Long-form name: Republic of Cape Verde

Type: republic

Capital: Praia

Administrative divisions: 12 districts (concelhos, singular--concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Maio, Paul, Praia, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal; there may be 2 new districts named Porto Novo and Santa Cruz

Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Constitution: 7 September 1980, amended 12 February 1981 and December 1988

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)

Leaders: Chief of State--President Aristides Maria PEREIRA (since 5 July 1975); Head of Government--Prime Minister Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, (since 5 July 1975); Deputy Minister Aguinaldo Liboa RAMOS (since NA February 1990)

Political parties and leaders: only party--African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), Aristides Maria Pereira, secretary general

Suffrage: universal at age 15

Elections: President--last held 13 January 1986 (next to be held January 1991); results--President Aristides Maria Pereira (PAICV) was reelected without opposition; National People's Assembly--last held 7 December 1985 (next to be held December 1990); results--PAICV is the only party; seats--(83 total) PAICV 83

Communists: a few Communists and some sympathizers

Member of: ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jose Luis FERNANDES LOPES; Chancery at 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone (202) 965-6820; there is a Cape Verdean Consulate General in Boston; US--Ambassador Terry McNAMARA; Embassy at Rua Hojl Ya Yenna 81, Praia (mailing address is C. P. 201, Praia); telephone p238o 614-363 or 253

Flag: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; in the upper portion of the red band is a black five-pointed star framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Guinea-Bissau which is longer and has an unadorned black star centered in the red band

NOTE: The information regarding Cape Verde on this page is re-published from the 1990 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cape Verde Government 1990 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cape Verde Government 1990 should be addressed to the CIA.