ABSTRACT
Located in the Atlantic Ocean 500 kilometers off the western coast of Africa, Cabo Verde is an archipelago consisting of 10 volcanic islands. These islands were entirely uninhabited until the 15th century, when the Portuguese discovered and colonized them. Also known as Cape Verde, the Republic of Cabo Verde is home to 590,000 people distributed throughout the islands, with more than half living on Sao Tiago Island, site of the capital, Praia. About 67 percent of Cape Verdeans are urban dwellers. The population identifies mostly as ethnically Creole, with other ethnic groups including African and European. Portuguese is the official language, while Krioulo is also widely spoken throughout the country and diaspora.
