Chapter 24
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9 billion (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (FY95/96)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: maritime boundary disputes with the US (Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Machias Seal Island); Saint Pierre and Miquelon is focus of maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France; in 1992 an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone area of 12,348 sq km to settle the dispute
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; growing role as a transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market ______________________________________________________________________
CAPE VERDE
@Cape Verde:Geography
Location: Western Africa, group of Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 24 00 W
Map references: World
Area: total: 4,030 sq km land: 4,030 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 965 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point : Pico 2,829 m
Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish
Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 83% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active
Environment - current issues: overgrazing of livestock and improper land use such as the cultivation of crops on steep slopes has led to soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in 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: 393,943 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 91,409; female 89,810) 15-64 years: 48% (male 87,868; female 100,948) 65 years and over: 6% (male 9,594; female 14,214) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.54% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 35.45 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.3 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -12.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 49.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 70.04 years male: 66.76 years female: 73.42 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.2 children born/woman (1997 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
Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Constitution: new constitution came into force 25 September 1992
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (since 22 March 1991) head of government : Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister from among the members of the People's National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2001); prime minister nominated by the People's National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro elected president; percent of vote - Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (independent) 80.1%
Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - MPD 59%, PAICV 28%, PCD 6%; seats by party - MPD 50, PAICV 21, PCD 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia
Political parties and leaders: Movement for Democracy or MPD [Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and chairman]; African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, chairman]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD; Social Democratic Party or PSD [leader NA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alberto Santos SILVA CARLOS 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 Lawrence Neal BENEDICT (17 June 1996) embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 61 56 16 FAX : [238] 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
Economy - overview: Cape Verde's low per capita GDP reflects a poor natural resource base, serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought, and a high birthrate. The economy is service oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for almost 70% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of agriculture in GNP is only 14%, of which fishing accounts for 4%. About 90% 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 remittances from emigrants and foreign aid, which form important supplements to GDP. Economic reforms, launched by the new democratic government in 1991, are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Prospects for 1997 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $472 million (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 14% industry: 17% services: 69% (1992 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 7.8% (1995)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA %
Budget: revenues: $253.7 million expenditures: $276 million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: fish processing, salt mining, garments, ship repair, food and beverages
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 17,000 kW
Electricity - production: 15 million kWh (1991)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 39 kWh (1991 est.)
Agriculture - products: bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
Exports: total value: $10 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: fish, bananas, fuels, basic manufactures partners: Netherlands, Portugal 50%, Angola, Spain, Singapore, UK
Imports: total value : $211.8 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels partners : Portugal 45%, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Brazil, France, Cote d'Ivoire
Debt - external: $170 million (1994)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1 - 84.770 (December 1996), 82.591 (1996), 76.853 (1995), 81.891 (1994), 80.427 (1993), 68.018 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Cape Verde:Communications
Telephones: 1,740 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system international : 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 7,000 (1991 est.)
@Cape Verde:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total : 1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal
Merchant marine: total: 3 (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,032 GRT/5,966 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 6 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP; includes Army and Navy), Security Service
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 78,622 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 44,870 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.4 million (1994)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: increasingly used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe ______________________________________________________________________
CAYMAN ISLANDS
(dependent territory of the UK)
@Cayman Islands:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras
Geographic coordinates: 19 30 N, 80 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total : 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water : 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 160 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)
Terrain: low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff 43 m
Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 23% other: 69% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to November)
Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources, drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchment
Environment - international agreements: party to : NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: important location between Cuba and Central America
@Cayman Islands:People
Population: 36,153 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 4.25% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 14.24 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.98 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 33.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US
Sex ratio: at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population : NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 77.1 years male: 75.37 years female: 78.81 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.37 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Caymanian(s) adjective : Caymanian
Ethnic groups: mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%
Religions: United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant denominations
Languages: English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)
@Cayman Islands:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands
Data code: CJ
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK
Government type: NA
National capital: George Town
Administrative divisions: 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Constitution Day (first Monday in July)
Constitution: 1959, revised 1972 and 1992
Legal system: British common law and local statutes
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and President of the Executive Council John OWEN (since 15 September 1995) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections : none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; the governor is appointed by the queen
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, 3 official members and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - National Team coalition 9, independents 6
Judicial branch: Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: no formal political parties
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS
Economy
Economy - overview: With no direct taxation, the Islands are a thriving offshore financial center; 28,000 foreign companies do business with the 600 registered banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded one million visitors in 1995 and again in 1996. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $860 million (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,800 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.5% (1995 est.)
Labor force: total: 8,061 by occupation: service workers 18.7%, clerical 18.6%, construction 12.5%, finance and investment 6.7%, directors and business managers 5.9% (1979)
Unemployment rate: 7% (1992)
Budget: revenues: $141.5 million expenditures: $160.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)
Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 71,000 kW (1994)
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption per capita: 7,487 kWh (1994 est.)
Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
Exports: total value : $10 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: turtle products, manufactured consumer goods partners : mostly US
Imports: total value: $329 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods partners: US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan
Debt - external: $15 million (1986)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Caymanian dollar (CI$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Caymanian dollars (CI$) per US$1 - 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Cayman Islands:Communications
Telephones: 21,584 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 28,200 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1995)
Televisions: 6,000 (1992 est.)
@Cayman Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 406 km paved: 304 km unpaved : 102 km
Ports and harbors: Cayman Brac, George Town
Merchant marine: total: 42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 736,004 GRT/1,153,058 DWT ships by type : bulk 5, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2, container 4, oil tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5, vehicle carrier 1 note : a flag of convenience registry; Greece owns 7 ships, US 7, UK 5, India 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 1, and United Arab Emirates 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: vulnerable to drug money-laundering and drug transshipment ______________________________________________________________________
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Introduction
Current issues: in 1996 the Central African Republic experienced three mutinies by dissident elements of the armed forces which demanded back pay as well as political and military reforms; continuing violence in 1997 between the government and rebel military and civilian groups over pay issues, living conditions, and lack of opposition party representation in the government has destroyed many businesses in the capital, reducing tax revenues and exacerbating the government's problems in meeting expenses
@Central African Republic:Geography
Location: Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 21 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 622,980 sq km land: 622,980 sq km water : 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total : 5,203 km border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Terrain: vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mount Gaou 1,420 m
Natural resources: diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 75% other: 17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
Environment - current issues: tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
@Central African Republic:People
Population: 3,342,051 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 738,623; female 731,163) 15-64 years : 52% (male 858,386; female 894,695) 65 years and over: 4% (male 54,848; female 64,336) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.01% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 39.52 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 17.94 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 110.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 45.24 years male: 44.4 years female : 46.12 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.35 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African
Ethnic groups: Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including 3,600 French)
Religions: indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60% male: 68.5% female: 52.4% (1995 est.)
@Central African Republic:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form : Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR
Data code: CT
Government type: republic;
National capital: Bangui
Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Gribingui*, Haute-Kotto, Haute-Sangha, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo-Gribingui, Lobaye, Mbomou, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha*, Vakaga
Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 1 December (1958) (proclamation of the republic)
Constitution: passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995
Legal system: based on French law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal