The Republic of Cape Verde is located in the Atlantic Ocean, around 350 miles off the coast of West Africa. It’s part of the Macaronesia eco-region. Cape Verde is a cluster of horseshoe-shaped islands, of which nine are inhabited. These islands are spatially divided into two groups –The Barlavento Islands and the Sotavento Islands. The largest island both in population and size is San Diego, which hosts Praia, the nation’s capital.

The Languages of Cape Verde

The people of Cape Verde are a mixture of African and European, with around 70% of the population being of mixed race. Portuguese is the official language of the islands, and it’s used in most written communications; however, Creole tends to be used in conversation and this is the language you’ll likely hear on a day-to-day basis. Creole can differ from island to island and is based on African languages, but with additions from various European languages. It’s only quite recently that English has been taught as a foreign language in schools in Cape Verde.

Below we’ve listed some basic Portuguese words; words you’ll probably encounter in Cape Verde –

Hello - Bom dia

Goodbye - Adeus

No - Não

Yes - Sim

I do not understand - Não compreendo

My name is - Chamo-me

Do you speak English? - Fala Inglês?

Please - Por favor

Excuse me - Com licença

Thank you - Obrigado (male)

Thank you - Obrigada (female)

Good evening - Boa noite

Good afternoon - Boa tarde

How much does it cost? - Quanto custa isso?

Good or excellent - Bom

Water - Água

The bill - A conta

Coffee - Café

Tea - Chá

Milk - Leite

Beer - Cerveja

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Religions and Ethnic Croups

The major religions of Cape Verde are Roman Catholic and Protestant. The ethnic groups include 71% Creole (Mulatto), 28% African, and 1% European.

Praia: The Capital City of Cape Verde

Besides being the capital city of Cape Verde, Praia is also the largest city.

About the Cape Verde Islands

The Cape Verde islands were discovered by the ancient Phoenicians, later to be colonised and exploited in the 15th century by the Portuguese. They settled in Ribeira Grande, an area of Santiago, and in the 16th century they used it as a slave trading post between Africa and the New World. It eventually became a pivotal stopping point for Trans-Atlantic sea traffic in the 19th century. In 1951, Cape Verde was transformed by the Portuguese from a colony to an overseas province. In 1956 the PAIGC (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) was formed, which sparked movement towards independence and improved social, economic and political conditions.