Cape Verde — Capital, Flag and Country Facts

Explore Cape Verde: capital Praia, population, flag, geography, languages, history and culture.

Cape Verde is in Africa. Its capital is Praia.

Population

590,000

Area

4,033 km²

Currency

Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE)

Languages

Portuguese

Climate

Arid and semi-arid; warm and dry with a brief rainy season from August to October

Terrain

Volcanic islands, steep, rugged, rocky; some islands relatively flat with sandy beaches

Facts

Cape Verde has never had a famine despite being mostly desert.

The morna music genre from Cape Verde, popularized by Cesária Évora, is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Cape Verde was uninhabited until Portuguese colonization in the 15th century.

History

1456: Portuguese navigators discover the uninhabited islands

1462: First Portuguese settlers arrive

1747: Devastating famine strikes the islands

1975: Independence from Portugal

1991: First multi-party elections held

2007: Graduates to middle-income country status

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