Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Languages
English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)
Exports
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
External Debt
$657,700,000 US
Exchange Rate
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 73.84 (2008 est.), 81.235 (2007), 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Area
71,740 km sq
4,033 km sq
Coastline
402 km
965 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
