Cape Verde (continued)
Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1986 est.)
Electricity: 14,000 kW capacity; 18 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1989)
Industry: fish processing, salt mining, clothing factories, ship repair
Agriculture: accounts for 16% of GDP; largely subsistence farming; bananas are the only export crop; other crops—corn, beans, sweet potatoes, coffee; growth potential of agricultural sector limited by poor soils and limited rainfall; annual food imports required; fish catch provides for both domestic consumption and small exports
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY75-88), $83 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $540 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $12 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $36 million
Currency: Cape Verdean escudo (plural—escudos); 1 Cape Verdean escudo (CVEsc) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos (CVEsc) per US$1—72.31 (February 1990), 74.86 (December 1989), 72.01 (1988), 72.5 (1987), 76.56 (1986), 85.38 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Ports: Mindelo and Praia
Merchant marine: 5 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,308 GRT/16,172 DWT
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 6 total, 6 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: interisland radio relay system, high-frequency radio to mainland Portugal and Guinea-Bissau; 1,740 telephones; stations—5 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Branches: People's Revolutionary Armed
Forces (FARP); Army, Navy, and Air
Force are separate components of FARP
Military manpower: males 15-49, 68,776; 40,731 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: 11.8% of GDP (1981)
Cayman Islands
(dependent territory of the UK)
_Cayman_Islands.jpg)
See regional map III
Geography
Total area: 260 km²; land area: 260 km²
Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 160 km
Maritime claims:
- Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
- Territorial sea: 3 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
Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 8% meadows and pastures; 23% forest and woodland; 69% other
Environment: within the Caribbean hurricane belt
Note: important location between Cuba and Central America
People
Population: 26,356 (July 1990), growth
rate 4.3% (1990)
Birth rate: 14 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 33 migrants/1 ,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Caymanian(s); adjective—Caymanian
Ethnic divisions: 40% mixed, 20% white, 20% black, 20% expatriates of various ethnic groups
Religion: United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant denominations
Language: English
Literacy: 98%
Labor force: 8,061; 18.7% service workers, 18.6% clerical, 12.5% construction, 6.7% finance and investment, 5.9% directors and business managers (1979)
Organized labor: Global Seaman's Union; Cayman All Trade Union
Government
Long-form name: none
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: George Town
Administrative divisions: 12 districts; Bodden Town, Creek, East End, George Town, Jacksons, North Side, Prospect, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West Bay, West End
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Legal system: British common law and local statutes
Constitution: 1959, revised 1972
National holiday: Constitution Day (first Monday in July), 3 July 1989
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly
Judicial branch: Grand Court, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal
Leaders: Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Alan James SCOTT (since NA 1987);
Head of Government—Governor and President of the Executive Council Alan James SCOTT (since NA 1987)
Political parties and leaders: no formal political parties
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: Legislative Assembly—last held NA November 1988 (next to be held November 1992); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(15 total, 12 elected)
Communists: none
Member of: Commonwealth
Diplomatic representation: as a dependent territory of the UK, Caymanian interests in the US are represented by the UK; US—none
Flag: 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
