) |
lowest point:
North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m |
Environment - current issues | soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing | the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, intense animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have impeded progress in tackling environmental challenges |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% |
Exchange rates | Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002) | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Belgian francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Pedro Verona 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8% |
chief of state:
King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved by Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch and then approved by Parliament note: government coalition - VLD, PRL, PS, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $181.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products |
Exports - partners | Spain 43.3%, Portugal 21.9%, Netherlands 12.8%, Morocco 4.6% (2006) | EU 76% (Germany 18%, France 18%, Netherlands 12%, UK 10%) (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $259.2 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 9.6%
industry: 16.6% services: 73.8% (2006 est.) |
agriculture:
1.4% industry: 26% services: 72.6% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.5% (2005 est.) | 4.1% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 16 00 N, 24 00 W | 50 50 N, 4 00 E |
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 | crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | - | total:
145,774 km paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of expressways) unpaved: 29,592 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
3.7% highest 10%: 20.2% (1992) |
Illicit drugs | used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe; the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center | growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $166 billion (c.i.f., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products |
Imports - partners | Portugal 41.2%, Netherlands 10.6%, Spain 6.2%, Italy 5.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.2%, Brazil 4.8% (2006) | EU 71% (Germany 18%, Netherlands 17%, France 14%, UK 9%) (1999) |
Independence | 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) | 21 July 1831 (from the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 5.5% (2000 est.) |
Industries | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal |
Infant mortality rate | total: 45.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 50.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.4% (2006 est.) | 2.2% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 61 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 30 sq km (2003) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia | Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the monarch) |
Labor force | 120,600 (1990) | 4.34 million (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
1,385 km border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
Land use | arable land: 11.41%
permanent crops: 0.74% other: 87.85% (2005) |
arable land:
24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 21% other: 34% |
Languages | Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) | Dutch 58%, French 32%, German 10%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) |
Legal system | based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2 |
bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held in NA 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, CVP 14.7%, PRL 10.6%, PS 9.7%, VB 9.4%, SP 8.9%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.1%, PSC 6.0%, VU 5.1%; seats by party - VLD 11, CVP 10, PS 10, PRL 9, VB 6, SP 6, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, PSC 5, VU 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 14.3%, CVP 14.1%, PS 10.2%, PRL 10.1%, VB 9.9%, SP 9.5%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.0%, PSC 5.9%, VU 5.6%; seats by party - VLD 23, CVP 22, PS 19, PRL 18, VB 15, SP 14, ECOLO 11, PSC 10, AGALEV 9, VU 8, FN 1 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms of the listed parties see Political parties and leaders |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 71.02 years
male: 67.69 years female: 74.44 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
77.96 years male: 74.63 years female: 81.46 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands |
Map references | Political Map of the World | Europe |
Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
continental shelf:
median line with neighbors exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast) territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,922 GRT/7,726 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5 foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2007) |
total:
21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,912 GRT/53,161 DWT ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007) | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Medical Service |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $2.5 billion (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.7% (2005) | 1.2% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
2,517,596 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
2,079,624 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 19 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
63,247 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 5 July (1975) | Independence Day, 21 July (1831) |
Nationality | noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean |
noun:
Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian |
Natural hazards | prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active | flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes |
Natural resources | salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum | coal, natural gas |
Net migration rate | -11.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km |
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]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]; Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM] | AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Dos GEYSELS]; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no president]; Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP (Christian People's Party) [Stefaan DE CLERCK, president]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT, president]; Flemish Socialist Party or SP [Patrick JANSSENS, president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Joelle MILQUET, president]; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Daniel DUCARME, president]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO, president]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; Volksunie or VU [leader vacant]; other minor parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Christian and Socialist Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants |
Population | 423,613 (July 2007 est.) | 10,258,762 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 30% (2000) | 4% |
Population growth rate | 0.606% (2007 est.) | 0.16% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001) | FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | - | 8.075 million (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
3,437 km (2,446 km electrified; 2,563 km double track) standard gauge: 3,437 km 1.435-m gauge (1998) |
Religions | Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) | Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.956 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.583 male(s)/female total population: 0.948 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004 international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007) |
general assessment:
highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 71,600 (2006) | 4.769 million (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 108,900 (2006) | 974,494 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001) | 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast |
Total fertility rate | 3.28 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.61 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 21% (2000 est.) | 8.4% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | - | 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) |