Everything you need to know about Cape Verde : news, reviews, in-depth analysis, opinion and more
Cape Verde Archipelago Having Portuguese Influence
Cape Verde is an archipelago of 10 islands and five islets located in the Atlantic Ocean off Africa’s coast. Out of these ten the most popular Cape Verde Islands include Sao Vicente, Santiago and Sal Island. Over the years large number of people have emigrated from this island owing to chronic droughts and little cultivable land. In spite of this Cape Verde enjoys higher per capita income than many African states owing to the remittances it receives from its migrant community abroad. Once infamous as a popular slave trade centre in the 16th century Cape Verde has since then gone on to become a popular refuelling destination for ships owing to its strategic location. Tourists find this archipelago of Cape Verde interesting for its coral life and surfing opportunities available on the golden-coloured beaches.
Cape Verde Facts and Stats:
Cape Verde has varied vegetation and faunal life including many endangered species that includes endemic birds like Alexander Swift, Raso Lark, Iago Sparrow and reptiles that include the famous Cape Verde Giant Gecko.
Culture and Economy of Cape Verde:
Portuguese ruled Cape Verde for many centuries and their influence can be seen in the cultural life of the Cape Verdeans that reflects pattern similar to those of rural Portugal. Apart from this Cape Verdean music also incorporates African and Brazilian influences, the national music being the morna, which is melancholy and lyrical. Popular dance forms include the soft morna and its modern version, passada that is a mix of Portuguese and African dance forms.
Cape Verde also boasts of the richest literature in Lusitanian Africa that has produced famous poets like Frusoni Sergio, Tavares Eugenio and B.Leza.
Cape Verde suffers from many economic handicaps like lack of fresh water, poor rainfall, limited arable land that have forced the country to import over 90% of its food requirements. It has a service-oriented economy with agriculture and fishing contributing only 9% to the GDP while the rest comes from commerce, transport and public services. The economy would need continued aid support and tourist inflow to develop substantially.
Tourist Attractions in Cape Verde:
Cape Verde has nine inhabited islands out of which the Santiago Island is the largest and most populated of these. The country’s capital Praia is located here and it has good night life along with other attractions that include Cidale Velha, fort real de San Felipe and Tarrafal village that features the country’s best fishing beaches.
The Sal Island in Cape Verde is characterised by its white sand beaches that is visited by most package tourists. It is also popular for diving and windsurfing. However Sao Vicente Island is by far the most cosmopolitan of all islands in cape Verde and the deep-water port of Mindelo is located here replete with old colonial buildings and a thriving music scene.
London, May 21 (ANI): A blonde socialite has been questioned by detectives over her relationship with Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius, who has been accused of murder.
Washington, May 18 (ANI): NASA's senior Mars rover Opportunity is investigating a rock intensely altered by water.
Washington, May 5 (ANI): A meteor shower is predicted to peak early on Sunday morning, just before dawn.
Johannesburg, May 4 (ANI): South African cricketer JP Duminy has expressed his happiness after being named in the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, adding that he is eager to repay the Proteas team management for the faith they have shown in him.
Cape Town, May 2 (IANS) Jean Paul Duminy returns to the South Africa squad for the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in England and Wales next month while star all-rounder Jacques Kallis has made himself unavailable for the tour.
Cape Town, April 30 (IANS) The South African Football Association (SAFA) has unveiled a development programme with the aim of reviving the country's national team.
Cape Town, April 30 (IANS) The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Monday showed rare footage of former president Nelson Mandela sitting in a chair with a blanket over his legs, flanked by President Jacob Zuma, his medical team and several senior members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
Beijing, Apr. 30 (Xinhua-ANI): The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Monday showed a rare footage of former president Nelson Mandela.
Kolkata, April 25 (IANS) South Africa has emerged as the new popular destination for Indian leisure travellers on a budget, followed by Egypt and Morocco, according to a survey by an international travel site.
Cape Town, April 24 (IANS) Eight scholchildren were killed and 25 injured when their bus overturned in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, authorities said Wednesday.
Cape Town, Apr 20 (ANI): After US police shot dead a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing, who once lived in Russia, Moscow has issued a statement, saying it condemns all 'terrorists' regardless of their nationality.
Melbourne, Apr. 18 (ANI): The world-famous Great Barrier Reef has been excluded from a list of the world's top dive sites, while a cave in the middle of the outback made the cut.
Cape Town, Apr 18 (ANI): Iran has increased installations of high-tech machines that could be used in a nuclear weapons programme to over 600 in the last three months, it has been claimed.
Cape Town, Apr 17 (ANI): Former South African president FW de Klerk has rejected accusations that former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher was a racist.
Cape Town, Apr 15 (ANI): Family members of Nelson Mandela are planning to celebrate the former South African president's 95th birthday on July 18 in Pretoria, London and Monaco.
Cape Town, Apr 12 (ANI): The mental health of Indian origin British businessman Shrien Dewani, who is accused of killing his wife Anni during their honeymoon in South Africa, has significantly improved, a court has heard.
Mumbai, April 8 (IANS) Ranbir Kapoor knows how to get his fans grooving! The video of peppy song 'Badtameez dil' from "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewaani" is getting a good response online.
Cape Town, Apr 6 (ANI): Tech giant Apple has lost its patent protection for "slide to unlock," in Germany.
New Delhi, Apr. 5 (ANI): President Pranab Mukherjee will visit Mumbai on Saturday to attend the concluding ceremony of accomplishment of 'Sagar Parikrama-II' - Solo Non Stop Unassisted Circumnavigation done by Lt. Cdr. Abhilash Tomy of the Indian Navy.
Qingdao (China), April 5 (IANS) After nearly 138 days at sea, Chinese sailor Guo Chuan successfully returned to his starting point here Friday morning to become the first man to complete non-stop solo circumnavigation of the world.
Cape Town, Apr 5 (ANI): Chinese tourists have overtaken Germans as the world's biggest-spending travelers, the UN has said.
Panaji, April 4 (IANS) There will be no Commonwealth Games (CWG) like "confusion" in raising infrastructure for the Portuguese Commonwealth Games scheduled to start in Goa in November this year, Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar said Thursday.
New York, April 1 (ANI): Residents in Chile's Atacama Desert, the driest desert on Earth, are turning to giant 'fog catchers' as a possible long-term means of revitalizing the arid area.
Cape Town, March 29 (IANS) The Pretoria High Court lifted travel restrictions on paralympian Oscar Pistorius, allowing him to take part in international competitions on certain conditions.
Washington, March 28 (ANI): While the first results from the European Space Agency's Planck satellite has been released, astronomers at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) near Johannesburg are working on a new radio telescope that will also shed new light on the very earliest moments of universe.
Sydney, Mar 27 (ANI): Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq, who was booed by a handful of cricket fans as his the team arrived in Lahore, has said his team's humiliating 3-0 Test series whitewash against South Africa is an alarming situation for them.
Mumbai, March 25 (IANS) What is the secret behind Shahid Kapoor's stubbled look? It's for his next film "Rambo Rajkumar", said a source.
Panaji, March 21 (IANS) A game of football will open the 2013 Lusofonia Games in Goa, which will be thrown open in November this year.
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Nuanced rhythms of India and Africa power the sounds of Swiss jazz giant Malcolm Braff's contemporary compositions that address the musical concerns of the world rather than the niche musical stage of traditional jazz that grew out of America.
Moscow, March 19 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Chinese President Xi Jinping will discuss energy partnership during his maiden overseas visit to Russia, as leader of the world's most populous country, the Kremlin said Monday.
Cape Town, Mar 16 (ANI): China's state-run television has singled out US-based tech firm Apple and German car maker Volkswagen in its annual corporate malpractice expose.
Cape Town, Mar 15 (ANI): The lawyer for the parents of Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius' murdered girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp have denied reports that they have been evicted from their home outside Port Elizabeth, a month after their daughter's death.
Cape Town, March 11 (IANS) Former South African president Nelson Mandela, who has just returned home after a routine medical checkup, "was doing okay", but his memory has been fading, it was revealed Monday.
Cape Town, Mar 10 (ANI): South Africa batsman AB de Villiers has said that he is now equally comfortable in his role of wicketkeeper.
Cape Town, March 6 (IANS) The African National Congress (ANC) has refuted a statement by the father of murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius that "the ANC government is not willing to protect white South Africans".
Mumbai, March 4 (IANS) Ramesh Taurani has signed Akshay Kumar for two films and the Bollywood star will reportedly get Rs.80 crore for the projects.
Cape Town, Mar 1 (IANS) Here's one way to make sure the meat on your plate is not from a horse - South African scientists have made it possible to identify the kind of meat one consumes with a barcoding procedure based on DNA.
Cape Town, Feb 28 (ANI): The best friends of Oscar Pistorius' slain girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp have claimed they are shocked by the events surrounding the death of their closest pal, adding that the couple appeared to be very happy with each other.
Cape Town, Feb 28 (ANI): The family of Oscar Pistorius' slain girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp has rejected speculations that the model was pregnant when she was shot and killed by the Paralympic star.
Washington, February 26 (ANI): Based on the reviews of millions of travellers, travel site TripAdvisor has voted Rabbit Beach in Lampedusa, Italy, as the world's best beach.
Cape Town, Feb 26 (ANI): The toilet door through which Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was shot, has been touted as a critical piece of evidence by a Durban forensic pathologist hired by the Paralympic star's defence.
Cape Town, Feb 22 (IANS) The South African government, in partnership with Limpopo province, will establish two Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to attract more investment and boost economic growth.
Islamabad, Feb 21 (ANI): Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore has come under severe denigration after the team's successive defeats in the Test series in South Africa, with some in the cricket fraternity holding him responsible for the reverses.
Centurion, Feb 20 (IANS) South Africa cricket coach Gary Kirsten has requested the curator for a less turning track when they take on Pakistan in the third and final Test here at the SuperSport Park here Friday.
Pretoria, Feb 20 (IANS) The South African government will pursue safe nuclear power and build more nuclear power plants, Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said.
Melbourne, Feb. 19 (ANI): A new James Bond novel - written by British writer William Boyd - is set to be released on September 26, publishers Jonathan Cape have announced.
Dubai, Feb 18 (IANS) South Africa has been guaranteed the number-one position on the ICC Test Championship table at the April 1 cut-off date after victory in the Cape Town Test against Pakistan.
Cape Town, Feb. 17 (ANI): Former South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, after sudden departure from all forms of cricket, has replaced his love of cricket with his passion to save the rhinos.
Islamabad, Feb 15 (ANI): Pakistani left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir will be taking part in the domestic Twenty20 tournament for South Africa after re-signing with the Lions franchise.
London, Feb 14 (ANI): Brit-Indian billionaire Shrien Dewani, who has been accused of hiring a hitman to kill his wife Anni, has been hospitalised after his health 'seriously deteriorated', his family has said.
New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) Indian men's and women's team will play their opening matches against Fiji and Kazakhstan, respectively, in the Hero Hockey World League Round 2 to be held here from Feb 18.
London, Feb. 12 (ANI): A pair of British adventurers has broken two world records after driving 10,300 miles from Cape Town to London, in a lightning fast 10-and-a-half days.
Johannesburg, Feb 12 (IANS) The Confederation of African Football (CAF) selected five members of the Nigerian national team for inclusion in the Team of the Tournament for the just ended Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Johannesburg, Feb 11 (IANS) Anti-apartheid hero and former South African president Nelson Mandela was looking comfortable when President Jacob Zuma visited him, the presidency said.
Cape Town, Feb 8 (IANS) The South African government and the civil society have condemned the rape and mutilation of a teenage girl, an incident that has sent shockwaves across the country.
Islamabad, Feb. 8 (ANI): Pakistan's opening batsman Imran Farhat has left for South Africa to join the country's squad playing a test series against the hosts.
Karachi, Feb. 7 (ANI): South African commentator Mike Haysman has said that Pakistan has no chance of winning a Test on their tour of the country.
Karachi, Feb. 6 (ANI): Pakistan have 10 days to figure out a way to counter South Africa's new-ball bowling attack ahead of the second Test at Newlands.
Cape Town (South Africa), Feb.5 (ANI): Proteas strength and conditioning coach Rob Walter has said that the players will put in some "cricket time" during the 10-day break between the first and second Test matches against Pakistan.
London, Feb 4 (IANS) Two British adventurers are attempting to smash the world record for a gruelling 10,000-mile (16,000-km) drive from Cape Town to London in just 10 days.
London, Jan 4 (ANI): The family of murdered Indian-origin bride Anni Dewani are worried that her mother's grief is causing her to waste away, a report has said.
Cape Town, Feb 3 (IANS) Ghana reached the semifinals of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) after beating Cape Verde Islands 2-0.
New Delhi, Feb.3 (ANI): Expressing concern at the mounting environmental challenges, global thought leaders unanimously emphasised on the need to adopt resource-efficient innovations at the final session of the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2013.
Johannesburg, Jan. 29 (ANI): South Africa's Democratic Alliance party has denied receiving funding of four million rand from an Indian-origin family, close allies of South African President Jacob Zuma have said.
Cape Town, Jan. 28 (ANI): South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir has been added to the Proteas' Test squad as cover for Robin Peterson for the first Test against Pakistan which starts at the Wanderers on Friday.
Cape Town, Jan 27 (IANS) Cote d'Ivoire dimmed Tunisia's hopes of advancing in the 2013 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) after a thumping 3-0 victory.
Durban, Jan 24 (IANS) Morocco forced Cape Verde to a 1-1 draw in their second Group A match at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) here.
London, January 23(ANI): A team of paleontologists has discovered a way to determine the sex of an avian dinosaur species.
Johannesburg, Jan 21(ANI): In form South Africa new ball bowler Vernon Philander is expected to play in the first Test match against Pakistan at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, starting Feb 1.
London, Jan 20 (ANI): Fans of 'Fifty Shades of Grey' now want to experience first hand some of the erotic novel's contents - including South Africa's Constantia desert wine, which is on the menu at a fictitious masked ball.
Cape Town, Jan 14 (IANS) A diarrhoea outbreak in South Africa's Cape Town city has led to the death of at least two children and the hospitalisation of 2,800 others, Xinhua reported.
Wellington, Jan. 13 (ANI): New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White has said NZC needs a change of culture for the Black Caps to perform consistently at the top level.
Kochi, Jan 11 (IANS) A 33-year-old pilot with the Indian Navy is currently sailing somewhere in the South Pacific as part of his solo mission to circumnavigate the globe non-stop, which will make him the first Indian to do so if he succeeds.
Cape Town, Jan. 8 (ANI): 'Abandoned' Proteas leg spinner Imran Tahir has said there is 'no chance' of 'throwing in the towel' and giving up his international ambitions.
Dubai, Jan.7 (ANI): South Africa paceman Vernon Philander has edged closer to number-one ranked Dale Steyn in the Reliance ICC player rankings for test bowlers after his match-winning spell against New Zealand in the Cape Town Test.
Johannesburg, Jan. 7 (Xinhua-ANI): South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela, who was hospitalized for almost three weeks last month, has recovered from his surgical procedure and the lung infection, the Presidency said on Sunday.
Washington, Jan 5 (IANS) A tsunami warning was issued Saturday for Canada's western coast after a magnitude-7.5 earthquake jolted the northeastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Alaska.
Wellington, Jan 3(ANI): New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has said every single player in the Kiwi dressing room is hurting after the whole team was dismissed for a measly 45 in the first innings within the opening day session of the Newlands Test against South Africa.
Cape Town, Jan 2(ANI): Vernon Philander bowled one of the best new ball spells in recent times, snaring five wickets for just seven runs, to help South Africa bulldoze New Zealand for just 45 runs in the first innings of the Cape Town Test on day one.
Canberra, Jan 1 (ANI): Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser signed off on a secret US plan to test MX missiles by firing them from California to the coast of Australia, it has emerged.
Cape Town, Jan.1 (ANI): New Zealand all-rounder James Franklin says he and his teammates have to take a positive frame of mind into their test series against South Africa.
Wellington, Dec 31(ANI): South Africa batsman AB de Villiers has claimed the team wants to dominate world cricket for next four to five year, ahead of what should be a comparatively straight forward assignment against New Zealand in the upcoming series.
Johannesburg, Dec. 29 (Xinhua-ANI): Anti-apatheid hero Nelson Mandela was doing well at home after being discharged from hospital, the South African presidency said.
Wellington, Dec 28(ANI): South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis believes it would take some special efforts from New Zealand to beat them in their upcoming Test series, adding that the Proteas are carrying momentum with them after their comfortable 2-1 win in the Twenty20 series.
Johannesburg, Dec 26 (IANS) South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela is looking much better, although he is still receiving medical treatment at a Pretoria hospital, President Jacob Zuma said.
Cape Town, Dec 19 (IANS) Doctors treating anti-apartheid hero and South Africa's first black president Nelson Mandela are satisfied with the progress he is making, but are in no hurry to send him home yet, President Jacob Zuma said.
Cape Town, Dec 11 (IANS) Hackers have attacked several websites of the South African government in the past few days, a media report said Tuesday.
Johannesburg, Dec 11(ANI): South Africa captain Graeme Smith is likely to be fit for the New Zealand Test series after he sustained a bad blow to his elbow while practicing for the Cape Cobras ahead of their One-Day Cup semi-final against the Titans.
Johannesburg, Dec 10 (ANI): 21-year-old Marilyn Ramos was crowned Miss South Africa 2012 on Sunday night.
Johannesburg, Dec. 9 (Xinhua-ANI): South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela has been admitted to a hospital in Pretoria "to undergo tests", the Presidency has said.
Johannesburg, Dec 8(ANI): Long-time South African Test colleagues Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith have an ever-strengthening case for suggesting they are the best slip combination in history at least in statistical terms, according to senior cricket writer, Rob Houwing.
London, Dec 6 (ANI): A South African man has been jailed for life for murdering Indian-origin bride Anni Dewani while she was on honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.
Johannesburg, Dec 6 (ANI): The father of murdered Brit-Indian bride Anni Dewani has said that the circumstances surrounding the death of his daughter will be revealed only when her husband Shrien stands trial.
London, Dec 5 (IANS) A terminally-ill drug dealer convicted of killing Indian-origin honeymoon bride Anni Dewani was Wednesday sentenced to life in prison by a South African court.
Dubai, Dec 5 (IANS/CMC) Veteran West Indies' cricketer Shrivnarine Chanderpaul has replaced Australia captain Michael Clarke as the top Test batsman in the world.
London, Dec 4 (ANI): Brit-Indian billionaire Shrien Dewani, who has been accused of hiring a hitman to kill his wife Anni, spends his days playing computer games in a camper van on the grounds of a mental hospital, a court has heard.
Cape Town, Dec 4 (IANS) Singer Lady Gaga, known for her eccentric style of dressing, wore a conservative white dress during her visit to a primary school in Johannesburg.
Cape Town, Dec 2 (IANS) Singer Lady Gaga says she got a chance to get a close glimpse of lions when she recently went on a safari trip in Johannesburg.
London, Nov 27 (IANS) British globetrotter Graham Hughes has become the first person to visit all 201 countries in the world ? without using a plane, the Daily Mail reported.
Johannesburg, Nov 21 (ANI): The South African government has hailed the guilty verdict handed down to Xolile Mngeni for the murder of Indian-origin bride Anni Dewani, calling it 'a milestone' for the country's judicial system.
