Cape Verde
Useful links
www.governo.cv/: The official government website (in Portuguese)
AllAfrica.com: A news website aggregating information from over 300 sources, together with specially commissioned articles and commentaries.
AfricaGuide.com: Exhaustive resource website covering the whole of Africa – climate, travel and medical advice, visas and money, public holidays, getting around, people and culture, shopping and forums.
The Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor websites may also provide useful information.
Located in the Atlantic Ocean, 600km west-northwest of Senegal, there are a total of 10 islands comprising the Cape Verde archipelago, all being of volcanic origin. Originally an overseas colony of Portugal, the islands gained their independence in 1975.
Cape Verde's climate is milder than that of the African mainland; because the island is surrounded by the sea, temperatures are generally moderate.
Thus tourism has increased in recent years, large hotels being built across the country in an effort to boost visitor numbers. Since the Cape Verde islands have a relatively low crime rate and beautiful beaches, as well as having engaging local people, tourists and leisure seekers from across Europe and the world are coming to the country in larger numbers.
However, at least for now, Cape Verde still remains a destination for the connoisseur – the intrepid hiker, the die-hard windsurfer and the deep-sea angler.
