about cape verde

official name: Rep�blica de Cabo Verde
capital: Praia
head of state: President Pedro Pires
state: multi party democracy
population: 418,224
independence: from Portugal in 1975
languages: Portuguese and Crioulo
religion: Catholic
currency: Cape Verdean escudo
media: NA

legal wise

status of homosexuality: illegal
age of consent: NA
laws covering homosexual activity: There is a sodomy law punishable with bail, surity for good behaviour or freedom under supervision with 100% augmented bail for a second offense. repeat offenders can be imprisoned.

background information and government attitudes:

Uninhabited on their discovery in 1456, the Cape Verde islands became part of the Portuguese empire in 1495. A majority of today's inhabitants are of mixed Portuguese and African ancestry.

Positioned on the great trade routes between Africa, Europe, and the New World, the islands became a prosperous center for the slave trade but suffered economic decline after the slave trade was abolished in 1876. In the 20th century, Cape Verde served as a shipping port.

In 1951, Cape Verde's status changed from a Portuguese colony to an overseas province, and in 1961 the inhabitants became full Portuguese citizens. An independence movement led by the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau (another former Portuguese colony) and Cape Verde (PAIGC) was founded in 1956. Following the 1974 coup in Portugal, after which Portugal began abandoning its colonial empire, the islands became independent (July 5, 1975).

On Jan. 13, 1991, the first multiparty elections since independence resulted in the ruling African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) losing its majority to the Movement for Democracy Party (MPD). The MPD candidate, Antonio Monteiro, won the subsequent presidential election, and was easily reelected in 1996. In 2001, Pedro Pires became president.

In an effort to take advantage of its proximity to cross-Atlantic sea and air lanes, the government has embarked on a major expansion of its port and airport capacities. It is also modernizing its fish processing industry. These projects are being partly paid for by the EU and the World Bank, making Cape Verde one of the largest per-capita aid recipients in the world. Disenchantment with the government's privatization program, continued high unemployment, and widespread poverty helped defeat the MPD in elections held in Jan. 2001. The PAICV swept back into power and Jos� Maria Neves became prime minister.

communication

mainline telephones:  71,700 (2003);
cellular telephones: 53,300 (2003).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002).
Television broadcast stations: 1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002).
Internet hosts: 118 (2004).
Internet users: 20,400 (2003).

links and contacts
NA