General background: The uninhabited islands
were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the
15th century; they subsequently became a trading center
for African slaves and later an important coaling and
resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping.
Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese
antecedents. Independence was achieved in 1975.
Area comparative: Slightly larger than Rhode
Island
Climate: Temperate; warm, dry
summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
Terrain: Steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Population: 408,760 (July 2002 est.)
Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African
28%, European 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous
beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
Language: Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of
Portuguese and West African words)
Government type: Republic
Capital: Praia
Legal system: Derived from the legal system
of Portugal
Economic overview: Cape Verde suffers from
a poor natural resource base, including serious water
shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought.
The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport,
and public services accounting for 70% of GDP. Although
nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas,
the share of agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%,
of which fishing accounts for 1.5%. About 82% of food
must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster
and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually
runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid
and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement
GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms, launched by
the new democratic government in 1991, are aimed at
developing the private sector and attracting foreign
investment to diversify the economy. Prospects for
2002 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows,
remittances, and the momentum of the government's
development program.
Communication/Telephone system: Effective system,
being improved, interisland microwave radio relay
system with both analog and digital exchanges; work
is in progress on a submarine fiber-optic cable system
which is scheduled for completion in 2003. 2 coaxial
submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and
Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean).
Places of interest: There's good diving and
hiking, lively nightlife and plenty of quiet corners
to hide away in. Islanders mix up African, Portuguese,
Mediterranean and Latin influences and come out with
a flavor that's distinctly 'Cabo'.
Travel tips: The islands of the Cape Verde
archipelago are windy, hilly and dry - almost lunar
- and beyond that they're fairly sleepy.
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