Cape Verde | “Most Improved Country” | |

Introduction
Cape Verde is a small country that spans ten islands and is 570 kilometers off the coast of Western Africa. There is very little rainfall per year and the land on most of the islands are of volcanic origin. On several of the islands the land is fairly flat, sandy and dry, whereas the rest of the islands are covered in rocky land. It, therefore, lacks in natural resources and has experienced severe droughts. Agriculture is made difficult by lack of rain and is restricted to only four islands for most of the year. It is ironic that the country is called “Verde” meaning “Green,” even though most of the land is not green. Due to the scarcity of agriculture, most of the nation's GDP comes from the service industry; more specifically tourism, light manufacturing industries, and fisheries. Cape Verde's economy has been steadily growing since the late 1990s, and it is now officially considered a country of average development. Through an economic analysis of Cape Verde, we will see the connections between its economy, society, and government. The analysis will recognize not only the flaws and struggles of the country, but will pose possible solutions to its problems.
Government: Past and Present
Learning about a country’s government is essential to figuring out their economic details. Uninhabited on their discovery in 1456, the Cape Verde islands became part of the Portuguese empire in 1495. Portuguese people began establishing settlements throughout the islands, especially along the ports. They were still governed by the Portuguese government and abided by all the same laws; however, the Portuguese government did not have much involvement with the settlements. Therefore, without strong sustainable investment from the homeland’s government the people grew increasingly discontent with them. However, the