Cape Verde

The Republic of Cape Verde (Portuguese: Cabo Verde, pron. IPA: ['kabu 'veɾdɨ]) is a republic located on an archipelago in the Macaronesia ecoregion of the North Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of Africa. The previously uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the fifteenth century, though the position of the Islands of the Blest, the longitude zero meridian of the ancient Geography of Marinos of Tyre and Ptolemy, agrees tolerably with Cape Verde. The country is named after Cap Vert (meaning Green Cape) in Senegal, the westernmost point of continental Africa.

[edit] History

Main article: History of Cape Verde

Cape Verde was uninhabited when the Portuguese arrived in 1460 and made the islands part of the Portuguese empire. Due to its location off the coast of Africa, Cape Verde became an important watering station, then sugar cane plantation site, and later a major hub of the trans-atlantic slave trade, that would later form the contemporary African Diaspora.

In 1975, Cape Verde achieved independence from Portugal after a long armed struggle in the jungles of Guinea-Bissau. The African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) was the main entity responsible for the independence of Cape Verde. After independence, the PAIGC attempted to unite Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau into one nation, the PAIGC controlling both governments, but a coup in the latter nation in 1980 ended these plans. As a result, the G, standing for Guinea-Bissau, in PAIGC was dropped. Consequently, PAICV (African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde) was formed. In Cape Verde the PAICV (affiliated with the PAIGC) governed until democratic elections, held in 1991, resulted in a change of government. The Movimento para a Democracia (MPD) won that election. The MPD was re-elected in 1996. The PAICV returned to power in 2001, and was re-elected in 2006.

[edit] Politics

Main article: Politics of Cape Verde

Amílcar Cabral

Politics of Cape Verde takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Cape Verde is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is held by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

[edit] Geography

Main article: Geography of Cape Verde

Cape Verde satellite image

Cape Verde is an archipelago off the west coast of Africa at 15.02N, 23.34W. It is formed by 10 main islands and about 8 islets. The main islands are:

Barlavento (northern island group)
Sotavento (southern island group)
- Maio
- Santiago
- Fogo
- Brava

Of these, only Santa Luzia and the five islets are uninhabited. Presently it is a Natural Reserve. All islands are volcanic, but an active volcano only exists on one of the islands, Fogo (see Mount Fogo).

[edit] Environment

The isolation of Cape Verde about 500 km from the African mainland has resulted in the islands having a large number of endemic species, many of which are endangered by human development. Endemic birds include Alexander's Swift (Apus alexandri), Raso Lark (Alauda razae), Cape Verde Warbler (Acrocephalus brevipennis), and Iago Sparrow (Passer iagoensis), and reptiles include the Cape Verde Giant Gecko (Tarentola gigas).

Charles Darwin gives a vivid description of the geology, climate, zoology and botany of the Islands in the first chapter of his Voyage of the Beagle.

[edit] Climate

Cape Verde is in the subtropical zone. Average temperatures range from 24°C (75°F) in January and February to 29°C (85°F) in September. The average annual rainfall for Cape Verde is 68.4 mm, with September being the wettest month with 33.6 mm. Conversely, the months April to July record less than one millimetre of rainfall each. The climate is arid, but Cape Verde's position in the Atlantic contributes to soften the aridity, that otherwise would be the same aridity as that in continental areas.

[edit] Counties

Sotavento	Barlavento
1. Tarrafal	15. Boavista
2. São Miguel	16. Sal
3. São Salvador do Mundo	17. Ribeira Brava
4. Santa Cruz	18. Tarrafal de São Nicolau
5. São Domingos	19. São Vicente
6. Praia	20. Porto Novo
7. Ribeira Grande de Santiago	21. Ribeira Grande
8. São Lourenço dos Órgãos	22. Paul
9. Santa Catarina
10. Brava
11. São Filipe
12. Santa Catarina do Fogo
13. Mosteiros
14. Maio

Cidade Velha, first capital of Cape Verde, at Santiago island

Cape Verde is divided into 22 counties (concelhos, singular concelho), sometimes referred to as municipalities (municípios, singular município), listed roughly clockwise:

Santo Antão:
São Vicente
São Nicolau
- Ribeira Brava
- Tarrafal de São Nicolau
Sal
Boa Vista
Maio
Santiago:
Fogo:
Brava

[edit] Economy

Main article: Economy of Cape Verde

Porto Grande, the harbour of Mindelo, at São Vicente island

An aerial view of the capital Praia, at Santiago island

Cape Verde is a small nation that lacks resources and has experienced severe droughts. Agriculture is made difficult by lack of rain, and is restricted to only four islands for most of the year. Most of the nation's GDP comes from the service industry. Cape Verde's economy has grown since the late 1990s, and it is now considered a country of average development. Cape Verde has significant cooperation with Portugal at every level of the economy, leading it to link its currency first to the Portuguese escudo, and, in 1999, to the euro.

Former Portuguese prime minister José Manuel Durão Barroso, now (second semester 2004) president of the European Commission, has promised to help integrate Cape Verde within the European Union sphere of influence via greater cooperation with Portugal. In March 2005, former Portuguese president Mário Soares launched a petition urging the European Union to start membership talks with Cape Verde.

Cape Verde has been on the list of the United Nations Small Island Developing States, and Least Developed Countries.

In 2007 the United Nations graduated Cape Verde from the category of Least Developed Countries, only the second time this has happened to a country.^[1]

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Cape Verde

Fishermen at Tarrafal, Santiago island

Sea salt field at Maio island

The hinterland of Santo Antão island

The town of Mindelo at São Vicente island

Assomada at Santiago island

Most inhabitants of Cape Verde are a genetic blend of Sub-Saharian Africans and Europeans, the Africans having been slaves and hailing mostly from Senegal, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. Cape Verdeans' European ancestors include Portuguese settlers and exiles, Portuguese Jews who were victims of the Inquisition, and Spanish and Italian seamen who were granted land by the Portuguese Empire. Many foreigners from other parts of the world settled Cape Verde as their permanent country. Most of them were Dutch, French, British, Arabs and Jews (from Lebanon and Morocco), Chinese (especially from Macau), Americans, and Brazilians (including people of Portuguese and African descent) settlers. All of these have been absorbed into the general Cape Verdean population.

The majority of the population adheres to Christianity, mostly Catholicism which constitutes some 90% of the population (in many areas Catholicism and the indigenous religion are syncretised). The remaining includes a sizeable Protestant community as well as a small number of Bahai and Buddhist and even smaller Muslim groups.[1]

More Cape Verdeans live abroad than in Cape Verde, with significant emigrant Cape Verdean communities in the United States (500,000 Cape Verdeans), Portugal (80,000) and Angola (45,000) have large populations of Cape Verdeans. There are also significant number of Cape Verdeans in São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, France, Brazil and the Netherlands. Cape Verdean populations also settled Spain, Germany, and other CPLP countries (Brazil and Guinea-Bissau).

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Cape Verde

The culture of Cape Verde reflects its mixed African and Portuguese roots. It is well known for its diverse forms of music such as Morna and the urban Angolan kizomba, and a wide variety of dances: the soft dance Morna, and its modernized version, passada, the Funaná - a sensual mixed Portuguese and African dance, the extreme sensuality of coladeira, and the Batuque dance. These are reflective of the diverse origins of Cape Verde's residents. The term "Cabo" is used to refer to residents as well as the culture of Cape Verde.

See also: List of writers from Cape Verde

[edit] Cape Verdean literature

Cape Verdean literature is one of the richest of Lusitanian Africa.

Poets: Frusoni Sergio, Tavares Eugénio, B.Léza, João Cleofas Martins, Luís Romano de Madeira Melo, Ovídio Martins, Barbosa Jorge, Fortes Corsino António, Baltasar Lopes (Osvaldo Alcântara), João Vário, Oswaldo Osório, Arménio Vieira, Vadinho Velhinho, José Luís Tavares, Carlos Baptista, etc.
Authors: Manuel Lopes - Movimento Claridade, Henrique Teixeira de Sousa, Almeida Germano, Luís Romano de Madeira Melo, Germano de Almeida, Orlanda Amarilis, Jorge Vera Cruz Barbosa, Pedro Cardoso, Mário José Domingues, Daniel Filipe, Mário Alberto Fonseca de Almeida, Corsino António Fortes, Arnaldo Carlos de Vasconcelos França, António Aurélio Gonçalves, Aguinaldo Brito Fonseca, Ovídio de Sousa Martins, Osvaldo Osório, Dulce Almada Duarte, Manuel Veiga
Poems in Portuguese: Cape Verdean Poems, Poesia
Cape Verdean Literature
Sopinha de Alfabeto
Famous tales: Ti Lobo and Chibinho

Old postcard from São Vicente island

[edit] Music

Main article: Music of Cape Verde

Música e Cabo-verdianos em Lisboa (Music portal)

Artist

Bricks and Burnz, Herminia, Eugénio Tavares, Francisco Xavier da Cruz (B.Leza), Adalberto "Betú" Silva, Carlos Alberto "Kaká" Barbosa, Ano Nobu, Renato Cardoso, Amândio Cabral, Patric Anjos, Paulino Vieira, Codê di Dona, Daniel "Nhelas" Spencer, Orlando Pantera, Daniel Rendall, Luís Rendall, Fantcha, Manuel de Novas [2], Vasco Martins, Jorge Fernandes Monteiro (Jotamont), Malamba Caçanhé, Frank Cavaquim (Francisco Vicente Gomes), Cesaria, Bana

Genres

Morna, Coladeira, Colá, Batuque, Funaná, Mazurka, Hip Hop

[edit] External links

[edit] Artists

BRICKS AND BURNZ, Antoninho Travadinha, Antoni Denti D'Oro, Ana Firmino, Arlinda Santos, Bana, Bulimundo, Bius, Bau, Boss AC, Blick Tchutche, Codé di Dona, Cabo Verde Show, Cesária Évora, Celina Pereira, Cordas do Sol, Dany Silva, Suzanna Lubrano, Daniel Rendall, Dom Clifton aka DECYFA, Eddy Moreno, Frank Mimita, Fantcha, Fernando Quejas, Fortinho, Ildo Lobo, Jorge Humberto, Jacqueline Fortes, Herminia, Jorge Neto, José Casimiro, João Cirilo, Luís Morais, Leonel Almeida, Livity, Lura, Maria-Alice, Mayra Andrade, Marinho Silva, Maria de Barros, Malaquias, Nancy Vieira, Nácia Gomi, Os Tubarões, Orlando Pantera, Paulino Vieira, Raiss di Funaná, Gé Mendes, Tcheka, Teofilo Chantre, Titina, Tututa, Tulipa Negra, Tito Paris, Tó Cruz, Sara Tavares, Simentera, Splash, Gil Semedo, Grace Évora, Gilyto, Voz de Cabo Verde, Voz d'África, Voginha, Xema Lopi, Zeca Nha Reinalda, Zézé Nha Reinalda, Kiki Lima, Gabriela Mendes, Noah Andrade[3]

[edit] Language

Main article: Cape Verdean Creole

Cape Verde's official language is Portuguese. It is the language of instruction and official acts. However, the Cape Verdean Creole is used colloquially and is the mother tongue of virtually all Cape Verdeans. Cape Verdean Creole or Kriolu is a dialect continuum of a Portuguese-based creole, which varies from island to island.

There is a substantial body of literature in Creole, especially in the Santiago Creole and the São Vicente Creole. Creole has been gaining prestige since the nation's independence from Portugal.

However, the differences between the different forms of the language within the islands, have been a major obstacle in the way of standardization of the language. Some people have advocated the development of two standards: a North (Barlavento) standard, centered on the São Vicente Creole, and a South (Sotavento) standard, centered on the Santiago Creole. Manuel Veiga, Phd, a linguist by training, and Minister of Culture of Cape Verde, is the premier proponent of Kriolu's officialization and standardization.

[edit] Newspapers

A SEMANA Nº 495, 2001/03/02.

A Semana (Praia, since 1991)
Expresso das Ilhas
Jornal O Cidadão (São Vicente)
Jornal Horizonte (Praia, since 1988)
Terra Nova (S.Vicente, 1975-)
Artiletra (S.Vicente, 1991-)

[edit] Online

[edit] List of Cape Verdeans

Main article: List of Cape Verdeans

[edit] Miscellaneous topics

An old postcard from São Vicente, Cape Verde.

[edit] Notes

^ "UN advocate salutes Cape Verde’s graduation from category of poorest States", UN News Centre, 14 June 2007.

[edit] References

This article needs additional references or sources for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Much of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.
Dr Marcel Gomes Balla of Boston University has written a short history of these islands, Antonio's Island, ISBN 1-898030-48-0.

[edit] External links

[edit] Government

República de Cabo Verde official government site (in Portuguese)
Assembleia Nacional de Cabo Verde official parliamentary site
Virtual Cape Verde Service of the Embassy of Cape Verde in Washington DC
Cape Verde Bureau Visa Applications

[edit] Overviews

[edit] Directories

Open Directory Project - Cape Verde directory category
Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Cape Verde directory category
The Index on Africa - Cape Verde directory category
University of Pennsylvania - African Studies Center: Cape Verde directory category
The Constitution of the Republic of Cape Verde

Geographic locale

v • d • e

Countries of Africa

Sovereign states
Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cameroon · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Comoros · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt¹ · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Gabon · The Gambia · Ghana · Guinea-Bissau · Guinea · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Rwanda · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · Sudan · Swaziland · São Tomé and Príncipe · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe

Dependencies | Unrecognized
British Indian Ocean Territory (UK) · Mayotte (France) · Réunion (France) · St. Helena² (UK) | Puntland · Somaliland · Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

¹ Partly in Asia. ² Includes the dependencies of Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha.

Coordinates: 15°06′40″N, 23°37′00″W

International membership and history

v • d • e

African Union (AU)

Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cameroon · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Equatorial Guinea · Gabon · The Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Rwanda · Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · Sudan · Swaziland · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe

v • d • e Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP)
Members: Angola · Brazil · Cape Verde · East Timor · Guinea-Bissau · Mozambique · Portugal · São Tomé and Príncipe Observers: Equatorial Guinea · Mauritius

v • d • e South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone
Angola · Argentina · Benin · Brazil · Cameroon · Cape Verde · Congo · DR Congo · Ivory Coast · Equatorial Guinea · Gabon · Gambia Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Liberia · Namibia · Nigeria · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Sierra Leone · South Africa · Togo Uruguay