Background: The uninhabited islands were discovered and
colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became
a trading center for African slaves. Most Cape Verdeans descend from both
groups. Independence was achieved in 1975.
Government
type: republic
Capital: Praia
Currency: 1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos
Geography of Cape Verde
Location: Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
Senegal
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 24 00 W
Area:
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 965 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic ash used
to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish
Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 83% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility;
volcanically and seismically active
Environment - current issues: overgrazing of livestock and improper
land use such as the cultivation of crops on steep slopes has led to soil
erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation;
desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of
birds and reptiles; overfishing.
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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.
People of Cape Verde
The Cape Verde archipelago was uninhabited until the Portuguese
discovered the islands in 1456. African slaves were brought to the islands
to work on Portuguese plantations. As a result, Cape Verdeans are of mixed
African and European origin. The influence of African culture is most
pronounced on the island of Santiago, where half the population resides.
Sparse rain and few natural resources historically have induced Cape
Verdeans to emigrate. It is believed that of the more than 1 million
individuals of Cape Verdean ancestry, less than half actually live on the
islands. Some 500,000 people of Cape Verdean ancestry live in the United
States, mainly in New England. Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, France, and
Senegal also have large communities.
The official language is Portuguese, but most Cape Verdeans also speak
a Creole dialect--Crioulo--which is based on archaic Portuguese but
influenced by African and European languages. Cape Verde has a rich
tradition of Crioulo literature and music.
Population: 418,224 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.79%
15-64 years: 50.76%
65 years and over: 6.45%
Population growth rate: 0.92%
Birth rate: 28.71 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 7.19 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: -12.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 53.22 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.21 years
male: 65.93 years
female: 72.6 years
Total fertility rate: 4.05 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean
Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs);
Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Languages: Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.6%
male: 81.4%
female: 63.8% (1995 est.)
SOURCES: The World Factbook, U.S. Department of State |