Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde (formerly known as the Cape Verde Islands) is an archipelago located off the northwest
coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean, with a population of approximately 550,000 people. The nation
consists of 10 islands and 8 islets, all of which are volcanic in origin. Cabo Verde has had a long and
tumultuous history that dates back to its first settlement by the Portuguese in 1462.
The islands were uninhabited until the 15th century when Portuguese settlers began arriving in search
of trade opportunities. The Portuguese slowly colonized the islands, creating many forts around Cabo
Verde to protect their interests from other European powers. These forts eventually developed into
major trading hubs for merchants throughout Europe, India, and Persia. For centuries, Cabo Verde was
used as an important supply stop for ships traveling between Europe and West Africa. This lucrative
trade route made Cabo Verde one of the wealthiest colonies in all of Africa during this time period.
During its time under Portuguese rule, Cabo Verde developed a unique culture that blended African and
European influences together. Most notably, a new language known as “Creole” emerged out of this
cultural fusion and became widely spoken across the islands, eventually becoming its official language
alongside Portuguese in 1975.
In 1975, after hundreds of years under colonial rule, Cabo Verde finally declared independence from
Portugal following a peaceful revolution led by then Prime Minister Aristides Pereira and Amilcar Cabral
– both prominent independence activists who had formed a political party called PAIGC (African Party
for Independence). On July 5th 1975 – now celebrated annually as Independence Day – Cabo Verde was
officially declared an independent nation after being granted full autonomy by Portugal.
Following independence, Cabo Verde adopted its current flag which features three horizontal bands of
blue at the top representing peace; white in the middle symbolizing purity; and red at the bottom
signifying revolution or struggle for freedom from colonial rule. Additionally, two yellow stars are
featured on either side of blue band to represent both unity between the country’s main island groups
(Barlavento & Sotavento), as well as to commemorate Johannes de Brites’ discovery of these lands back
in 1460s.
Today, Cabo Verde is an established democracy with President Jorge Carlos Fonseca serving at its head
since 2011; his term ends in 2021 when he will have served two consecutive five year terms – a
limitation set forth by law when presidency changed hands from Miguel Trovoada following his 10 year
reign between 1991-2001. Under President Fonseca’s leadership over these past eight years, there have
been impressive strides towards economic reform that have helped reduce poverty levels and improve
living standards across much of the nation’s population – though much work still remains due to
structural economic issues left behind from colonial times such as high illiteracy rates among adult
populations and low quality infrastructure found mostly on rural/underdeveloped areas throughout this
small West African nation.