Carlos Alberto Wahnon de CarvalhoVEIGA (since 13 January 1991) nominated by the People'sNational
Assembly and appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by prime minister from
members of the Peoples National Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral
People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular): elections
last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA); results - MPD 59%,
PAICV 28%, PCD 6%; seats - (72 total) MPD 50, PAICV 21, PCD 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de
Justia)
Political parties and leaders: Movement for Democracy (MPD), Prime
Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and chairman; African Party for
Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES,
chairman; Party for Democratic Convergence (PCD)
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM,
OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alberto Santos SILVA-CARLOS
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 965–6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965–1207
consulate(s) general: Boston
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph M. SEGARS
embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 61 56 16
FAX: [238] 61 13 55
Flag: 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
Economy———
Economic overview: Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought, and a high birthrate. The economy is service oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for 60% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of agriculture in GNP is only 13%, of which fishing accounts for 4%. About 90% 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 remittances from emigrants and foreign aid, which form important supplements to GDP. 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 1996 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $440 million (1994 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 4.6% (1994 est.)
GDP per capita: $1,040 (1994 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 17% services: 70% (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 102,000 (1985 est.) by occupation: agriculture (mostly subsistence) 57%, services 29%, industry 14% (1981)
Unemployment rate: 35% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $174 million
expenditures: $235 million, including capital expenditures of $165
million (1993 est.)
Industries: fish processing, salt mining, garments, ship repair,
food and beverages
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity: capacity: 15,000 kW production: 40 million kWh consumption per capita: 73 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane,
coffee, peanuts; fish
Illicit drugs: increasingly used as a transshipment point for
illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for
Western Europe
Exports: $4.4 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities: fish, bananas
partners: Netherlands, Portugal, Angola, Spain
Imports: $173 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products,
transport equipment
partners: Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Brazil, France,
Cote d'Ivoire
External debt: $156 million (1991)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 77.860 (December 1995), 76.853 (1995), 81.891 (1994), 80.427 (1993), 68.018 (1992), 71.408 (1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation———————
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,100 km paved: 680 km unpaved: 420 km (1992 est.)
Ports: Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal
Merchant marine: cargo 3, chemical tanker 1 (1995 est.)
total: 4 (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,632 GRT/8,872 DWT
Airports:
total: 6
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 5 (1995 est.)
