Cape Verde (Cabo Verde)

The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cabo Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cabo Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa’s most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cabo Verde’s expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

 

Capital: Praia

Government: Republic

Current President: Jorge Carlos Fonseca

Economy:

• Service oriented with commerce, transport, tourism and public services accounting for about 75% of GDP.
• Because of a lack of natural resources, Cape Verde imports about 82% of its food.

Population: 501,000 (UN 2011)

Land Size: 4,033 sq km (1,557 sq miles)

Major Ethic Groups:

• Creole (mulatto): 71%
• African: 28%
• European: 1%

Religions:

• Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs)
• Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Language(s):

• Portuguese (official)
• Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

For more information about Cape Verde, please visit:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cv.html