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CAPE VERDE
Map of CAPE VERDE
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Location:
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Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal |
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Geographic coordinates:
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16 00 N, 24 00 W |
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Area:
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total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Rhode Island |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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965 km |
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Maritime claims:
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measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic |
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Terrain:
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steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island) |
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Natural resources:
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salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum |
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Land use:
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arable land: 11.41%
permanent crops: 0.74%
other: 87.85% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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30 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources:
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0.3 cu km (1990) |
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)
per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards:
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prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active |
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Environment - current issues:
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soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Population:
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426,998 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 36.1% (male 77,533/female 76,489)
15-64 years: 57.4% (male 120,208/female 125,009)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 10,226/female 17,533) (2008 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean |
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Ethnic groups:
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Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) |
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Languages:
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Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.) |
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 12 years
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2006) |
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Education expenditures - percent of GDP:
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6.3% (2006) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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name: Praia
geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W
time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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5 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Source: http://cia.gov
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