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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)



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  56