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The Cape Verde Islands - Geography
The Cape Verde Islands are an archipelago, situated in the Atlantic Ocean, around 570 kilometres (350 miles) off the West African coast, pretty much due west of Dakar, the capital of Senegal.
The country consists of 10 islands (9 of which are inhabited) and 8 smaller islets, in a horseshoe-shaped group, with a total landmass of 4033 km2.
The islands are divided into 2 groups -
- The Ilhas de Barlavento (windward islands): Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Sal, Boa Vista
- The Ilhas de Sotavento (leeward islands): Maio, Santiago, Fogo, Brava.
The largest island, both in land area and population, is Santiago, on which is the capital of the Cape Verde Islands, Praia, the largest town in Cape Verde.
The Cape Verde Islands - History
Before the arrival of Italian and Portuguese navigators around 1456, the Cape Verde Islands were uninhabited. A few years later, in 1462, Portuguese settlers arrived at Santiago and founded a settlement there. They called their new town - the first permanent European settlement in the tropics - Ribeira Grande, but the town is now now called Cidade Velha, to avoid confusion with the town of Ribeira Grande on Santo Antão island.
In the 16th century, the position of the Cape Verde Islands on the transatlantic shipping route enabled them to prosper from the slave trade with America. When the slave trade later declined, Cape Verde's early prosperity slowly vanished.
However, the islands' position on the Atlantic shipping lanes and their safe harbour, Mindelo (on the island of São Vicente) made Cape Verde an ideal location for re-supplying ships, leading to Cape Verde becoming an important commercial centre during the 19th century.
In 1951, with the increasing strength of nationalist feeling, Portugal attempted to appease the nationalists by changing Cape Verde's status from a colony to an 'overseas province'. But nationalist sentiment was also running high in Portuguese Guinea, on the African mainland and, in 1956, a group of Cape Verdeans and Guineans set up the 'African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde' (PAIGC). The PAIGC demanded that the colonial Portuguese government make improvements in economic, social and political conditions in both colonies. The group also formed the basis of a combined independence movement.
In 1961, the PAIGC began an armed rebellion against Portugal, with acts of sabotage eventually growing into a war with Portugal in Guinea. In this war, the PAIGC received substantial military backing from the Soviet Union.
After 10 years of fighting, by 1972, the PAIGC controlled most of Portuguese Guinea, even though Portuguese troops were still stationed there. However, at that time, the organisation was not involved in military action in the Cape Verde Islands.
Eventually, Guinea declared independence in 1973, which was agreed by Portugal in 1974. Following the April 1974 revolution in Portugal, the PAIGC became an active political movement in Cape Verde. In December 1974, the PAIGC and Portugal signed an agreement providing for a transitional government composed of Portuguese and Cape Verdeans. On June 30th 1975, the people of Cape Verde elected a National Assembly, and was finally granted independence by Portugal on July 5th 1975.
The Cape Verde Islands - Climate
Cape Verde's climate is milder than that of the African mainland - because the islands are surrounded by the sea, temperatures are generally fairly moderate and comparitively cool. Average daily high temperatures range from 25°C (77°F) in January to 29°C (84°F) in September.
Although there is regular rainfall between August and October, with frequent brief, heavy downpours, the Cape Verde Islands, as part of the 'Sahelian arid belt', have rainfall levels much lower than mainland West Africa.
Whilst a desert is usually defined as land receiving less than 250mm annual rainfall, Cape Verde's total annual rainfall (261 mm) is very slightly above this level; the Islands' climate is thus defined as 'semi-desert'.
Hurricanes forming near the Cape Verde Islands are sometimes referred to as 'Cape Verde-type' hurricanes. These hurricanes can become very intense as they cross the warm Atlantic waters.
The Cape Verde Islands - Wildlife
Cape Verde's isolation from the African mainland has resulted in the islands having a number of unusual indigenous species, particularly birds and reptiles, but many of these are endangered by human development.
Bird species include Alexander's Swift (Apus alexandri), Bourne's Heron (Ardea purpurea bournei), the Raso Lark (Alauda razae), the Cape Verde Warbler (Acrocephalus brevipennis), and the Iago Sparrow (Passer iagoensis). The islands are also an important breeding area for seabirds, including the Cape Verde Shearwater. Reptiles include the Cape Verde Giant Gecko (Tarentola gigas).
The Cape Verde Islands - Language
The official language of the Cape Verde Islands is Portuguese: all teaching is conducted in Portuguese and it is also the language used by Government. However, the 'street' language, and mother tongue of almost all Cape Verdeans, is Cape Verdean Creole.
Cape Verde Property Investment
We hope that you have found his information useful. It has been adapted from information on the Cape Verde Islands on Wikipedia.
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