Cape Verde, Cool Facts #27

26. Mozambique <=                                                                                                             => 28. Brazil

1. Meaning of the name

Cabo Verde is the Portuguese name of Cape Verde, because Portuguese is the official language of the nation. Cabo means cape and Verde green, so the name means literally "green cape". Cape Verde's capital is Praia which means "beach" in Portuguese. Actually the Senegalese coast was called Cape Vert but when Cape Verde was discovered by the Portuguese it was named Cabo Verde. 

2. Part of Macaronesia

Macaronesia is a collection of several islands which all belong to three countries: Portugal, Spain and Cape Verde. The name derives from Greek and it means "islands of the fortunate". They all are in the Atlantic hundred of kilometers from the African coast. 

Macaronesia: 

Canary Islands - Spain 
Madeira Islands - Portugal
Azores - Portugal
Cape Verde Islands

3. Slavery 

The Portuguese colonized Cape Verde in the 15th century and made it a post for the slave trade from Africa to the Americas. The slaves were used as labour on the cotton and sugar plantations. Slavery was abolished in 1879 and at the same time Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau were divided into separate units. 

4. Rapid economic growth

The economy of Cape Verde is one of the most stable and fast growing economies in Africa. This has happened despite the lack of natural resources. The economy concentrates mostly on services and the booming tourism has made the country wealthier. Cape Verde is also in the top of all the human right ratings of Africa. Due to all these factors the previous prime minister of Portugal even suggested taking Cape Verde as a member to the European Union. 

5. Relationship with Guinea-Bissau 

Cape Verde started its freedom fight against Portugal together with Guinea-Bissau under the PAIGC freedom party. Well Cape Verde got independence in 1975 after the Portuguese Revolution and the idea was to merge with Guinea-Bissau. The merging was seized in 1980 when there was a coup in Guinea-Bissau. PAIGC was replaced by PAICV in Cape Verde and the vision of being in union with Guinea-Bissau was abandoned. 

PAIGC = African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde
PAICV = African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde

PAIGC soldiers

Landscapes from Cape Verde

Timeline

1460s The Portuguese sail to Cape Verde
1879 Slave trade abolished. Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau are divided as separate units
1960s PAIGC started the fight for freedom for Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau
1975 Cape Verde becomes independent
1980 Integration with Guinea-Bissau seized, PAICV replaces PAIGC
1990 Cape Verde moves to multi-party democracy and market economy

Sources: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Verde
Maailman liput maat ja historia - Kimmo Kiljunen