Capital: Praia
Administrative divisions: 14 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Maio, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution: new constitution came into force 25 September 1992

Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (since 22 March 1991) election last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results - Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (independent) received 72.6% of vote
head of government: Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991);
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by prime minister from members of the Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral
People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular): elections last held 13 January 1991 (next to be held January 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (79 total) MPD 56, PAICV 23; note - this multiparty Assembly election ended 15 years of single-party rule

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

Political parties and leaders: Movement for Democracy (MPD), Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and chairman; African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, chairman
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN (Cape Verde assumed a nonpermanent seat on the Security Council on 1 January 1992), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto Santos SILVA
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: (202) 965-6820
FAX: (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general: Boston
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph M. SEGARS
embassy: Rua Hoji Ya Henda 81, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 61-56-16 or 61-56-17
FAX: [238] 61-13-55

Flag: three horozontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white (with a horozontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue; a circle of 10 yellow five pointed stars is centered on the hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands

NOTE: The information regarding Cape Verde on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cape Verde Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cape Verde Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.