Cape Verde is a cluster of horseshoe-shaped islands, of which nine are inhabited.
Rebellions against Portugal had mounted by 1961 into a war of 10,000 PAIGC soldiers, fighting against 35,000 African and Portuguese troops. Even though numbers weren’t in their favour, the PAIGC successfully gained control of a majority of Portuguese Guinea.
On July 5, 1975, the islands gained their independence, and since that time have politically remained a stable democracy. Cape Verde is today considered a developing nation, with a population of 499,000 people.
Most of the indigenous people of Cape Verde are descendants of African slaves, with many still speaking Crioulo, which is a Creole dialect. The economy of Cape Verde depends on agriculture, with a limited amount Creole of tourism. Sadly, consistent drought has ravaged Cape Verde for many decades, and with food shortages being the norm, many residents have moved away.
It was announced at the United Nations on 24 October 2013 that the official name should no longer be translated into other languages. Instead of the name Cape Verde, the ‘Republic of Cabo Verde’ is to be used.
Basic Economy of Cape Verde
Cape Verde’s economy is primarily based on agriculture even though only 10% of the land is arable. The island produces corn, bananas, sugarcane, beans, coffee, and some vegetables and fruit, but still supplies less than 1/5 of the country’s needs. Most towns have a small market where vegetables, fruits, fish, and meat are sold. The remainder of supplies come in the form of aid from Portugal, the United States, Holland and other Western European countries. Cape Verdeans living abroad also make a considerable contribution to the GNP and to the economy.
Major Industries and Trade
Agriculture only accounts for one third of the GNP, while services and transportation account for one half. This is due to the growth of tourism, which has evolved due to the construction of luxury resorts and hotels on several islands. As the country continues to urbanise and the population continues to expand, construction comprises nearly a quarter of the GNP.
The main trading partners of Cape Verde are countries of the European Union (France, Portugal, Germany, Holland, Italy and Spain). Small amounts of salt, fish, bananas, lobster, pharmaceutical products and shoes are exported; while large quantities of food, machinery, construction and building materials, and textiles are imported.
Classes and Castes in Cape Verde
Due to the fact that the majority of the population is very poor, there’s very little class distinction in Cape Verde. However, there is a small but growing middle-class in the cities and towns, but no upper-class. Those who have a higher socio-economic background are more likely to identify culturally with Europe and to consider themselves more European, generally because they’ve spent time abroad.
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