Most people only know Cape Verde through the haunting mornos (mournful songs) of Cesária Évora. To visit her homeland – a series of unlikely volcanic islands some 500km off the coast of Senegal – is to understand the strange, bittersweet amalgam of West African rhythms and mournful Portuguese melodies that shape her music.
It’s not just open ocean that separates Cape Verde from the rest of West Africa. Cool currents, for example, keep temperatures moderate, and a stable political and economic system help support West Africa’s highest standard of living. The population, who represent varying degrees of African and Portuguese heritage, will seem exuberantly warm if you fly in straight from, say, Britain, but refreshingly low-key if you arrive from Lagos or Dakar.
Area 4035 sq km
Capital Praia
Famous for Cesária Évora
Country code 238
Languages Portuguese, Crioulo
Money Cabo Verde escudo (CVE); US$1 = CVE91, €1 = CVE112.16
Population 450,000
Visa All non-Cabo Verdean citizens require a visa
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