no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary federal government
republic
Independence date
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Religions
Sunni Muslim
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Languages
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
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
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Area
637,657 km sq
4,033 km sq
Coastline
3,025 km
965 km
Climate
principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
