Cape+Verde

=Cape Verde=

toc A circle of 10 yellow 5-point stars represent each one of the islands.
 * = [[image:https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/flags/large/cv-lgflag.gif width="403" height="257" align="center"]] ||
 * = Flag of Cape Verde

|| = = =Background=
 * = Map of Cape Verde ||

The once uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century. Later, Cape Verde became a trading center for African slaves and a resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following their independance in 1975, a one-party system was e stablished and maintained until the multi-party elections were held in 1990. To this day, Cape Verde still exhibits one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. The repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused much struggle and prompted heavy emigration. For this reason, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. =Timeline=


 * 1456 - First Europeans arrive in Cape Verde. ||
 * 1495 || Cape Verde becomes a Portuguese crown colony. ||
 * 1956 || Amilcar Cabral, a native of Cape Verde, co-founds the African Party for Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) in Guinea-Bissau. ||
 * 1960 || PAIGC-lead liberation war begins against Portuguese rule in Guinea-Bissau, with many Cape Verdeans joining in. ||
 * Independence ||  ||
 * 1975 || Cape Verde becomes independent and adopts constitution envisaging unity with Guinea-Bissau. ||
 * 1980 || Cape Verde ditches plans for unity with Guinea-Bissau following coup in latter. ||
 * 1981 || African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) replaces the PAIGC and becomes the country's sole party. ||
 * 1991 || Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro becomes president following Cape Verde's first free election. ||
 * 1992 || A new constitution brings in a multi-party system. ||
 * 1996 || Mascarenhas Monteiro is re-elected and his party, the Movement for Democracy, wins a majority of seats in parliamentary elections. ||
 * 2001 || January -- Government accepts defeat in parliamentary elections, paving the way for the return to power of the former ruling African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde, the PAICV. ||
 * 2001 || March -- Pedro Pires, from the Party for the Independence of Cape Verde, is elected president after beating his rival, the Movement for Democracy's Carlos Veiga, by 17 votes. ||
 * 2006 || June -- Some 7,000 Nato troops take part in war games on Sao Vicente island. This is the organization's first major deployment in Africa. ||
 * 2007 || December -- World Trade Organization (WTO) council approves Cape Verde's accession to the organisation. ||

The Arts
P ortuguese and African heritage reflects on the culture of Cape Verde. The stories, proverbs, and even the improvised poetry and singing are highly valued. The language of poetry is Cioulo, while Portuguese is used for prose. Distinctive Cape Verdian literature began to come out in 1936 with the journal Claridade, an anti-dictatorial publication that opposed the European-dominated arts. Folk arts include cane and cloth weaving, tapestry work, and unglazed red clay pottery.

Music and dancing prove to be an essential aspect of Caboverdian culture. Cape Verde's unique music and dance styles include the morna, coladeira, and funana. Funana is currently the nation's most popular dance music, as it is livelier and has a stronger beat. Many instruments play an important rule such as the guitarra, the viola, the cavaquinho, and the violin. Percussion instruments also play an important rule in music.

Tourism Information
General attitudes of those in Cape Verde differ greatly from those in the rest of the industrialized world. For example, when going to work, people often stop to greet friends even though it may make them late. A person who does not do this is often considered ungrateful. Caboverdians do not state opinions directly, and they are uncomfortable with direct apologies. The only time they reject an idea or invitation is in political discussions. The people are friendly. They are open to the outside world; twice as many Caboverdians live away from the islands as on them. Individualism is not promoted, as they see it as their responsibility to take care of their neighbors. Sadly, privacy is not highly valued; people do not like to be alone. People generally except a handshake and a long greeting when they meet. They are an important precursor to a conversation. Especially in informal introductions or after a long separation, women give and receive kisses from both sexes. Parents or elders also may be greeted with kisses. Greetings are more often than not, in Crioulo. Dialects vary between islands, but a standard phrase is //Modi ki bu sta? (How are you?)//. After initial greetings, it is polite to inquire after the welfare of the person's family. Caboverdians visit their friends and relatives regularly. Not doing so is considered rude. Most informal visits are unannounced. Hosts are hospitable and treat their guests well. Declining a drink or meal is not considered impolite, but doing so consistently would probably come across as offensive. When invited to dinner, guests are not expected to contribute to the meal. When invited to an event, guests say that they will attempt to attend, even if they know that it is impossible. Saying 'no' directly to an invitation is not a good idea.
 * General Attitudes:**
 * Greetings:**
 * Visiting:**


 * [[image:http://www.edrissalon.com/blog/uploads/IMAGES/CapeVerde/CapVerde357.jpg]] ||
 * = Some children in Cape Verde. ||

=Current Event=
 * [[image:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3433/3236322162_910d879886.jpg width="400" height="265"]] ||
 * = Cape Verde has a beautiful landscape. ||

(October 15, 2009) There has been some recent controversy over a cartoon which depicted a Rhode Island lawmaker - House Majority Leader Gordon Fox- as a shoeshine boy. The cartoon, which ran Saturday in The Providence Journal, showed Fox shining the shoes of House Speaker William Murphy, who was wearing a crown. The cartoon had prompted an outcry by the NAACP, which said it was inappropriate to depict a person of color as subservient. Fox is half Irish and half Cape Verdean. The newspaper explained that cartoonist, Jim Bush, did not mean to refer to Fox's ancestry. =Geography =

 west of Senegal. || territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm || and very erratic || highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo island) || permanent crops: 0.74% other: 87.85% || per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000) || signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements ||
 * = [[image:https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/photo_gallery/cv/images/CV_002.jpg height="375" align="right"]] ||
 * = A space shuttle showing several of the northwestern islands. ||
 * || **Location:** || Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
 * **Geo.coordinates:** || 16 00 N, 24 00 W ||
 * **Map references:** || Africa ||
 * **Total area:** || 4,033 sq km ||
 * **Area-comparitive:** || sllightly larger than Rhode Island ||
 * **Land boundaries (borders):** || 0 km ||
 * **Coastline:** || 965 km ||
 * **Maritime claims:** || (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)
 * **Climate:** || temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager
 * **Terrain:** || steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic ||
 * **Elevation extremes:** || lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
 * **Natural resources:** || salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum ||
 * **Land use:** || arable land: 11.41%
 * **Irrigated land:** || 30 sq km (2003) ||
 * **Total renewable water resources:** || 0.3 cu km (1990) ||
 * **Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):** || total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)
 * **Natural hazards:** || prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active ||
 * **Environment - current issues:** || 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 ||
 * **Environment - international agreements:** || 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
 * **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=

country comparison to the world || male: 20.4 years female: 21.9 years (2009 est.) || country comparison to the world: 149 || country comparison to the world: 149 || country comparison to the world: 74 || country comparison to the world: 178 || country comparison to the world: 126 || Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) || country comparison to the world: 34 school life expectancy: total: 12 years (2006) ||
 * **Population:** || 429,474 (July 2009 est.)
 * < **Median age:** || total: 21.1 years
 * **Population growth rate:** || 0.561% (2009 est.)
 * **Birth rate:** || 23.5 births/1,000 population
 * **Death rate:** || 6.22 deaths/1,000 population
 * **Net migration rate:** || -11.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population
 * **Infant mortality rate:** || total: 41.35 deaths/1,000 live births ||
 * **Life expectancy at birth:** || total population: 71.61 years
 * **Ethnic groups:** || Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% ||
 * **Religions:** || Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs),
 * **Languages:** || Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words. ||
 * **Literacy:** || total population: 76.6% ||
 * **Education:** || expenditures: 6.3% of GDP (2006)


 * = [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Pedro_Verona_Rodrigues_Pires.jpg/225px-Pedro_Verona_Rodrigues_Pires.jpg]] ||
 * = Pedro Pires, President of Cape Verde ||

Health
The government pays for healthcare costs; however, the service is not always adequate. Long lines and poor quality plague the system. This is due to under staffing and a lack of equipment. Outbreaks of malaria, typhoid, hepatitis A, and polio are not uncommon. Cholera epidemics are difficult to control because of poor sanitation conditions. Slowly, the situation is getting better and people are living longer. =Government=

=Economy=
 * **Government type:** || republic ||
 * **Capital:** || Praia ||
 * **Independence:** || 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) ||
 * **Suffrage:** || 18 years of age; universal ||
 * **Leader:** || President Pedro Pires ||


 * **Economic overview:**

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 about three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. 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. Cape Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008. ||
 * || **GDP per capita:** || $3,800 ||
 * **Unemployment:** || 21% ||
 * **Agriculture products:** || bananas, beans, corn, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, coffee, peanuts; fish ||
 * **Industries:** || food and beverages, fish processing, salt mining, ship repair, shoes and garments ||
 * **Exports:** || fuel, shoes, garments, fish hides ||
 * **Imports:** || foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels ||
 * **Exchange rate:** || CVE per US dollar - 73.84 (2008 est.) ||

=Communications=

 //Internet hosts:// 20 (2008) //Internet users:// 37,000(2007) ||
 * **Internet Access**: || //Internet country code:// .cv

=Military=


 * **Military Expenditures:** || 0.7% of GDP (2005) ||

=Transnational Issues=


 * **Illicit Drugs:** || used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine destined for Western Europe, particularly because of Lusophone links to Brazil, Portugal, and Guinea-Bissau; has taken steps to deter drug money laundering, including a 2002 anti-money laundering reform that criminalizes laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking and other crimes and the establishment in 2008 of a Financial Intelligence Unit (2008). ||  ||