Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cape Verdean communities along the New England coast in the US rival the population of
Cape Verde itself.
Cape Verde's fortunes revived with the advent of the ocean liner and the archipeligo be-
came an important stopover for coal, water and livestock. When the aeroplane replaced
the ocean liner, Cape Verde opened an international airport on Sal in 1948 that was de-
signed to service transatlantic flights.
Independence
Cape Verde's mostly mixed-race population tended to fare better than fellow Africans in
other Portuguese colonies. Beginning in the mid-19th century, a privileged few received
an education, many going on to help administer mainland colonies. By independence,
25% of the population could read (compared with 5% in Guinea-Bissau).
However, literate Cape Verdeans were gradually becoming aware of the nationalism
simmering on the mainland. Soon, together with leaders of Guinea-Bissau, they had estab-
lished a joint independence movement. In 1956 Cape Verdean intellectual Amilcar Cabral
(born in Guinea-Bissau) founded the Marxist-inspired Partido Africano da Independência
da Guinée Cabo Verde (PAIGC), later renamed the Partido Africano da Independência de
Cabo Verde (PAICV).
As other European powers were relinquishing their colonies, Portugal's right-wing dic-
tator António de Salazar propped up his regime with dreams of colonial greatness. From
the early 1960s, one of Africa's longest wars of independence ensued. However, most of
the fighting took place in Guinea -Bissau, and indeed many middle-class Cape Verdeans
remained lukewarm about independence.
Eventually, Portugal's war became an international scandal and led to a nonviolent end
to its dictatorship in 1974, with Cape Verde gaining full independence a year later. Cape
Verde and Guinea-Bissau seriously considered uniting the two countries, but a 1980 coup
in Guinea-Bissau ended talks.
Cape Verde Since Independence
On gaining power the PAICV created a one-party state but also instituted a remarkably
successful health and education program. But independence did not solve the problem of
drought, and in 1985 disaster struck again. This time the USA and Portugal contributed
85% of the food deficit; their aid continues in a country that produces only about 20% of
its food supply.
