Chapter 38
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Top-notch fiscal management has produced consecutive balanced budgets since 1997, although public debate continues over the equitable distribution of federal funds to the Canadian provinces. Exports account for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the US, which absorbs 80% of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. During 2007, Canada enjoyed good economic growth, moderate inflation, and the lowest unemployment rate in more than three decades.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.271 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.432 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$38,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.1% industry: 28.8% services: 69.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
17.95 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 2%, manufacturing 13%, construction 6%, services 76%, other 3% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
10.8%; note - this figure is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 24.8% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.1 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $569.3 billion expenditures: $556.2 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Public debt:
64.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.1% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$391.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.381 trillion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$2.382 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish
Industries:
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Industrial production growth rate:
0.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
612.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
530 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
50.12 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
19.66 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 28% hydro: 57.9% nuclear: 12.9% other: 1.3% (2001)
Oil - production:
3.425 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.371 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
2.225 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1.229 million bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
178.6 billion bbl note: includes oil sands (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
187 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
92.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
107.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
13.2 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.648 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$12.67 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$431.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum
Exports - partners:
US 78.9%, UK 2.8%, China 2.1% (2007)
Imports:
$386.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 54.1%, China 9.4%, Mexico 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $3.9 billion (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$41.08 billion (2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$758.6 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$527.4 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$514.7 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.481 trillion (2005)
Currency (code):
Canadian dollar (CAD)
Currency code:
CAD
Exchange rates:
Canadian dollars (CAD) per US dollar - 1.0724 (2007), 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003)
Communications Canada
Telephones - main lines in use:
21 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
18.749 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)
Radios:
32.3 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
21.5 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ca
Internet hosts:
5.119 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
760 (2000 est.)
Internet users:
28 million (2007)
Transportation Canada
Airports:
1,343 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 509 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 149 914 to 1,523 m: 248 under 914 m: 78 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 834 1,524 to 2,437 m: 68 914 to 1,523 m: 356 under 914 m: 410 (2007)
Heliports:
11 (2007)
Pipelines:
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2006)
Railways:
total: 48,068 km standard gauge: 48,068 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 1,042,300 km paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 626,700 km (2006)
Waterways:
636 km note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 175 by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 13, carrier 1, chemical tanker 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 64, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 6 foreign-owned: 17 (Germany 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 3, US 10) registered in other countries: 206 (Australia 9, Bahamas 84, Barbados 9, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 44, Liberia 7, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 6, Norway 7, Norway 3, Panama 18, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1, Spain 3, Taiwan 2, Vanuatu 5) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Fraser River Port, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, Port-Cartier, Quebec City, Saint John (New Brunswick), Sept-Isles, Vancouver
Military Canada
Military branches:
Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command (LFC), Maritime Command (MARCOM), Air Command (AIRCOM), Canada Command (homeland security) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for reserve and military college applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 8,072,010 females age 16-49: 7,813,462 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,646,281 females age 16-49: 6,417,924 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 227,435 female: 215,556 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Canada
Disputes - international:
managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Gulf of Maine including the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; Canada, the US, and other countries dispute the status of the Northwest Passage; US works closely with Canada to intensify security measures for monitoring and controlling legal and illegal movement of people, transport, and commodities across the international border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland; commencing the collection of technical evidence for submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in support of claims for continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from its declared baselines in the Arctic, as stipulated in Article 76, paragraph 8, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Cape Verde
Introduction Cape Verde
Background:
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
Geography Cape Verde
Location:
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 24 00 W
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 4,033 sq km land: 4,033 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 territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
Natural resources:
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum
Land use:
arable land: 11.41% permanent crops: 0.74% other: 87.85% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.3 cu km (1990)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%) per capita: 39 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands 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
People Cape Verde
Population:
426,998 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.1% (male 77,533/female 76,489) 15-64 years: 57.4% (male 120,208/female 125,009) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 10,226/female 17,533) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.6 years male: 19.9 years female: 21.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.595% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
23.95 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-11.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 42.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 48.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 36.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.33 years male: 67.99 years female: 74.76 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.17 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.035% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
775 (2001)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
225 (as of 2001)
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 Portuguese and West African words)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2006)
Government Cape Verde
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
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Praia geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal
Independence:
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Constitution:
25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)
Legal system:
based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pedro Verona PIRES (since 22 March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party - PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia
Political 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]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]; Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: environmentalists; political pressure groups
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Fatima Lima VEIGA 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 Marianne M. MYLES 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:
five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side
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 about three-fourths of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. 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 from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cape Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.603 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.428 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,200 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.3% industry: 16.7% services: 74% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
120,600 (1990)
Unemployment rate:
21% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
37% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $436.1 million expenditures: $449.7 million (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
8.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.55% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$574 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$689 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.049 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
Industries:
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
47 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
43.71 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2,117 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
1,785 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$132.6 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$76.5 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
Exports - partners:
Spain 37.2%, Portugal 29.9%, Morocco 7%, US 6.6% (2007)
Imports:
$743.6 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners:
Portugal 40.7%, Netherlands 10.9%, France 6.5%, Spain 5.6%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.9%, Brazil 4.7%, Italy 4.7% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$160.6 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$398 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$325 million (2002)
Currency (code):
Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)
Currency code:
CVE
Exchange rates:
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 81.235 (2007), 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003)
Communications Cape Verde
Telephones - main lines in use:
71,600 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
148,000 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995 domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004 international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:
100,000 (2002 est.)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 7 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:
15,000 (2002 est.)
Internet country code:
.cv
Internet hosts:
20 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
37,000 (2007)
Transportation Cape Verde
Airports:
8 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,350 km paved: 932 km unpaved: 418 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 8 by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 5 foreign-owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Porto Grande
Military Cape Verde
Military branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007)
Military service age and obligation: