olitical parties and leaders:
African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria
Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr.
Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic
Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic
Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO, president]; Democratic and
Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement
for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for
Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president];
Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES, president];
Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general: Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roger D. PIERCE
embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00
FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55

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

Economy Cape Verde

Economy - 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 66% of GDP. Although
nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food
production in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which fishing accounted
for 1.5%. 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