School encyclopedia. Cape Verde Islands: photos, videos, attractions, where the country of Cape Verde is located on the world map Cape Verde Praia on the map

Details Category: West African countries Published 03/20/2015 10:57 Views: 1649

Republic of Cape Verde Islands- this is how the name of this state was officially translated into Russian until 1986.

It is located on the islands of the same name in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa.

The archipelago consists of 10 large and 8 small islands in the central part of the Atlantic Ocean and is conventionally divided into the Leeward and Windward groups.

State symbols

Flag– is a rectangular panel with an aspect ratio of 10:17, which consists of 5 horizontal stripes: blue, white, red, white and blue in a ratio of 6:1:1:1:3. On top of the stripes are 10 yellow five-pointed stars.
The blue color of the flag symbolizes the endless expanses of the sky and ocean, white - peace, red - perseverance. 10 stars - the number of inhabited islands, the circle - the unity of the state. The flag was adopted on September 22, 1992.

Coat of arms- emblem of Cape Verde. In the center of the emblem is a blue equilateral triangle - a symbol of unity and equality of civil rights. The white torch inside symbolizes freedom.
From left to right is the radial inscription “Republic of Cape Verde” in Portuguese. The three blue horizontal lines below the base of the triangle symbolize the sea surrounding the islands. The yellow float at the top, overlapping the two circles, is a symbol of honesty and dignity. A chain of three yellow links and two green palm leaves at the bottom symbolize the unity of people during the drought. 10 stars in groups of 5 on both sides symbolize the 10 inhabited islands of the state. The emblem was approved in 1992.

State structure

Form of government- presidential republic.
Head of State- the president. Elected by direct vote in general elections for a 5-year term.

Incumbent since 2011 Jorge Carlos Fonseca
Head of the government- Prime Minister.
Capital and largest city- Praya.
official languages– Portuguese and regional (local) language Cape Verdean.
Territory– 4033 km².
Administrative division– 22 municipalities, which include 32 communities.

Population– 523,568 people. Ethnic composition: 70% of the population are Creoles (of mixed African-European origin), 28% Africans (Manjak, Balante, Bantu and other peoples), 1% Europeans. Urban residents make up 53.3% of the population.
Religion– 89% of the population are Roman Catholics. 2% Muslims, 2.6% Protestants.

Currency– Cape Verdean escudo.

Extraction of sea salt

Economy– the most competitive sectors of the national economy are fishing, tourism and the service sector. Agriculture is unproductive due to the arid climate and underdeveloped irrigation system. The main agricultural crop is corn. Sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, coffee, castor beans, peanuts, potatoes, beans, cassava, mangoes, coca nuts, cassava, sweet potatoes, fruits, and tomatoes are also grown. The farming form of farming predominates. Livestock: raising goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys and cattle. Fishing is poorly developed. Ships from EU countries are fishing for tuna in the waters of Cape Verde. Industry is poorly developed. Main enterprises: fish canneries, ship repair yard, beer factory, clothing and shoe factories, building materials plant, decorative stone processing factories, auto, motorcycle, and bicycle enterprises.
Mining industry: salt mining on the islands of Sal and Maiu, pozzolana (used for cement production) on the island of Maiu, clay, basalt. Import: food, energy, machinery, transport and electrical equipment, paper products. Exports: seafood, salt, leather, shoes and textiles.
Almost all electricity is generated in thermal power plants using diesel fuel, firewood and charcoal. Transport: road, sea. There are no buses. There are minibuses and taxis available.

Education– primary education: 4-6 years. From the age of 7, the first 4 years undergo compulsory training, the next 2 years are optional. Secondary education: 9-12 years (two cycles of 3 years each). The lyceum providing secondary education is located in Praia and São Vicente. Training in Portuguese. In 1994-1999 The first higher educational institutions were formed: pedagogical, economic and several technical universities.
From the 90s until 2011, Cape Verde's primary and partly secondary education system was entirely financed by the singer Cesaria Evora. Its funds supported almost half of the country's healthcare system and several hospitals.

Cesaria Evora(nickname “barefoot diva”; 1941-2011) - singer from the Cape Verde Islands, performer. She sang in Cape Verdean Creole. Evora always went on stage barefoot - this is a symbolic tribute to the poverty in which half of the population lived (and continues to live) her fellow countrymen on the Cape Verde Islands. The singer walked barefoot in life for many years. She wore only sandals while traveling in temperate countries.
Sport– The most popular type is football. The country's athletes took part in 4 Summer Olympics, making their debut at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta (1996). Since then we have participated in all summer games. They did not participate in the Winter Olympics. Cape Verdean athletes have never won an Olympic medal.
Armed forces– ground motorized infantry units, aviation, coast guard and maritime patrol. A special military police unit to ensure the security of objects of national importance. Anti-terrorism rapid response unit, which guards the international airport on the island. Sal, as well as a special agency for national security issues - the “Information Service of the Republic”. Service for Civil Defense and Emergency Situations. Police units. Military service is compulsory.

Nature

The Windward group of the Cape Verde Islands archipelago includes the islands: Santo Antan, Sao Vicente, Sao Nicolau, Santa Luzia, Sal, Boavista. Leeward group: Santiago, Brava, Fogo, Mayu. Small islands: Branco, Razo, Grande, Luis Carneiro, Santa Maria, Sapado, Sima, Do Rei. Each of the islands is unique in nature and landscape.

Village on the island Santo Antan
Climate dry tropical. The islands have a pronounced volcanic origin. The terrain is predominantly mountainous.

Columnar-type basalt formations on the island of Sal
The most frequent earthquakes are observed on the island of Brava. The highest point of the archipelago is the active volcano Fogo (2829 m), located on the island of the same name. Its last eruption occurred in 1995.

Fogo volcano crater
The vegetation of the archipelago is not very diverse. These are mainly semi-desert and desert small-leaved shrubs and grasses. Several types of acacias, bombardeira, cypresses, pines and eucalyptus trees grow in the mountains; almonds, coconut and date palms grow in the valleys.

Cypress
There are baobabs, dragon trees and mangoes. The greenest island of the archipelago is Brava, sometimes called the island of flowers.
Sources of fresh water in the archipelago are wells, boreholes and desalination plants.

Almond blossom
The world of birds is diverse: egrets, wood grouse, kingfishers, waders, sea gulls, quails, parrots, falcons, flamingos, frigate birds.

Kingfisher
Most animal species were introduced by settlers: livestock, cats, rabbits, rats, mice, monkeys and dogs. The colorful world of butterflies and insects.

The waters of the archipelago are rich in fish. Schools of whales come close to the shore. There are parrot fish, colorful reef fish, green sea turtles up to 1 m in diameter, a three-meter stingray, ball fish, and schools of dolphins.

Parrot fish

Tourism

Tourism in the country is very developed and is the main source of income. The islands of Cape Verde are not particularly distinguished by the splendor of nature, but tourists are attracted here by the opportunity to take a break from civilization.
Surfers are attracted to the island of Sal. There are six surf clubs here, for different skill levels. There are also surfing centers on other islands of the archipelago: Boa Vista, Sao Vicente, Santiago, Sao Nicolau and Mayu.

Coral reefs, underwater caves with labyrinths of tunnels attract diving enthusiasts.
One of the world's five largest windsurfing centers is located in the town of Santa Maria on the island of Sal.

During the migration period, herds of whales appear off the coast of the archipelago, which can be observed at a fairly close distance.
The country has a huge number of beaches that stretch tens of kilometers deep into the islands. Fogo Island has beaches with black volcanic sand.

Beach on the island Fogo
The favorable climate makes it possible to receive tourists all year round.

Culture

The ancestor of Creole literature counts E. Tavares. The founders of literature in Portuguese are Jorge Barbosa, Manuel Lopes and Osvaldo Alcantara. Literature has been developing in Portuguese and Creole since the beginning of the 20th century.
Contemporary writers: Caoberdiano Dambara, J. Almeida, D. Almada, J. Varele, F. A. Brito, M. Veiga, A. Vieira, A. Gonçalves, V. Duarte, O. Osorio, M. Fonseca.

Germano Almeida, writer and lawyer
National music Cape Verde combines European, African and Latin American traditions. The most popular musical instruments: six-string guitar, one-string simboa made from coconut shell.

Carnivals are held regularly in February.
The first film was a joint work with USSR filmmakers, the documentary “Songs of Land and Sea” (1989).
Modern artists: B. Barros-Ghizzi, D. J. Carvalho, M. Queiroz, Carlos Lima and others.
Pottery, straw weaving, souvenirs made of wood and coconut shells (ashtrays, lamps, boxes), jewelry made of ceramics, seashells and fish teeth are developed.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cape Verde

Cidade Velha

Fort Real da Santo Felipe

A city on the island of Santiago, the oldest in Cape Verde. Population 2.1 thousand inhabitants.
A city called Ribeira Grande founded in 1462 by the discoverer of the Cape Verde Islands - the Portuguese navigator Antonio Noli. The city for a long time surpassed in wealth all other cities on the west coast of Africa. In 1497-98. The ships of Columbus and Vasco da Gama entered the Ribeira Grande Bay.
With the decline of the Portuguese Empire, Cidade's commercial importance began to decline. During the War of the Spanish Succession, the city was ravaged by the French, and in 1770 the governor of the islands moved his residence to Praia.
The city center is listed as a World Heritage Site as "Europe's first colonial outpost in the tropics." The city's golden age is reminiscent of ancient monuments: a marble pillar in the main square (16th century), the ruins of an ancient cathedral, and the Portuguese fort Real da Santo Felipe, currently a museum.

Other attractions in Cape Verde

Boavista (island)

The third largest island in Cape Verde. Area 620 km². Population 9162 people. The island is famous for its white sandy beaches and dunes, among which there are oases with date palms.

Praia (translated from Portuguese as “beach”)

The capital and largest city of Cape Verde. Located on Santiago Island. Population 113 thousand people. The city was founded at the end of the 15th century.
City attractions: Albuquerque Square, presidential palace (late 19th century), ethnographic museum, monument to Diogo Gomes (Portuguese navigator and explorer, discoverer of Santiago Island.

Santa Maria

Kitesurfing

A fishing and tourist town in the south of the island of Sal. Popular with lovers of diving, surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.

Story

The first mentions of the islands date back to the time of Pliny the Elder (1st century AD), where they were called Gorgadas - the islands of the mythical gorgons killed by Perseus.
In 1456, the Venetian Cadamosto discovered several islands of the archipelago, and Diogo Gomes and Antonio Noli, captains in the service of the Portuguese infanta Enrique the Navigator, discovered the remaining islands.

Enrique the Navigator
They were uninhabited and covered with dense vegetation - hence the name "Cape Verde Islands". In 1456, the Cape Verde Islands were transferred for settlement on behalf of Portugal to the Order of the Knights of Christ (formerly Templars), whose Grand Master was Enrique the Navigator.
In 1462, the Portuguese returned to the islands and founded the settlement of Ribeira Grande (modern Cidade Velha) on Santiago Island. This was the first permanent settlement of Europeans in the tropics.
In 1462, the islands began to be settled by Portuguese colonists. Subsequently, the Spaniards, French and Genoese began to move in, and from the end of the 15th century. - Jews expelled from Portugal under pressure from the Inquisition. The islands became one of the main centers of the slave trade. In 1466, the King of Portugal granted Portuguese colonists in Cape Verde the right to capture and sell slaves on the Guinea coast. By 1572, most of the islands' population were descendants of African slaves and mulattoes born to Portuguese men and African women.

Possession of Portugal

The islands were officially declared the possession of Portugal in 1495. The islands were officially declared the possession of Portugal.
In 1533, the settlement of Ribeira Grande was the first in the archipelago to receive city status. The seat of the Catholic bishopric was located here.
Ribeira Grande was one of the “peaks” of the “golden triangle”: European ships made a sea crossing to the shores of the Gulf of Guinea to purchase slaves. Sugar, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, and indigo were exported to Europe.
In 1564, the islands became the crown possession of the Portuguese king, and the governor headed the royal administration on the islands.
The archipelago flourished, attracting the attention of pirates, including Francis Drake, who sailed in 1582 and 1585. attacked Ribeiro Grande.
From 1581 to 1640 the islands were under Spanish rule. After the French attack in 1712, the city of Ribeiro Grande was destroyed and the capital from 1770 became the city of Santa Maria (renamed Praia in 1858).
In 1747, the archipelago was struck by drought, which then recurred every 5 years. The cutting down of forests for fuel and the creation of pastures in their place caused erosion and a decrease in soil fertility. Droughts in the 18th-19th centuries. led to the death of more than 100 thousand people.
In 1798, regular sea communication with Portugal was established; at the beginning of the 19th century. coffee cultivation began. In 1832, Cape Verde and Portuguese Guinea formed a Portuguese overseas province, within which Portuguese Guinea was subject to the governor of Cape Verde.
In 1876, slavery and the slave trade were banned, this dealt a blow to the Cape Verdean economy, because The main labor force here were slaves.

New time

At the end of the 19th century. transatlantic liners appeared, and Cape Verde became an ideal place for refueling ships.
Cape Verde became the first Portuguese possession to introduce higher education.

National liberation movement

In 1951, Cape Verde, like other Portuguese possessions, received the status of an overseas province. In 1953, in Portuguese Guinea, it was created in Bissau, headed by Amilcar Cabral the underground Movement for the Independence of Guinea, whose members were revolutionary-minded intellectuals and urban workers, mainly from among the Cape Verdean mulattoes and Guinean mulattoes living in Bissau.

Soon A. Cabral was forced to leave Portuguese Guinea and went to Angola, where, together with Agostinho Neto, he took part in the creation of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).
On the basis of this Movement, the underground African Independence Party was created in Bissau, whose headquarters were located in the capital of Guinea, Conakry.
In 1960, the party received a new name: the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde. Its goal is to achieve the independence of Portuguese Guinea and the Cape Verde Islands, create a single state from them, ensure its rapid economic and social development, strengthen national independence and a democratic system, and create a socialist society without exploitation.
But the United Front did not last long and disintegrated due to contradictions between representatives of the peoples.
On September 24, 1973, the independence of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau was proclaimed.
In November 1974, an agreement on the declaration of independence of Cape Verde was signed in Lisbon, and a transitional government of the Autonomous Republic of Cape Verde was formed. In June 1975, elections to the National Assembly of the Republic of Cape Verde were held and on July 5, 1975 its independence was proclaimed.

Cape Verde is a small (only 4 times larger in area than Moscow) island state in the Atlantic Ocean, 600 km from Africa at the latitude of Senegal, famous for Secretary General Amilcar Cabral, singer Cesaria Evora and the fact that the adventures of the Arctic Sea timber ship ended near it. Previously, Cape Verde was called the Cape Verde Islands in Russian.

Santiago Island: Praia City

Praia is the capital of Cape Verde, it is located on the island of Santiago. Few tourists come to Praia: the main flow goes on charters to the “all-inclusive” resorts on the island of Sal, independent travelers mainly aim at the Fogo Islands with a two-kilometer volcano, the historical São Vicente, and the green Santo Antan ( Santo Antão) and the surfer islands of Boavista and, again, Sal.

But Praya is cool. It stands on compact table mountains, has a colonial center without any special frills and residential areas built up with vague 2-3-story private houses made of unplastered foam blocks. The plateau area with the city center is called Plateau.

Praia and Cape Verde are immediately striking in that they have overcome the digital divide. The Internet does not work properly anywhere except at the international airports of Praia and the island of Sal, and before that everyone is equal: a white person who paid 6 euros for an hour of Internet in a hotel, and a free user on the “digital square” in the center of Praia. However, the farther from Praia, the worse the Internet.

I don’t understand how these wonderful people got entire laptops: I would have broken mine on the second day of such Internet.

I believe that it is very comfortable to be the president of a banana republic in such a palace, especially since with such an Internet there is no threat of an Orange Revolution.

I would say that the city is melting from the heat, but this is clearly not the case. In Cape Verde it is +19-29°C all year round. Well, +30°C in the sun. Although the soldiers in uniform feign misfortune.

In the city, many young people (and not so young) wear Rastafarian colors, but no one offers anything like that. And thank God, otherwise I’m tired of fighting back in Lisbon.

On the occasion of Saturday, the capital of the republic is not crowded.

Gamboa Beach is a sandy beach in the very center of the city, between the Plateau and the Prainha area.

The island group of Cape Verde is dry, hilly and windy, and the color of the moon. The most beautiful thing about these landscapes are the hills. Some of the islands, on the contrary, are very picturesque - excellent places for hiking, and their shores - for diving and jumping into the water. Life, especially at night, is always vibrant here, and at the same time you can find many cozy corners where it is so nice to be completely alone, alone with wild nature.

Map of the Cape Verde Islands. The islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean at a distance of 620 km from the coast of West Africa.

Geographic coordinates: 15°05′14″ N. w. 23°37′56″ W. d.

See also where Cape Verde is located on the interactive world map:

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The islands are inhabited by people of various nationalities. Most of the people here are from Africa, Portuguese and Latin Americans. The culture of the islands has also been influenced by many different cultures. Now, when there is probably not a corner left on Earth that is not covered by international tourism, here, surprisingly, nature has been preserved almost untouched by man.

After just a 20-minute drive from the airport, you find yourself in the small tourist town of Santa Maria, with all the delights and pleasures of resort life, with constant holidays and entertainment events. There are magnificent beaches nearby, very suitable for a wide range of water sports. There is both complete calm and high waves here. And another plus is that the beaches are never crowded.

A few kilometers from the city is Punta Preta, a gathering place for desperate surfers. For surf lovers, riding a wave here is a great pleasure. There are also usually few people here.

Video: surfing the waves near Punta Preta. Josh Angulo windsurf & surf in Ponta Preta (Cabo Verde). The most interesting thing begins from the second minute.

Sal is already a destination for more experienced wave riders, but less suitable for beginners than Punta Preta. But real athletes will undoubtedly like it here.

A relaxed and friendly atmosphere, hospitable locals will make your holiday in Santa Maria truly unforgettable.

Transport links between the islands of the archipelago are carried out by plane. Flights connect all inhabited islands. Sea ferries and boats ply between the nearby islands. Shuttle minibuses operate on several islands. Taxis can be hired for an hour or for the whole day. There are no traffic lights or traffic jams on the islands.

Hotels in Cape Verde are modern, some of them four-star. The hotels have discos, swimming pools, and rental of motorcycles, bicycles and cars. There are still quite a few tourists on the streets and beaches; the beaches are not littered and very clean. It’s just a pity that this will not always be the case - Cape Verde strives to become a fashionable and visited resort.

Republic of Cape Verde is located on the islands of the same name in the Atlantic Ocean, 620 km away. off the west coast of Africa and consists of 10 large and 5 small islands. The territory of the country is elevated and quite dry; up to 16% of the country is occupied by dry gravelly highlands - the so-called. "lunar landscape" The highest point of the country is Fogo (2840 m). Total area 4 thousand square meters. km.

The capital of Cape Verde is Praia

Population - 400 thousand people, mainly mulattoes - 71%, Africans (Fulani, Balante, Manja) - 28% and European settlers.

Political state: Republican form of government. The head of state is the president. The head of government is the prime minister. Legislative power belongs to the unicameral National People's Assembly.

The language in Cape Verde is Portuguese, when communicating with foreigners - Spanish, French and Creole dialect.

Religion in Cape Verde: Catholics (according to some sources - up to 80%) and adherents of local beliefs.

It must be said that Cape Verde is a classic desert. Of the ten islands, only one can be called green (or rather, half of one). On the north side Santo Antana rain happens at any time of the year. Therefore, there are streams, pine forests, sugar cane plantations - in general, landscapes that do not amaze with their gloomy grandeur. The southern half of Santo Antana is the same as the rest of the Cape Verde Islands.

The islands themselves are separated from each other by 100-150 kilometers of wavy ocean surface. Due to geographical features Cape Verde foreign guests usually arrive in the country by plane and move around its national territory in the same way. Small (but modern) planes of the national airline TACV take them from island to island in an hour.

There are, however, two large ocean ferries: Sotaventu (Leeward) and Barlaventu (Windward). They go around the archipelago in a circle: the first - clockwise, and the second - counter-clockwise. But these are long hours and even days of sailing. This is not something you might like Cape Verde for the average vacationer.

The archipelago owes its birth to volcanoes that poked their heads out of the ocean millions of years ago. One of the volcanoes is still smoking on the island Fogo(that’s why the island is called “fogu” - “fire”).

The rest went out. But appearance Cape Verde they have determined once and for all. Wherever in the archipelago you stand with your back to the sea, you will see more or less the same thing before your eyes. A sandy or rocky plain (where there is one), and behind it (in some places right in front of your nose) there are mountains of lava that go steeply into the cloudy layers of the atmosphere. Flag of the Republic Cape Verde white-blue-red, almost like in Russia. In fact, the country's characteristic colors are red, brown and black.

These colors change only once a year. Seasonal rains arrive at the end of August. There is a lot (even more than usual) of wind, thunder, lightning and similar dramatic effects. The desert responds to them with all its life-affirming power. Grass suddenly emerges from the bare stone. Until October, it feeds on the energy of hurricanes, and then dries up completely, only to emerge again from nothing the next year.

If the sight of a scorched desert does not make a beneficial impression on you, you urgently need to turn 180 degrees. There is a sea, the colors play there all year round. But a walk into the volcanic mountains is also worth taking. A car ride gives the most acute effect. You will receive it without any effort, no matter where or for what business you have to travel. Cape Verde.

On the way from the southern to the northern part of Santo Antana there is a place called Delgadinho("skinny"). Oncoming cars give way to each other there. Because the highway is just the width of a heavy truck, and there are no ditches. Instead, there are almost perfectly smooth cliffs on both the right and left. 1 km high. In not very clear weather, the view from this stone spine is spoiled by clouds. They dangle somewhere between the soles of your feet and the valley floor.

Roads on Cape Verde They are not covered with asphalt, like ours, but are cut into the lava and paved with paving stones from the same lava. Laying out terraces of lava blocks where necessary. However, side guards are somehow not considered very necessary. When turning corners, the soul of an unprepared passenger sinks into his heels. But local, and not only local, drivers maneuver there completely calmly.

Cape Verde- These are, first of all, natural attractions: the stunning contrast of the azure-blue ocean and yellow, sun-dried rocks create the unique charm of this country. The main “treasures” of the islands are under water - the ocean in the archipelago area is saturated with life, so this is one of the best places in the world for water sports and scuba divers.

The underwater foothills of the islands go down very steeply and are replete with both coral reefs with countless marine inhabitants and underwater caves with a labyrinth of tunnels and caverns.

During the migration period, both herds of whales often appear off the coast of the archipelago, allowing them to approach at a fairly close distance, and schools of ocean fish, serving as an object for sport fishing. Suffice it to say that in 2000, 6 world records for the size and weight of fish caught were registered off the coast of these islands.

The capital of the country - Praia, located on a mountain plateau, which is called the Plateau, is not rich in any architectural delights and attractions, but it has two beautiful beaches to the west of the center - Praia Mar And Cuebra Canela.

10 km. to the west of the capital is Ciudad Vella(Old Town) - the first European settlement in the archipelago, famous for its picturesque Portuguese fort of Real da Santo Felipe, hanging over the ocean waters. And to the north of the capital lies Tarrafal- a favorite vacation spot for citizens and guests of the country, known for its beautiful beaches.

Deserted Island Sal, where the country’s international airport is located, is almost entirely at the disposal of tourists. While waiting for a flight to the capital or to the islands, you will be offered to take a boat excursion to various islands of the archipelago, visit good restaurants with local and Portuguese cuisine, or spend time on the small but cozy beaches of the island.

Mindelo on o. Santo Vincente is the largest city in the country and the only deep-water port of the archipelago. Unlike the capital, it is full of bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Mainly built with colonial architecture with carved balconies and shaded courtyards, it is the tourist capital of the islands.

Santo Antan, lying north of Santo Vincente, is the greenest and most picturesque of the islands of the archipelago. It is the most popular among fans of hiking. Here you can also take a mini-safari in jeeps or bicycles along the green hills of the island and admire its quaint landscape, and then relax on the beaches of the east coast.

The archipelago is of volcanic origin, but only the Fogo volcano (2829 m) on the island of the same name is active (29 eruptions have occurred since the mid-16th century, the last in 1995). The islands of Santiago, Sao Vicente and Sao Nicolo also have mountainous terrain. The islands of the eastern group - Mayu, Boavista and Sal - are distinguished by low altitudes. Generally, natural vegetation is better preserved in the valleys in the interior of the islands.

Independent republic Cape Verde , is considered African. The archipelago lies opposite the westernmost point of Africa (Cape Almadi and Cape Verde in Senegalese Dakar), approximately 1000 km from the continent. 10 large islands, of which 9 are inhabited, and 5 small uninhabited rock islands. The capital is the city of Praia, on the island Santiago .

Cape Verde Islands on the map:

Cape Verde(Cape Verde) on a map from a local bookstore. Now she occupies a worthy place in our wardroom

Cape Verde on a map of the archipelago. The names of the islands with the prefix San- may differ slightly in different sources and even among different islands, and all because there is no clear agreement on how to correctly translate them into Russian :)

Windward Islands (Ilhas de Barlavento): Santo Antau (San Antao), San Vicente , Santa Lucia (uninhabited). San Nicolau, Sal , Boa Vista.

Leeward (Ilhas de Sotavento): Santiago , Mayu, Fogo and Brava.

Language– Portuguese, Creole – a mixture of Portuguese and African dialects. “Cut” Portuguese. Blacks communicated with their oppressors in Creole. The majority of the population speaks it among themselves. Knowledge of Spanish will help mutual understanding between travelers and the local population :).

Sao Vicente Island. West Bank, view from the road

How to get to Cape Verde

By plane from Lisbon, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich. On a yacht, for example, like this:

Airlines:

• TAP (Transport Air Purtugesh)– Portuguese airline
• – Cape Verdian Airlines

The second one is cheaper, but the first one is better. Local airline ( TACV (Transport Air Cabo Verde) likes to cancel and reschedule flights for, say, 12 hours, without particularly bothering to notify passengers. Therefore, if you are planning a flight on 4-seat aircraft, 3 of them may be covered. According to the rules, when a flight is rescheduled and there is a long connection, the company must provide passengers with a hotel. In fact, the transfer is planned in such a way that neither mother nor father will care: you fly past the hotel, and from three in the morning you spend the night at the airport on a chair. Well, the plus is that you lose money, of course, by not catching the next planes of other airlines. They say that the TAR company is about to be closed, then everyone will fly on Portuguese airlines. They also say that they should launch another company soon, then the prices will become more acceptable. But they've been saying that for five years now.

Flight cost With Cape Verde Islands to Moscow ranges from 650 (if you are lucky with discount promotions) to 1500 euros. Mostly planes to Europe fly from Sal Islands , which still needs to be reached. Local plane ticket from Mindelo ( Sao Vicente ) before Sala costs 180 euros.

View of Mindelo. Sao Vicente from Monte Verde, the highest point of the island

Cape Verde. Money and prices

For “disposable” clothes and everything else in Chinese stores, which are everywhere here, prices are comparable to European ones.

High food prices (one and a half to two times higher than the Canary Islands), since almost everything is imported from or from continents.

Some prices in escudo

• Apples – 175 – local, simple. 260 – 280 – glossy, beautiful.
• Snickers – 75. Sugar (brown), kg – 44 – 70.
• Milk, 1 l (long-term storage only) – 60-80.
• Potatoes – 120. Bulgarian. Pepper – simple – 175. Beautiful – 300-400
• Coconut liqueur with local grog, 0.5 l – 500-600

History of the development of the Cape Verde Islands

Cape Verde discovered by the Portuguese around 1462. The lands turned out to be uninhabited, which seems surprising, but understandable: almost all the islands have no sources of fresh water. Europeans began to use the newly discovered lands as a transshipment base for transporting slaves from Africa to America. Here the slaves were waiting to be sent overseas, some were dying, some were sick. The sick were left on the islands. Their descendants, mixed with the descendants of Portuguese slave owners, form the backbone of the current population of the islands - the Creoles.

Cape Verde visited by us:

1. Sao Vicente Island

Mindelo- the northern capital, it is also a cultural capital, the most beautiful city of the archipelago, a city of poets, artists and musicians. Birthplace of Cesaria Evora. Colonial architecture in the historical center. Here is the country's largest port, in a large protected bay there is an anchorage and the only marina in the country. A hub for yachting, sailors and commercial fishermen for fishing tourists.

Marina Mindelo

View of Marina Mindelo

Anchor– depth 5 meters, sand. Marina is completely European in appearance and design. The only one on the islands.

• Card shower for guests, closed pontoon.
• There is a bar with food on the pontoon. Toilet is free.
• Parking a dinghy at the cafe - 4 euros per day, we agreed on 10 per week. You can bargain to pay less.
• Parking in the marina is 27 (29) euros per day for a size of 40 feet. The cost depends on the length of stay.
• Water – 2 escudos per liter. Twice as expensive as people in the city
• Fuel – diesel is cheaper at the marina than at the gas station.

Marina owner– German, his wife is an Australian of Latvian origin. She lived in Berlin, met her husband there 14 years ago, and went here to develop a business and live.

Internet in the marina and in the marina bar. We catch from a yacht antenna. But when we started downloading movies, the Mariners quickly caught on and began changing the password twice a day... :)

Fishermen take their catch to the market in Mindelo

1. Sao Antao Island

The most beautiful, green island of the archipelago. High folded mountains with pine forests, gardens and even springs. This is the breadbasket of the archipelago.

Fogs in the Sao Antao mountains at the end of the dry season. After the rainy season (in September), the mountains acquire a richer velvet green color.

Car rental- in Porto Novo. There is an international company “Pegasus”, 400 meters from the port along the coast to the north.

• Large pickup – 65 euros per day.
• Plus gasoline.
• If you drive more than 100 km per day, you get a bribe for every extra km.

In the northeast of the island is one of the most beautiful villages in the world, Fontainhas. To get there you need to drive 6 kilometers along a dirt road from the town of Paul along the ocean and into the mountains. Not high, but rocky, if you look down at the ocean from the cabin - it makes you close your eyes :). Tourist websites and brochures write that Fontainhas is located high in the mountains. Lies. Just drive to it - along a dirt road hanging over the ocean. Like this:

The path to the village of Fontainhas along a dirt road

Houses and terraced slopes of Fontainhas

In the town Paul there is an establishment “Black Mamba”, he is being held by the Italian Liana. Outdoor tables are hidden in the shade of climbing passion fruit, which the hostess immediately picks to prepare a carafe of fresh juice with ice. Grog is also diluted with the same juice - a local alcoholic drink extracted from cane and drunk due to the lack of fresh water on the islands :).

The owner Liana is a stately, fit woman of about 40, hard-working and neat. If you are not here for the first time and come to her during a siesta, Liana can offer you to prepare food from what is at hand, send you upstairs, and she will do fitness on the ground floor while listening to music. Liana has two children, the youngest is a Creole, the eldest, apparently, is still from Italy. Unfortunately, there are no photos of Liana’s establishment due to a dead battery in the camera.

House in Paul, San Antao Island

Our Russian friends from Mindelo also praise the establishment of the Italian F (Ernando? Francesco??) - he lives in a very comfortably decorated home and houses and feeds tourists. It’s better to ask the locals about its location; we never got there.

Tarrafal

The southern tip of the island of San Antao (the names Tarrafal are also on other Cape Verde Islands ), fishing village.

• The drive along the coast is tiring and long - along a dusty rocky dirt road through a lunar landscape for an hour and a half.
• It’s easier to come on a yacht – approx. 20 miles from Mindelo. Anchorage. Great depths. Beach. Beautiful from the sea and green even in the dry season.
• Here, in the cozy “place” of the Spaniard Tomas, they serve ice grog with passion fruit juice. Or just juice. Cold and tasty. Here are the numbers. The establishment speaks Portuguese and Spanish, and Tomas probably also speaks English. The owners themselves live in the house, which they rent out to guests.

U Tomas, Tarrafal, San Antao

Entrance to the restaurant-resort “Marina and Tarrafal” by the Spaniard Tomas, Tarrafal, San Antao

View of Tarrafal from the ocean as you approach the anchorage. San Antao

The streets would be beautiful if they were looked after.

Read more about Tarrafal on the island. San Antao, the features of anchorage and disembarkation from a yacht ashore are written in the material .

Giant sea turtles lay their eggs here. The island was once inhabited by people. Our notes about this wonderful island are in the group on FB (soon they will be transferred to the website)

Cape Verde. Medicine

State healthcare for the local population is almost free; for this you need to pay for something like an insurance policy. Certificates stating that you are low-income will help you get treatment even more free :).

Mindelo has a municipal hospital and at least one good, but expensive private clinic, “MediCentro”. It is located near the marina next to the police station. The girl at the reception even speaks Russian. An initial appointment with a doctor costs 6,000 escudos (5.5 thousand rubles). A Russian urologist works at the clinic. (If necessary, we can provide the contact in a personal message). On Sao Vicente there is a good European laboratory “Labo Jove” (I think so), where they do high-quality tests.

The old Mindelo Hospital is 200 years old. There are hospital buildings and a clinic (consultation center). Inside the building there are open galleries with entrances to offices, trees, and again a closed corridor with office doors. Everyone has been sitting in line on benches since eight in the morning. At nine, the office doors are wide open, but not a single doctor is visible. Then the people perk up and run to one common door, either for coupons or for test results. And again he sits doomedly in front of empty offices. No one takes a turn, everyone just waits. Ostensibly…

Shops and markets in Mindelo

Fish market on the shore opposite the anchorage. From the marina exit - 3 minutes to the right. Just behind the beautiful governor's tower (a copy of some famous tower.)

In the morning there is a lot of tuna at the market; in the cutting department the carcasses are cut up and taken to the traders. A kilo costs between 400 and 500 escudos. Cut into steaks. There is plenty of other seafood - dried, salted and fresh. They speak only Creole (Portuguese). Fish cleaning – 50 escudos

Central city market– in a beautiful colonial building. Everything is clean. Moderate selection of everything vegetable, + wine and grog, preserves, hard local cheese, dried herbs.

On the road from the fish market near the market square (where the booths are painted with pictures from Mindelo’s past) there are also vegetable and fruit shops and markets. . The square itself is a souvenir and clothing area.

The street near the main temple on one side is completely occupied by Chinese shops with Chinese people at the counter. They don't speak English either. There are a lot of inexpensive and disposable things, like everywhere else. 20 years ago, with the arrival of the Chinese in the Cape Verde Islands, all the locals began to be dressed and, finally, put on shoes.

About the people in Cape Verde - ours and the locals - will be here >> (material in the process of creation :))

Other entries from the Cape Verde Islands:

Cape Verde. Photos:

The beach in Mindelo (Sao Vicente island) is made of shell rock. lime, mixing with the turquoise of the ocean, forms a fantastic color of water. Just outside the port, north along the shore from the marina

Bar in Mindelo Marina in the evening, o. Sao Vicente.

Street in the center of Mindelo

street in the center of Mindelo

Rich neighborhood in Mindelo

Panorama of Mindelo, the cultural capital of the archipelago. View of the marina and anchorage

Surf on the uninhabited island of Santa Lucia. The masts of the Lady Mary at anchor are visible through the waves.

View from the anchorage of Santa Lucia Island to Sao Vicente Island at sunset