Cape Verde
|
| Basic Facts |
| Country name |
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde |
| Gevernment type | republic |
| Capital |
name: Praia
geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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 |
| Currency | Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) |
| Internet country code | .cv |
| Ports and terminals | Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal |
| Agriculture products | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish |
| Industries | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair |
| Geography |
| Location | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal |
| Coordinates | 16 00 N, 24 00 W |
| Continent | Political Map of the World |
| Area |
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Boundaries | 0 km |
| Coastline | 965 km |
| Climate | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic |
| Terrain | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic |
| Natural resources | salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum |
| Natural hazards | prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active |
| People |
| Population | 420,979 (July 2006 est.) |
| 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) |
