Cape Verde

National name: República de Cabo Verde

Geography 

Capital: Praia
Major Towns: Mindelo, Santa Maria, Tarrafal 
Location (geographical coordinates/latitude and longitude): 14°55'N, 23°31'W
Time Zone: CVT (UTC-1)
Size (Land and Sea): 4,033 sq km
Borders with Atlantic Ocean
Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m; highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
 
Politics 
Head of State: President: Pedro Pires (2001), Prime Minister: José Maria Neves (2001)
Form of Government: Republic
Independancy (from Portugal):  July 5, 1975.
Currency: Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Industry 
Main Industries: food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair.
Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum.
Agriculture: bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish.

Population and People  

Population: 423,613 (July 2007 est.)
Population density per sq mi: 271
Growth rate: 0.6%
Birth rate: 24.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.28 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 45.3/1000
Religion: Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Languages: Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)
Ethnic groups / Tribes: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Average age: 0-14 years: 36.9% (male 78,971/female 77,524); 15-64 years: 56.4% (male 116,751/female 122,065); 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,423/female 17,879) (2007 est.)
Life expectancy: 71.0
Literacy (definition: age 15 and over can read and write): Total population: 76.6%; male: 85.8%; female: 69.2% (2003 est.)