n deforestation;
desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species
of birds and reptiles; overfishing

Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
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

@Cape Verde:People

Population: 399,857 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 92,175; female 90,557)
15-64 years: 48% (male 90,183; female 102,541)
65 years and over: 6% (male 9,765; female 14,636) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.49% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 34.47 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 7.04 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -12.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 47.53 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.5 years
male: 67.21 years
female: 73.89 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.08 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean

Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Religions: Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs

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.)

@Cape Verde:Government

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

Data code: CV

Government type: republic

National capital: Praia

Administrative divisions: 14 districts (concelhos, singular-concelho);
Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Maio, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal
note: there may be a new administrative structure of 16 districts (Boa
Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira
Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao