Cabo Verde

Capital: Praia

Languages: Portuguese

Area: (km2) 4033

Population: 600,000

Currency: Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Time zone: -1

Calling code: 238

Drives: right

Poor in natural resources, prone to drought and with little arable land, the Cape Verde islands have won a reputation for achieving political and economic stability.
The former Portuguese colony comprises 10 islands and five islets, all but three of which are mountainous. The archipelago lies around 500km off the west coast of Africa.
It was at one time an important centre of the slave trade.
During the 20th Century severe droughts caused the deaths of 200,000 people and prompted heavy emigration. Today, more people with origins in Cape Verde live outside the country than inside it. The money that they send home brings in much-needed foreign currency.

1462 - Portuguese settlers land on Santiago - before the arrival of Europeans, the islands were uninhabited. Cape Verde becomes a centre for the trade of cheap manufactured items such as firearms, rum and cloth and plays a key role in the Atlantic slave trade.
1495 - Becomes a Portuguese crown colony.
1956 - Amilcar Cabral, a native of Cape Verde, co-founds the African Party for Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) in Guinea-Bissau.
1960 - Many Cape Verdeans join liberation war against Portuguese rule in Guinea-Bissau. The struggle is led by the African Party for Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC).
1975 - Cape Verde becomes independent and adopts constitution envisaging unity with Guinea-Bissau.
1980 - Cape Verde ditches plans for unity with Guinea-Bissau following coup in latter.
1981 - African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) replaces the PAIGC and becomes the country's sole party.
1992 - A new constitution brings in a multi-party system.
2007 - World Trade Organization (WTO) council approves Cape Verde's accession to the organisation.

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