Country Profile

Cape Verde, the full name of the Republic of Cape Verde, means "Green Cape", covering an area of ​​4033 square kilometers. On the Cape Verde Islands in the North Atlantic, it is more than 500 kilometers east of Cape Verde (in Senegal), the westernmost point of the African continent. It is the main maritime transportation hub of the four continents: America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Before the opening of the Suez Canal in Egypt in 1869, it was a necessary place for the sea route from Europe to Africa to Asia. It is still a replenishment station for ocean-going ships and large aircrafts on all continents. It is known as the "crossroads connecting all continents." It is composed of 18 islands, and 9 islands including St. Antang in the north are blowing towards the northeast all year round. The sea breeze is called the Windward Islands, and the 9 islands including Brava in the south are like hiding in a shelter, called the Leeward Islands. The entire archipelago is formed by volcanoes, and the terrain is almost entirely mountainous. Fuzuo Mountain, the highest peak in the country, is 2,829 meters above sea level. Rivers are scarce and water sources are scarce. It belongs to a tropical dry climate, with a hot and dry northeast trade wind all year round, with an average annual temperature of 24°C.

The population of Cape Verde is approximately 519,000 (2006). The vast majority are Creoles of mulatto, accounting for 71% of the total population; blacks account for 28%, and Europeans account for 1%. The official language is Portuguese, and the national language is Creole. 98% of the residents believe in Catholicism, and a few believe in Protestant and Adventist religions.

In 1495 it became a Portuguese colony. In the 16th century, Portuguese colonists turned the island of Santiago in Cape Verde into a transit point for trafficking in black rights in Africa. It became an overseas province of Portugal in 1951 and was ruled by the governor. After 1956, a mass movement for national independence was launched. In December 1974, the Portuguese government and the Independence Party signed the Cape Verde independence agreement and formed a transitional government with representatives of both parties. General elections were held across the country in June 1975. On July 5 of the same year, the National Assembly formally declared the independence of the island of Verde and established the Republic of Cape Verde, governed by the African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde. After the coup in Guinea-Bissau in November 1980, Cape Verde suspended the plan to merge with Guinea-Bissau in February 1981, and established the Cape Verde African Independence Party, which replaced the original Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde Africa. Cape Verde Branch of the Independent Party.

National flag: It is round. There is a plumb hammer at the top of the circle, which symbolizes the justice of the constitution; the center is an equilateral triangle, which symbolizes unity and equality; the torch in the triangle symbolizes the freedom gained through struggle; the three strips below symbolize the ocean, the waters around the islands and the people Supported by; the text on the circle is the Portuguese "Republic of Cape Verde". There are ten five-pointed stars on both sides of the circle, symbolizing the islands that make up the country; the two palm leaves below symbolize the victory of the national independence struggle and the belief in the people's spiritual pillar during the drought; the chain linking the palm leaves symbolizes the heart of the Buddha Full of friendship and mutual support.

Cape Verde is an agricultural country with a weak industrial foundation. In the early 1990s, the economic system began to be reformed, the economic structure was adjusted, and the liberalized market economy was implemented, and the economy developed slowly. Since 1998, the government has implemented an open investment policy and has so far completed the privatization of more than 30 state-owned enterprises. The first stock exchange opened in March 1999. After the Independence Party returned to power, in February 2002, the Buddhist government proposed a national development strategy from 2002 to 2005 with the development of the private economy as the core, focusing on the development of tourism, agriculture, education, health and infrastructure construction. The main goals are to maintain national budget balance, maintain macroeconomic stability, establish a good international image, and restore and strengthen international cooperation. Starting from January 1, 2005, Buddha entered the transitional period of graduating from the ranks of the least developed countries, and will officially enter the ranks of the middle developed countries in January 2008. In order to achieve a smooth transition, the Buddha established the "Transition Group Supporting Cape Verde" in 2006. Its members include Portugal, France, the United States, China, the World Bank, the European Union and the United Nations. In 2006, Buddha's infrastructure developed rapidly. Several large-scale tourism complexes were started, several roads were opened to traffic, and the San Vicente and Boavista International Airports were completed soon. However, economic development still faces certain difficulties due to chronic diseases such as greater dependence on foreign countries.

Tourism has become the main source of economic growth and employment in Cape Verde. In recent years, the country’s tourism infrastructure has developed rapidly, mainly on the islands of Sal, Santiago and São Vicente. Attractions include Praia Beach and Santa Maria Beach on the south coast of Sal Island.

An interesting fact: The guy in Cape Verde usually woos the girl by offering flowers. If he has a crush on a girl, he will give the girl a flower wrapped in plant leaves. If the girl accepts the flowers, the young man uses banana leaves as paper to write to the girl's parents and propose marriage. Friday is regarded as an auspicious day, and weddings are usually held on this day.

Handshake is a common meeting etiquette in the local area. Both parties should be enthusiastic and proactive. It is extremely impolite to refuse to shake the other's hand for no reason. It should be noted that when the man and woman hold handshake, after the woman stretches out his hand, the man can stretch out his hand to shake. When the man shakes hands with the woman, do not hold the woman's hand for a long time.