Norfolk Island (2005) | Cape Verde (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 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 |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 40% (male 83,835; female 82,318)
15-64 years: 53.3% (male 106,846; female 114,312) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,580; female 17,403) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish |
Airports | 1 (2004 est.) | 7
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Rhode Island |
Background | Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. | 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. |
Birth rate | NA | 26.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $20 million
expenditures: $20 million, including capital expenditures of $2 million (FY99/00) |
revenues: $252.9 million
expenditures: $269.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003) |
Capital | Kingston | Praia |
Climate | subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic |
Coastline | 32 km | 965 km |
Constitution | Norfolk Island Act of 1979 | 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: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island |
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 | - | Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) |
Death rate | NA | 6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $325 million (2002) |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | 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 (territory of Australia) | 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 | Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs. | 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 72% 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 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. Prospects for 2004 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 39.08 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 42.03 million kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island) |
Environment - current issues | NA | 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 | descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians | Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) | Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002), 123.228 (2001), 115.877 (2000), 102.7 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001) cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election last held 20 Ocotber 2004 (next to be held by December 2007) election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - 17.2% |
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 f.o.b. (FY99/00) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados | fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides |
Exports - partners | Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe | Portugal 31%, France 27.6%, UK 17.2%, US 17.2% (2003) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band | 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 - $600 million (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
agriculture: 10%
industry: 16.5% services: 62.8% (2003) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | 4% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 29 02 S, 167 57 E | 16 00 N, 24 00 W |
Geography - note | most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated | 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: 80 km
paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001) |
total: 1,100 km
paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1999 est.) |
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 | $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | NA | foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels |
Imports - partners | Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe | Portugal 46.7%, Netherlands 9.1%, Belgium 3.8% (2003) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA |
Industries | tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 49.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 54.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 3% (2003) |
International organization participation | UPU | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
Irrigated land | NA | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia |
Labor force | 1,345 | NA (1980) |
Labor force - by occupation | tourism 90%, subsistence agriculture 10% | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5% other: 89.82% (2001) |
Languages | English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian | Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) |
Legal system | based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law | derived from the legal system of Portugal |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties) |
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: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 70.14 years
male: 66.83 years female: 73.54 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.) |
Location | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal |
Map references | Oceania | Political Map of the World |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 1 foreign-owned: United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Coast Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $12.3 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.5% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 98,394 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 55,477 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856) | Independence Day, 5 July (1975) |
Nationality | noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) |
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean |
Natural hazards | typhoons (especially May to July) | prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active |
Natural resources | fish | salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish |
Net migration rate | NA | -12.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | 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 [Isaias RODRIGUES, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 1,828 (July 2005 est.) | 415,294 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 30% (2000) |
Population growth rate | -0.01% (2005 est.) | 0.73% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade | Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) | AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002) |
Religions | Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia 11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian Christian 2.4%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.3%, none 18.1% (2001 census) | Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) |
Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: free local calls international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station |
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: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004) | 71,700 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum) (2002) | 53,300 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (2005) | 1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002) |
Terrain | volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic |
Total fertility rate | NA | 3.62 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0% | 21% (2000 est.) |