Cape Verde is named after the westernmost cape of Africa, which is the nearest point on the continent. The country consists of 10 islands and five islets, which are divided into the Windward (Barlavento) and Leeward (Sotavento) groups. The Windward Islands consist of Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia (Santa Luzia Island), São Nicolau, Boa Vista, and Sal, together with the islets of Raso and Branco. The Leeward Islands include Maio, São Tiago (Santiago), Fogo, and Brava (Brava Island) and the three islets called the Rombos—Grande, Luís Carneiro, and Cima.

The largest port in the islands is Porto Grande at Mindelo, on São Vicente (São Vicente Island). Its deepwater harbour accommodates sizable vessels and is used primarily as a fueling station.

The islands are mountainous and are volcanic in origin. Only the three oldest—Boa Vista, Maio (Maio Island), and Sal (Sal Island), the so-called Rasas (“Flat”) islands—have suffered enough erosion to have much level ground. Fogo (Fogo Island) (meaning “Fire”) has an active volcano, Mount Cano, whose last major eruption was in 1951. Its cone rises 9,281 feet (2,829 metres) above sea level. The peak of Mount Coroa on Santo Antão (Santo Antão Island) is 6,493 feet. São Tiago (São Tiago Island) and São Nicolau (São Nicolau Island) both have mountains more than 4,200 feet high. All the islands, especially the Windwards, have been eroded by sand carried by high winds, so that the outline of the landscape appears jagged.

There are few watercourses that run all year, and even these do not reach their ends during the dry season. Dry watercourses fill up for several days during the short, intense rainy season. Rains tend to occur as torrential storms, causing severe soil erosion and great damage to agriculture. Groundwater is the primary source of domestic water supply. Some groundwater sources, however, are sulfurous; others, mainly on São Vicente and Boa Vista, are slightly salty due to the low water tables.

Almost a quarter of the land area is rock of volcanic origin; basalt is a common type. More than 60 percent of the land is arid and lacking in humus and thus is suitable only for rough grazing. Sand and limestone outcrops are common in these areas. The remaining 15 percent is fertile; it contains alluvial deposits and is suitable for irrigation.

Soil erosion has been one of Cape Verde's greatest problems. It began to have a serious effect in the early 19th century, attributable to overgrazing by goats. Since independence a nationwide campaign to prevent erosion has been under way, involving planting drought-resistant varieties of acacia trees (which now cover 7.5 percent of the land surface), building small dikes, and improving farming techniques.

Moderate, stable temperatures and extreme aridity characterize the climate. February is the coolest month, with an average temperature of 71° F (22° C), and September is the warmest, having an average of 80° F (27° C). The islands are almost constantly under the influence of a dry northeast wind. Consequently there is almost no rainfall, except for a period from August through October, when an average of 1.6 inches (39 millimetres) a month is recorded. These rains can fail for years at a time.

On islands higher than 1,000 feet, which includes most of the larger islands, elevations are great enough to generate rainfall on the windward slopes. Grasses and some pine plantations are found in these relatively moist locations. The leeward slopes, however, exhibit a characteristic rain shadow effect that produces desert conditions, and the sparse shrub cover almost disappears. The shrubs remaining in these areas are mostly thorny or bitter; some are toxic. A sea mist on the higher hills permits some agriculture, and irrigated valley bottoms are densely cultivated. Salt areas on Maio and Sal have interesting xerophilous plants.

The scarcity of water limits the number of land turtles in the archipelago, but two species of sea turtles lay their eggs on the sandy shores of the uninhabited islets. There are many geckos, lizards, and several species of skinks. A species of giant skink is protected by law, but it may be extinct. There are 19 known species of butterflies, but none is endemic, and all the species are of African origin.

There are 105 known species of birds, of which only 38 breed regularly, including four species of petrels and two of shearwaters. Other bird species include the greater flamingo, the frigate bird and the buzzard (both nearly exterminated), the Egyptian vulture, the Cape Verde Islands kite, and the red-billed tropic bird. Several other birds are represented by local species, of which the kingfisher is among the most conspicuous. The only truly endemic species, however, are the cane warbler and the Raso lark, which is restricted to Raso, one of the smallest uninhabited islets. The rest of the birds are overseas migrants. Remarkably, gulls and terns do not breed on the islands.

Mammals of Cape Verde include the feral goats found on Fogo, the descendants of domestic goats that were brought to the islands. The islands' rodent population probably originated with rodents brought on early ships. The long-eared bat is the only indigenous mammal.

The majority of the population is rural, living in small villages in fertile valleys or on the coast in fishing communities. Proximity to a water supply is the determining feature in settlement location. There are three urban centres: Praia, Mindelo, and the island of Sal (centred on the international airport at Espargos). Their continuing growth and development are based on good access to transportation networks.

The overwhelming majority of the islands' population is Creole (mulatto), the descendants of early contacts between Portuguese settlers and Africans brought as slaves to work on the plantations in the 16th century. Among the latter, Fulani (Fula) and Mandingo (Malinke) people from the region of Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau predominated.

Although Portuguese (Portuguese language) is the official language and is used in formal situations and for most written material, Crioulo is the mother tongue of most people. It is one of the oldest of the Portuguese creole languages. Different dialects of Crioulo exist on the different islands.

Most of the population is Roman Catholic, but a flourishing Protestant mission is based in Praia with a publishing venture in Fogo. Particularly in Sotavento, the celebration of Roman Catholic saints' days with drumming, dancing, and singing reveals the underlying African culture.

The population growth rate of more than 2 percent per year is high by world standards but is relatively low for western Africa. A steady emigration of young males seeking employment abroad and one of the lowest birth rates in sub-Saharan Africa have been responsible for dampening Cape Verde's population growth. Life expectancy, at 60 years for males and 64 years for females, is the highest in western Africa.

About half of the people live abroad as emigrant workers, often returning upon retirement. This trend began in the early 19th century with the arrival of American whaling ships that offered the opportunity for work and travel to the United States. Cape Verdeans still work on foreign merchant ships, and Boston, Mass., has a large immigrant community. During Portuguese rule, Cape Verdeans worked throughout the Portuguese empire as government officials and labourers. More recently, Portugal, The Netherlands, and France have become important destinations.

The economy is mixed, with approximately half the national production generated by state-owned concerns. Agriculture absorbs most of the labour force, although small-scale industry and services together generate a larger share of the gross national product (GNP). The mainstays of the economy are the revenue from Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Sal, foreign aid, and emigrants' remittances. These enable the balance of payments to stay generally positive despite imports far exceeding exports. As a nonaligned nation, Cape Verde receives aid from a variety of sources. There is one state bank, the Banco de Cabo Verde. The currency is the Cape Verdean escudo.

Cape Verde has few natural resources. The lack of fresh water is a problem. On São Vicente and Sal it is provided by desalination plants (which also generate electricity). Water is also obtained from springs, wells, and rainwater stored in cisterns. The country relies on imported oil for fuel. Fish are the major natural resource. Salt from Boa Vista, Maio, and Sal (meaning “Salt”) was once an important export. Pozzolana, a volcanic rock that is used in making cement, is exported.

Bananas and coffee have been the chief agricultural exports. Crops grown for local consumption include corn (maize), sugarcane, castor beans, broad beans, potatoes, and peanuts (groundnuts). Severe and recurrent droughts affect the islands, causing unemployment and a dramatic fall in crop output. Deaths from starvation are a thing of the past, but there is a heavy reliance on imported foodstuffs. During the decade-long drought of the 1970s, 95 percent of food needs were met by imports.

Small-scale industries such as textiles and pharmaceuticals play an increasingly important role in the economy. Fish processing is becoming well established. In 1981 a cold-storage plant was opened in Mindelo, and canning facilities exist. Tuna, shark, and lobster are important exports.

There are international air services from Sal to Lisbon, Boston, Moscow, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and Brazil. Within the islands, regular ferries and planes provide local service. All the islands except Brava have airports. With the exception of São Tiago the road networks are limited. There is a small national shipping line and a national airline, Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde (TACV). Ship repairing is carried out in Mindelo, where dry docks accommodate vessels of up to 2,800 tons deadweight.

After independence in 1975, the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) was the only legal political party in the country until a multiparty system was introduced in 1990. A constitution, promulgated in 1992 and subsequently revised in 1995 and 1999, established the president as head of state, elected by universal adult suffrage. The president, in consultation with the popularly elected National Assembly, appoints the prime minister. The prime minister then recommends members of the National Assembly to the president for appointment to the Council of Ministers. At the local level of government, councils are also elected by universal adult suffrage. There is a Constitutional Court and a Supreme Court of Justice, which is the highest court and oversees a network of courts at the local level.

According to official policy, primary education is compulsory for six years. Secondary schooling is provided by four liceus and two industrial and commercial schools. There are three teacher-training schools as well. The islands have no university. A government effort to build schools and train teachers to combat illiteracy has proven effective, and about three-quarters of the adult population is now literate.

A major health problem is diarrhea in infants, caused by poor hygiene. There are isolated cases of malaria on São Tiago and leprosy on Fogo. The Ministry of Health is responsible for a network of locally run hospitals and health centres. A mother and child protection program has operated since 1977 with preventive medicine as a priority. Successful vaccination campaigns have reached 90 percent of the children. The infant mortality rate, while still high by world standards, is significantly lower than those of other western African countries.

Portuguese customs and culture have influenced the islands, but they are blended with African traditions as well. Popular culture demonstrates the African heritage. There is a rich body of oral narratives. Popular characters in these stories are Ti Lobo and Chibinho (“Uncle Wolf and Nephew”). Improvised singing is a feature of social gatherings and festivities. The melancholic morna, expressing the sorrows of emigration and love, is a song form unique to Cape Verde.

Since the late 19th century, Cape Verde has produced some outstanding writers and poets. Between 1936 and 1960 the cultural magazine Claridade (“Clarity”) was the focus for an artistic movement that marked a break with Portuguese literary traditions and established a Cape Verdean identity. Baltasar Lopes da Silva (Lopes, Baltasar), who used the pseudonym Osvaldo Alcântara for his poetry, is a key figure from this period. Later writers have extended the movement's interest in the Creole culture to use Crioulo as well as Portuguese. Corsino Fortes is the best-known poet of this later generation.

One television channel and two government radio stations broadcast in Portuguese and Crioulo. A weekly government newspaper, Voz di Povo (“Voice of the People”), is published in Praia. Foreign publications circulate freely, as do local magazines. There is a publishing house, the Cape Verdean Institute of Books, which specializes in works on Cape Verdean history and culture.

There is no evidence of the islands having been inhabited prior to the arrival of the Portuguese, but it is thought that the Moors had visited Sal to collect salt supplies in previous centuries. In 1460 the Portuguese navigators Diogo Gomes and António de Noli sighted Maio and São Tiago. In 1462 the first settlers from Portugal landed on São Tiago, subsequently founding there the oldest European city in the tropics—Ribeira Grande (now Cidade Velha). Sugar was planted in an attempt to emulate the success of the earlier settlement of Madeira. Cape Verde's dry climate was less favourable, but, with the development of transatlantic slave trade, the importance and the wealth of the islands increased. In 1532 the first bishop was consecrated. The prosperity of Ribeira Grande, however, attracted pirates, who attacked the city in 1541. The English later attacked it twice—in 1585 and 1592—the first time under the command of Sir Francis Drake. After a French attack in 1712, the city was abandoned. Portugal attempted to administer its possessions and commerce on the African coast through the islands. Until the 19th century, trade was controlled through the crown-issued monopoly contracts. English, French, and Dutch activity in the area meant, however, that the crown was never really able to enforce its edicts. Smuggling was rife.

From the 17th to the 19th century, Cape Verde was famous for its woven cotton cloth (panos). Cotton grew easily, and indigo produced a rich blue dye. The skill of narrow-loom weaving had come with the slaves from the western African coast. The cloths were a valuable form of currency for the slave trade on the mainland.

With the decline of the slave trade (which was finally abolished in 1876) and with increasing drought, the prosperity of the islands slowly vanished. In the early 1800s, they experienced recurrent drought and famine as well as government corruption and maladministration. Conditions improved toward the end of the 1800s, with the establishment at Mindelo of a coaling station and a submarine cable station. After World War I, prosperity again declined as fewer ships visited Mindelo. The colonial administration encouraged emigration to the cocoa plantations of São Tomé and Princípe.

The Portuguese administration of Cape Verde was unified under a governor in 1587. The status of the islands was changed in 1951 from that of a colony to an overseas province. In 1961 all of the citizens were given full Portuguese citizenship.

During the war for independence from Portugal (1961–75) fought by its colonies in Africa, Cape Verde was used as a garrison by the Portuguese army. Some Cape Verdeans fled to Guinea-Bissau to join the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), under the leadership of Amílcar Cabral.

On July 5, 1975, Cape Verde was granted independence from Portugal. The secretary general of the PAIGC, Aristides Pereira, became the first president of the new independent republic. Disapproval of the 1980 coup in Guinea-Bissau prompted the dissolution of the Cape Verde branch of PAIGC and resulted in the formation of the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) in 1981. President Pereira was reelected in February of the same year. In 1990 a multiparty system was established, and Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro of the Movement for Democracy (MpD) became president in 1991 elections. Cape Verde affirmed its nonaligned status and was able to seek foreign aid from several sources to salvage its economy and to fund development; the country also focused on economic expansion. To that end, the government enacted policies to privatize state-owned companies and attract foreign investors in the early 1990s.

Monteiro ran unopposed in 1996 and was duly reelected. During his tenure, the country continued to experience economic struggles and both the MpD and the PAICV held the troubled economy to be their primary concern. During the legislative and presidential elections of 2001, the PAICV was returned to power, with Pedro Pires narrowly winning the presidential race. That same year, food shortages—a common predicament for the country—worsened considerably, and the government relied heavily on foreign aid and food imports to feed the country.

The poverty and high rates of unemployment that plagued Cape Verde in the 1990s continued into the 2000s, even as the government made strides in reaching economic goals. In the 21st century, the country continued to successfully pursue political and economic relationships around the globe, courting foreign investors and creating and maintaining diplomatic ties in the international community.