ns
station; important sea and air refueling site

People

Population: 405,748 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 92,721; female 91,083)
15-64 years: 49% (male 92,658; female 104,264)
65 years and over: 6% (male 9,936; female 15,086) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.44% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 33.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.78 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -12.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 45.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.96 years
male: 67.66 years
female: 74.36 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.95 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

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 creole 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.)

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

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 Nicolau,
Sao Filipe, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal)

Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution: new constitution came into force 25 September 1992

Legal system: derived from the legal system of Portugal

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Pr