Cape Verde Islands

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

a group in the North Atlantic Ocean, belonging to Portugal, about 370 miles W. of Cape Verde, on the W. coast of Africa, which, as well as the islands, derives its name from the greenish tinge given to the adjoining sea by the abundance of seaweed. The group consists of 14 islands (of which 7 are inhabited), besides islets and rocks, having a united area of about 1,790 square miles. They are, in general, mountainous, rocky, and very ill supplied with water; all are evidently of volcanic origin, and, in Fogo, the most elevated of the group, an active volcano still exists. The climate is exceedingly unhealthy, and droughts are of frequent occurrence. The soil is, in general, poor, and vegetation, consequently, partial. Temperate and tropical fruits flourish luxuriantly. Wild animals are infrequent, but the domestic kinds are well nourished. The chief exports are cotton, indigo, cattle, hides, cotton cloth, and rum. Santiago, the principal island, and most southerly of the group, contains the town of Ribiera Grande, formerly the capital, but, during the dry season, the governor-general now usually resides at Porto Praya, which has a good harbor, and is occasionally touched by vessels bound for India. Porto Grande is, however, decidedly the best harbor in the group. In St. Nicolo, the island second in importance, very good cotton stuffs, stockings, etc., are made. The pop. (about 150,000) is a mixed race of Portuguese and negroes. These islands were discovered in 1450 by Antonio de Noli, a Genoese navigator, in the service of Prince Henry of Portugal, by which nation they were colonized. During the early part of the war between between the United States and Spain (1898), the islands were made the rendezvous of the Spanish fleet under Cervera.