Western Sahara (2004) | Cape Verde (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | none (under de facto control of Morocco) | 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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 39% (male 82,249/female 80,752)
15-64 years: 54.3% (male 110,119/female 116,816) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 10,599/female 17,689) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish |
Airports | 11 (2003 est.) | 7
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | slightly larger than Rhode Island |
Background | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. | 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 births/1,000 population | 25.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues: $260.6 million
expenditures: $305.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
Capital | none | Praia |
Climate | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic |
Coastline | 1,110 km | 965 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) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
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 | Moroccan dirham (MAD) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $325 million (2002) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none | chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 261 56 16, 261 56 17 FAX: [238] 261 13 55 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none | 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 | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991 but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals | none |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $136 million (1999) |
Economy - overview | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. | 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 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 83.7 million kWh (2001) | 40.06 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 90 million kWh (2001) | 43.08 million kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island) |
Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing |
Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 | Arab, Berber | Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% |
Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.574 (2003), 11.584 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999) | Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002), 123.228 (2001), 119.687 (2000) |
Executive branch | none | 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 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 | NA (2001) | NA |
Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% | fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides |
Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | Portugal 59.4%, US 17.2%, UK 11.4% (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: 40% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 12.1%
industry: 21.9% services: 66% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | 5% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 24 30 N, 13 00 W | 16 00 N, 24 00 W |
Geography - note | the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas | 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: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est) |
total: 1,350 km
paved: 932 km unpaved: 418 km (2000) |
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 | NA (2001) | NA |
Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs | foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels |
Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000) | Portugal 41.8%, US 12.3%, Netherlands 8.4%, Spain 5.2%, Italy 4.2%, Brazil 4% (2004) |
Independence | - | 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA |
Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 47.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 52.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 1.5% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | none | 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, WTO (observer) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia |
Labor force | 12,000 | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% | - |
Land boundaries | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2001) |
arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5% other: 89.82% (2001) |
Languages | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic | Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) |
Legal system | - | derived from the legal system of Portugal |
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 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 years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 70.45 years
male: 67.13 years female: 73.86 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal |
Map references | Africa | Political Map of the World |
Maritime claims | contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 2 foreign-owned: 1 (United Kingdom 1) (2005) |
Military branches | - | People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | NA | $14.1 million (2004) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | 1.5% (2004) |
National holiday | - | Independence Day, 5 July (1975) |
Nationality | noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi,Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility | prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active |
Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore | salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum |
Net migration rate | - | -11.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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 [Isaias RODRIGUES, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 267,405 (July 2004 est.) | 418,224 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 30% (2000) |
Population growth rate | NA | 0.67% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) | Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 22 (and 12 low power repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002) |
Religions | Muslim | 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: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
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 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 | about 2,000 (1999 est.) | 71,700 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 53,300 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002) |
Terrain | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 3.48 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA | 21% (2000 est.) |