Cape Verde – which many know for its Afro-Portuguese Creole culture, the morna music made famous by Cesária Évora and the spectacular beaches of Sal and Boa Vista – is an island state in West Africa made up of an archipelago of ten volcanic islands that extends into the Atlantic Ocean, about 500 kilometers from the coast of Senegal. Its islands, different in shape and landscape, alternate arid mountains, sandy expanses and white beaches, creating a fascinating contrast between the blue of the ocean and the warm tones of the earth.
But why is it called “Cape Verde” if the landscape appears anything but green? The name dates back to the 15th century, when Portuguese navigators explored the ocean off Africa and named the archipelago after a Senegalese peninsula called Cap–Vert – the westernmost point of the continent. That promontory, lush and green, seemed to indicate the route towards the islands, which since then took the name of Cape Verde.
The origins of the name “Cape Verde”
Being on the route of the great Portuguese naval explorations of the 14th and 15th centuries, the Cape Verde archipelago is so called because the Portuguese navigators named it in reference to the opposite Senegalese peninsula of Cap-Vert, the westernmost point of the African continent. It was from there, in fact, that in 1445 the explorer Dinis Dias spotted a promontory covered with lush vegetation, which he decided to call Cabo Verde (“Green Cape”).
A few years later, between 1455 and 1456, the Venetian navigator Alvise Da Mosto, in the service of Portugal, explored the waters of the Atlantic and was the first to identify the islands of the archipelago. Shortly thereafter, a new Portuguese expedition, led by the Genoese Antonio de Noli, reached and officially colonized the islands, located about 600 kilometers west of the Cap-Vert peninsula. In honor of the chief already baptized by Dias, the islands were called Ilhas de Cabo Verde, or “the Cape Verde Islands”.
Although the landscape of the islands was anything but green — mostly arid and rocky — the name stuck and spanned the centuries. When, in 1975, the archipelago gained independence from Portugal, the new state decided to maintain the historical name, now an integral part of its identity.
The inhabitants of Cape Verde are called Cape Verdeans (cabo-verdianos in Portuguese): a welcoming and multicultural people, heirs of the meeting between Africa and Europe, known for their melancholic music, the morna, and for the pride of a small but rich in history nation.
What makes the Republic of Cape Verde famous
Cape Verde, officially República de Cabo Verde, is an island state in the Atlantic Ocean, located west of the African coast, opposite Senegal. The archipelago is made up of ten volcanic islands, nine of which are inhabited, and presents an arid and windy landscape, shaped by the Sahara and ancient eruptions. Only in some areas and at certain times of the year does the vegetation manage to color the territory, dominated by mountains, dunes and cliffs.
Around 500,000 inhabitants live in the country, a third of them in the capital Praia, located on the island of Santiago. But what makes Cape Verde so famous?
Without a doubt, its spectacular beaches, among the most beautiful in West Africa. The islands of Sal and Boa Vista are the most popular with tourists for their stretches of white sand, turquoise sea and constant climate all year round, which makes them ideal for water sports such as surfing, kitesurfing and diving. In addition to seaside tourism, the country fascinates with its Afro-Portuguese Creole culture, morna music and the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere that conquers everyone who sets foot there.
The Cape Verde Islands were discovered between 1455 and 1456 by the Venetian navigator Alvise Da Mosto, in the service of Portugal. However, the official discovery and subsequent colonization were entrusted in 1462 to the Genoese Antonio de Noli, who also became the first governor. Later, navigator Diogo Afonso completed the exploration of the remaining islands.
Today, Cape Verde is a stable democratic republic, considered one of the safest and most peaceful in Africa. The President of the Republic (from 2021) is José Maria Neves, former prime minister, a highly respected figure for his commitment to democratic consolidation and the country’s international relations.
