Cayman Islands (2001) | Cape Verde (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western | 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 |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
22.21% (male 3,807; female 4,084) 15-64 years: 69.74% (male 12,102; female 12,676) 65 years and over: 8.05% (male 1,318; female 1,540) (2001 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish |
Airports | 3 (2000 est.) | 9
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 6 3
over 3,047 m: 1 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002) |
Area | total:
259 sq km land: 259 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Rhode Island |
Background | The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent. | 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. |
Birth rate | 13.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 27.81 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$265.2 million expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues: $112 million
expenditures: $198 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
Capital | George Town | Praia |
Climate | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic |
Coastline | 160 km | 965 km |
Constitution | 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 | 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:
none conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
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 | Caymanian dollar (KYD) | Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) |
Death rate | 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 7.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $70 million (1996) | $301 million (2000) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 | $NA | $136 million (1999) |
Economy - overview | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1997, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million visitors in 1997. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 306.9 million kWh (1999) | 38.13 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 330 million kWh (1999) | 41 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island) |
Environment - current issues | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchment | 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 | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% | Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% |
Exchange rates | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) | Cape Verdean escudos per US dollar - 123.556 (January 2002), 115.877 (2000), 102.700 (1999), 98.158 (1998), 93.177 (1997) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor and President of the Executive Council Peter SMITH (since 5 May 1999) head of government: Kurt TIBBETTS (since November 2000) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch |
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 | $1.5 million (1998) | $27.3 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods | fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides |
Exports - partners | mostly US | Portugal 45%, UK 20%, Germany 20%, Guinea-Bissau 5% (1999) |
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 Caymanian coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS | 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 - $930 million (1997 est.) | purchasing power parity - $600 million (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
agriculture: 11%
industry: 17% services: 72% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $24,500 (1997 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.9% (1999 est.) | 3% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 19 30 N, 80 30 W | 16 00 N, 24 00 W |
Geography - note | important location between Cuba and Central America | 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:
406 km paved: 304 km unpaved: 102 km |
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 | vulnerable to drug money laundering and drug transshipment to the US and Europe | 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 | $507.6 million (1998) | $218 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, manufactured goods | foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels |
Imports - partners | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan | Portugal 52%, Germany 7%, France 4%, UK 3% (1999) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair |
Infant mortality rate | 10.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 51.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (1998) | 3% (2001) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate) | 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) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | 1 (2002) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia |
Labor force | 19,820 (1995) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 23% other: 69% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5% other: 89.82% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English | Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) |
Legal system | British common law and local statutes | derived from the legal system of Portugal |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA |
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:
79.03 years male: 76.24 years female: 81.43 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 69.52 years
male: 66.23 years female: 72.91 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.6% male: 81.4% female: 63.8% (1995 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Political Map of the World |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
106 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,656,452 GRT/2,643,036 DWT ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 5, chemical tanker 27, container 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 2, Denmark 2, Finland 1, Greece 11, Norway 3, UK 3, US 3 (2000 est.) |
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.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF) | Army, Coast Guard |
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 | Constitution Day, first Monday in July | Independence Day, 5 July (1975) |
Nationality | noun:
Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian |
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (July to November) | prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active |
Natural resources | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism | salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish |
Net migration rate | 12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US |
-12.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | there are no formal political parties but the following loose groupings act as political organizations; National Team; Democratic Alliance; Team Cayman | 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] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 35,527 (July 2001 est.) | 408,760 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 30% (2000) |
Population growth rate | 2.12% (2001 est.) | 0.85% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cayman Brac, George Town | Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002) |
Radios | 36,000 (1997) | 100,000 (2002 est.) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant | Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
0.86 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic 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: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 19,000 (1995) | 60,935 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,534 (1995) | 28,119 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002) |
Terrain | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic |
Total fertility rate | 2.04 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.91 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.1% (1997) | 21% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |