About Cape Verde

Songs from an Atlantic archipelago

Marine, mountainous, barren, lush, African, Portuguese… this archipelago is not easily defined. Today, Cape Verde (“green cape”) is no longer the green paradise it once used to be – can development save what remains while still affording people a good living?

Geography & climate

Rising out of the sea some 500 km to the west of Senegal, western Africa, Cape Verde is an archipelagic nation of 10 main islands and about 8 islets. The main islands consist of Barlavento (northern island group) and Sotavento (southern island group).

Cape Verde has a tropical climate with two seasons; a dry season from December to July and a warm and wet season between August and November. Temperatures range between 20° and 35°C.

The volcanic soils are quite fertile, but the islands are too arid for agriculture in most places. Periodically the islands suffer from droughts and serious water shortages.


Nature

The islands support fragmented areas of tropical dry forest/shrubland, a considerable number of species of plants and animals that are found nowhere else (endemics), and populations of rare breeding seabirds.

Because of Cape Verde’s isolation, many of the archipelago's species have evolved into distinctive forms that are not found anywhere else. These include birds such as Alexander's swift, the Raso lark, the Cape Verde warbler, and reptiles such as the Cape Verde giant gecko.

The surrounding waters of the Atlantic Ocean provide important feeding grounds for marine turtles and breeding humpback whales, as well as fishing grounds for both local and international fishers.

Recent studies have also found coral reefs of global significance off the coast of several of the islands, and the João Valente seamount - an underwater mountain range between the islands of Boa Vista and Maio - is a unique marine environment hosting a high concentration of fish and other species.


Population & religion

Most Cape Verdeans don't live in the archipelago, but in countries such as the US, Portugal, Angola and in Europe. Their ancestry reflects the country’s history, with many inhabitants of Cape Verde being mestiços, descendants of enslaved Africans and white Portuguese settlers. There are also black Africans and Europeans.

A majority of the population is Christian, followed by Bahai, Buddhist and smaller Muslim groups. The official language is Portuguese, followed by Cape Verdean Creole.


Economy & development

Thanks to close economic ties with Portugal, Cape Verde has been able to overcome limited resources and the impacts of severe droughts.

Still, the country is in a vulnerable situation, as about 90% of food must be imported. Cape Verde's economy has grown since the late 1990s, propelling the country to a status of average development. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for almost 70% of GDP.

Adult literacy rates are high (approximately 76% in 2002), and life expectancy at birth (70 in 2004) is the third highest in Africa.