Cape Verde on Pixibot

The Republic of Cape Verde or Cape Verde (Portuguese: Cabo Verde) is a republic located on an archipelago of the North Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of Africa. The previously-uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a trading centre for African slaves. Most Cape Verdeans descend from both groups.

"Cape Verde" is named for Cap-Vert, now in Senegal, the westernmost point of Africa.

RepÃºblica de Cabo Verde

National motto: Unity, Work, Progress

Official language Portuguese (official) and nine Portuguese creoles

Capital and Largest City Praia

President Pedro Pires

Prime Minister JosÃ© Maria Neves

Area - Total - % water Ranked 165th 4,033 kmÂ² Negligible

Population
- Total (2001) - Density

Ranked 164th
401,343 101/kmÂ²

GDP (PPP)
- Total - GDP/head

600 millions $
1,400 $

Currency CV Escudo

Time zone UTC -1

Independence
- Recognized

(from Portugal)
July 5, 1975

National anthem CÃ¢ntico da Liberdade

Internet TLD .cv

Calling Code 238

History

History of Cape Verde Cape Verde

Cape Verde was uninhabited when the Portuguese arrived in 1456, and the islands were thus made part of the Portuguese empire. Due to its location off the coast of Africa, Cape Verde became an important port, and was a major center of the slave trade.

In 1975, the islands achieved independence, partially due to the efforts of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC). 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. In Cape Verde itself the PAICV (affiliated with the PAIGC) governed until elections were held in 1991 that resulted in a change of government. The PAICV was re-elected in 2001.

Politics

Politics of Cape Verde

The government of Cape Verde is based on a Constitution that was established in 1980. Elections are held for both the Prime Minister and President, who both govern for 5-year terms. Members of the General Assembly are elected as well, and they appoint the Supreme Court along with the President and Prime Minister.

President of Cape Verde, National symbols

Geography

Geography of Cape Verde

Cape Verde is an archipelago off the coast of Africa. It is formed by 10 main islands and about 8 islets. The main islands are:

Barlaventos (northern island group)
- Santo AntÃ£o
- SÃ£o Vicente
- Santa Luzia
- SÃ£o Nicolau
- Sal
- Boa Vista
Sotaventos (southern island group)
- Maio
- Santiago
- Fogo
- Brava

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

The islets are Branco, Razo.

Municipalities

An aerial view of Cape Verde Porto Grande - the harbour of Mindelo, Sao Vicente Island An aerial view of the capital Praia

Cape Verde is divided into 17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho):

Santo AntÃ£o island:
- PaÃºl
- Porto Novo
- Ribeira Grande
SÃ£o Vicente island:
- SÃ£o Vicente
Santa Luzia island (included in S. Vicente concelho)
SÃ£o Nicolau island:
- SÃ£o Nicolau
Sal island:
- Sal
Boa Vista island:
- Boa Vista
Maio island:
- Maio
Santiago island:
- Praia
- Santa Catarina
- Santa Cruz
- SÃ£o Domingos
- SÃ£o Miguel
- Tarrafal
Fogo island:
- SÃ£o Filipe
- Mosteiros
Brava island:
- Brava

Economy

Economy of Cape Verde

Cape Verde is a small nation that lacks resources and has experienced severe droughts as well as water shortages. Agriculture is somewhat stymied by lack of rain, and is restricted to only four islands for most of the year. Most of the nation's GDP is from the services industry. Cape Verde's economy has largely grown since the late 1990s, and is now considered a country of average human development. Cape Verde has a large cooperation with Portugal in every level of the economy, leading it to make its currency fixed, through the Portuguese escudo, to the Euro since 1999.

Former Portuguese prime minister JosÃ© Manuel DurÃ£o Barroso, now (second semester 2004) president of the European Commission, has promised to help integrate Cape Verde within the European Union influence packed with a greater cooperation with Portugal. In March 2005, former Portuguese president MÃ¡rio Soares launched a petition urging the European Union to start membership talks with Cape Verde.

Demographics

Demographics of Cape Verde

Most inhabitants of Cape Verde are descendants of the white Portuguese settlers and black African slaves. More Cape Verdeans live abroad than in Cape Verde, with significant emigrant Cape Verdean communities in the United States (264,900 Cape Verdians), Portugal (80,000) and Angola (45,000). There are also significant number of Cape Verdeans in SÃ£o TomÃ© and PrÃncipe, Senegal, France and the Netherlands.

Culture

Culture of Cape Verde

The culture of Cape Verde reflects its mixed Portuguese and African roots. It is well known for its diverse forms of music such as Morna (the Capeverdian Fado) and the urban Cape Verdian kizomba, and a wide variety of dances: the soft dance Morna, the Funana - a sensual mixed Portuguese and African dance, the extreme sensuality of coladeira (literally "glued"), and the African Batuque dance. These are reflective of the diverse origins of Cape Verde's residents. Indigenously, 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
See also: List of painters from Cape Verde

Cape Map Verde

Capeverdean Literature

Capeverdean literature is one of the richest of Lusitanian Africa.

Poets: Frusoni Sergio, Tavares EugÃ©nio, B.LÃ©za, JoÃ£o Cleofas Martins, LuÃs Romano de Madeira Melo, OvÃdio Martins, Barbosa Jorge, Fortes Corsino AntÃ³nio, Baltasar Lopes (Osvaldo AlcÃ¢ntara), JoÃ£o VÃ¡rio, Oswaldo OsÃ³rio, ArmÃ©nio Vieira, Vadinho Velhinho, JosÃ© LuÃs Tavares, etc.
Authors: Manuel Lopes - Movimento Claridade, Almeida Germano, LuÃs Romano de Madeira Melo, Germano de Almeida, Orlanda Amarilis, Jorge Vera Cruz Barbosa, Pedro Cardoso, MÃ¡rio JosÃ© Domingues, Daniel Filipe, MÃ¡rio Alberto Fonseca de Almeida, Corsino AntÃ³nio Fortes, Arnaldo Carlos de Vasconcelos FranÃ§a, AntÃ³nio AurÃ©lio GonÃ§alves, Aguinaldo Brito Fonseca, OvÃdio de Sousa Martins , Osvaldo OsÃ³rio, Dulce Almada Duarte, Manuel Veiga
Compositor: Manuel de Novas, Vasco Martins

Poems in Portuguese: Capeverdean Poems, Poesia
Capeverdean Literature

Famous tales: Ti Lobo and Chibinho

Language

Capeverdean Crioulo

Cape Verde's official language is Portuguese, but Portuguese Creoles (Crioulo, Criol, Krioulo, Caboverdiano) are widely used. Each of the 9 inhabited islands of Cape Verde has its own creole. We can distinguish between two main groups:

Sotavento Creoles: Creole of Santiago (Badiu), Maio, Fogo and Brava.
Barlavento Creoles: Creole of SÃ£o Vicente (Criol d'Soncente, Criol d' Saocente), SÃ£o Nicolau, Sal, Boavista and Santo AntÃ£o

The greatest differences in the different Capeverdean Crioulo languages are between the creole of Santiago and the creole of Santo AntÃ£o.

There exists no complete translation of the Bible. SÃ©rgio Frusoni translated, however, Bartolomeo Rossetti's version of the New Testament from the Roman dialect (ER VANGELO SECONNO NOANTRI) into the Capeverdean creole of SÃ£o Vicente under the title: VangÃªle contÃ³d d'nÃ´s mÃ³da.

The Capeverdian Creole language was promoted by the following poets or authors:

Crioulo of SÃ£o Nicolau: Eduardo Augusto Cardoso, Baltasar Lopes da Silva
Crioulo of Santo AntÃ£o: LuÃs Romano de Madeira Melo

Cape Island Map Verde

Sotavento Creoles: Armando NapoleÃ£o Rodrigues Fernandes, Manuel Veiga, Marlyse Baptista, Nicolas Quint
Barlavento Creoles: Armando NapoleÃ£o Rodrigues Fernandes, Maria Dulce de Oliveira Almada

Capeverdian Creole (Crioulo) links

Adriano Gominho (Creole of SÃ£o Nicolau)
Extracts from 'OS LUSÃADAS' in the creole of Santo AntÃ£o

Perspective on Capeverdean Crioulo

Newspapers

Newspapers:

A Semana (Praia,1991-), Expresso das Ilhas, Journal O Cidadao (SÃ£o Vicente) , Jornal Horizonte (Praia, 1988-), Terra Nova (S.Vicente, 1975-), Artiletra (S.Vicente, 1991-)

Newspapers Online:

A Semana, Infopress, O Cidadao, Paralelo 14, Voz di Povo

Miscellaneous topics

Cape Verdean Immigration History in the United States
Communications in Cape Verde
Community of Portuguese Language Countries
Foreign relations of Cape Verde
Military of Cape Verde
Public holidays in Cape Verde
Transportation in Cape Verde

References

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 1898030480, covering: The 'official' discovery of Cabo Verde, The Treaty of Tordesilhas- the complete text-in English, The Cape Verdean navigator who made an extraordinary impact on America, Africa, Europe and Asia, The involvement of the church with slavery, The historical ties between Cabo Verde and Columbus, Cabo Verde Vasco da Gama and Cabral, The creation of Brazil, The historical ties with Italy and other countries, The first non-Europeans to cross the Atlantic with a regular sailing schedule and a lot more useful information such as: Portraits of Cape Verdean navigators published for the first time for the public (Africans , mestizos, Europeans, but always Cape Verdeans). Still other famous Cape Verdeans in science, politics etc. Maps confirming the discovery of the islands and the importance of Cape Verdeans and Cabo Verde in world history.

Cape Sports Verde