Cape Verde – A Turbulent Past
Cape Verde is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean consisting of ten islands and several islets. Formed by volcanic activity about 15 million years ago, the islands are part of Africa but have also been influenced by European and American cultures.
History of Cape Verde – Slave Trade
The Cape Verde Islands were discovered in the 15th century by Portuguese sailors looking for new sea routes. The first islands were occupied in 1461 by António de Noli and Diogo Gomes on behalf of the Portuguese Crown and served as an essential base for the slave trade. The Cape Verde Islands were also an important transshipment point for the trade routes between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. They became known for their agricultural products, such as sugar, coffee, and cotton. It was not until 1876 that slavery was finally abolished, and Cape Verde became a Portuguese colony.
History of Cape Verde – Independence
In 1975, the islands finally became independent from Portugal. The Republic of Cape Verde is established with the first parliamentary elections. The independence movement of Cape Verde began in the 1960s and was supported by various political parties and groups. It was also part of the African independence movements that were taking place in many parts of Africa at the time.
However, the Cape Verdean independence movement was not violent, and there were no armed conflicts like in other African countries. Instead, the movement worked to gain independence from Portugal through diplomatic negotiations and peaceful demonstrations. Today, Cape Verde is a member of the African Union and the World Bank.
History of Cape Verde – Culture
Cape Verde has a rich culture influenced by Portuguese, African, and American cultures. The people of Cape Verde speak Portuguese and Kriolu, a language that evolved from Portuguese and West African languages. To prevent communication between slaves, members of the same language were separated. This prevented them from communicating with each other on the plantation. Within a few generations, a functioning mixed language developed. It was not until 2005 that a standardized spelling was agreed upon.
Cape Verde also has a rich music and dance culture inspired by the island’s African roots. Among other things, the style of Morna, a popular and widespread minor-key Cape Verdean music style, was created. The most famous singer was Cesária Évora, who recorded the song Sodade with Peter Maffay in 2006.
History of Cape Verde – Population
The first settlers were Portuguese, but they soon brought in African slaves for cheap labor. Over the centuries, this resulted in today’s mixed population. To this day, there are close ties to Portugal, but also to other classic “emigrant” countries. The population of Cape Verde is only 550,000 people, most of whom live on the islands of Santiago, Sal, and São Vicente. However, it is estimated that about 900,000 Cape Verdeans live abroad. They usually support their relatives back home with remittances. Most of the population is Roman Catholic, but other religious communities exist. There is a Free Church of the Nazarene on almost every island. Other Free Church denominations are also active on the islands.
History of Cape Verde – Economy
The economy of Cape Verde is mainly based on agriculture, fishing, and increasingly tourism. In the early years of the republic, poverty was almost universal. It took several years for the colonial structures to develop into a functioning economy. The industry is mainly limited to textiles and fish processing. Most people still work in agriculture. This is especially true for the islands that are less developed for tourism.
A lot of money has been invested in the infrastructure of Sal and Boa Vista in the last decades. With success, tourism is growing and contributing more and more to the gross national product. Corona has suffered a considerable setback, and many ruins still testify to the failure of hotel projects. However, the perfect climatic conditions will undoubtedly continue to ensure an increase in visitors. Despite the hard work, hotel jobs are popular with young Cape Verdeans. After all, one earns the same as a local master craftsman on other islands. For the big tourism companies, however, they are still very cheap labor.
History of Cape Verde – Tourism
As described above, tourism is an important economic factor for Cape Verde and contributes to much of the island’s gross domestic product. The islands are known for their beautiful sandy beaches, picturesque landscapes, and rich culture and history, which tourists from all over the world visit.
Sal, Boa Vista, and Santiago islands are particularly popular and have numerous hotels, resorts, and other accommodations to host tourists. Cape Verde is also known for its water activities, such as swimming, diving, and surfing. The Kite Surfing World Cup makes regular stops on Sal.
However, tourism has also brought some challenges to Cape Verde, including the loss of coastal landscapes due to large hotel complexes and the impact on the environment due to high CO2 emissions. Drinking water is also becoming an issue. In Sal, for example, all drinking water has to be imported through the port. There are desalination plants for industrial water.
History of Cape Verde – Environment
The government has taken measures to protect the environment and promote sustainable tourism. These include the expansion of marine protected areas and the development of sustainable energy sources. It is difficult to understand why there is almost no photovoltaic and wind power despite 350 days of sunshine and constant wind. However, the government wants to change this in the coming years.
The volcanic origins of the islands are mostly still clearly visible. However, only Pico de Fogo is still active. A significant eruption in 1995 caused considerable damage. The last time the volcano spewed ash and lava was in 2014.
The trade winds regularly provide moisture on the northern and eastern slopes of the higher mountains. These areas are fertile and are used for agriculture. On the flat islands of Sal and Boa Vista, on the other hand, there is almost only sandy soil with shrubs and acacias.
On Santiago and Santo Antão, attempts are now being made to compensate for the damage caused in the past through consistent reforestation. This measure is already improving the water balance and preventing further soil erosion.
History of Cape Verde – Education
The government has established education and training programs for the local population to prepare them for the challenges of tourism and to allow them to benefit from its economic advantages.
Education in Cape Verde is free and compulsory for all children between six and 16. It is divided into three stages: Primary, Secondary and Higher Education. Primary school lasts six years and is divided into two cycles of three years each. Secondary school lasts four years and prepares students for university studies.
However, the quality of education in Cape Verde varies and depends primarily on the school’s geographical location. Schools in rural areas often have fewer resources and less qualified teachers than schools in urban areas.
History of Cape Verde – Politics
Today, Cape Verde is a parliamentary republic governed by a president and a parliament. The president is elected by direct universal suffrage every five years and appoints the prime minister. The Prime Minister leads the cabinet and is responsible for government policy. The president himself has mainly representative duties, both internally and externally. The National Assembly in Praia is also elected every five years. It decides on all domestic and foreign policy issues.
There is an independent judiciary divided into the Supreme Court, the Court of Auditors, and several other specialized courts.
At the beginning of independence in 1975, the country was governed by the PAICV Partido Africano da Independencia de Cabo Verde in a one-party system. The multi-party system was not established until 1990 with a National Assembly.
You can find more information about the other Cape Verdean islands in our island overview.