History of Cabo Verde
History of Cabo Verde
- Márcia RegoMárcia RegoThompson Writing Program, Duke University
Summary
The islands of Cabo Verde were first settled in the 1460s by European colonists and enslaved men and women from West Africa. Due to the archipelago’s arid climate, Cabo Verde did not thrive as an agrarian colony, but its geographic location made it a profitable slave-trade entrepôt for over three centuries—a fact which left a lasting social legacy.
Since its origin as a Portuguese colony, Cabo Verde has been marked by continual and significant migration. Its sizable diaspora is scattered on both sides of the Atlantic and contributes in many ways to the nation-building efforts of the homeland. Cabo Verde became an independent nation (República de Cabo Verde) in 1975, after a decade-long armed struggle that took place in Guinea-Bissau (formerly Portuguese Guinea), its partner in the fight for independence. It has since become a stable democracy with a steadily developing economy, growing access to health services and educational opportunities, a booming tourism industry, and relatively low levels of crime and corruption. The country’s official language continues to be Portuguese; however, it coexists with the more widely spoken Cabo Verdean language (or Kriolu), the first language of most Cabo Verdeans. The relatively young Cabo Verdean population has a vibrant musical and artistic culture and is invested in defining its national identity and promoting its traditions, even as it becomes increasingly globalized.
Subjects
- West Africa