Cape Verde after Live Aid

Cape Verde is a group of 10 islands located off the west coast of Africa. Its location on the geographic band of the Sahel greatly influences its climate; its islands have few natural resources and suffer from serious water shortages. However, Cape Verde’s tourism industry is developing fast and the government is making efforts to turn the islands into a trade and transport hub, shown by the construction of three international airports and hundreds of kilometres of roads.

In recent years it has seen GDP growth averaging 6% (1991-2010), and in 2007, Cape Verde achieved middle-income country status. Recent research suggests that Cape Verde’s economic growth has continued to translate into poverty reduction. Poverty has fallen particularly in areas where tourism, a key source for jobs, is concentrated. Life expectancy at birth is the third highest in Africa. At the same time however, Cape Verde faces important social challenges with unemployment high among vulnerable groups.

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Time Line

• 1975 Cape Verde becomes independent

• 1981 African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) replaces the PAIGC and becomes the country's sole party.

• 1984 SOS Children launch their first village, Assomada, in Cape Verde on the island of Santiago, the largest of the nine inhabited islands.
  

• 1991 Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro becomes president following Cape Verde's first free election.

• 1992 A new constitution brings in a multi-party system.

• 1997 Widespread drought wipes out 80% of grain crops.
  

• 1996 Monteiro is re-elected and his party, the Movement for Democracy, wins a majority of seats in parliamentary elections.

• 2001 The government appeals for international food aid after the harvest fails.
  

• 2002 Pedro Pires, from the Party for the Independence of Cape Verde, is elected president after beating his rival Carlos Veiga, by 17 votes.
  

• 2003 SOS Children's Village São Domingos opens.
  

• 2006 Governing PAICV wins parliamentary elections and incumbent leader, Pedro Pires, is victorious in closely-contested presidential polls.

• 2007 World Trade Organization (WTO) council approves Cape Verde's accession to the organisation.

• 2009 National emergency declared following outbreak of dengue fever.

• 2010 UN office on drugs and crime, UNODC, launches a project for cooperation between Brazil and seven West African countries - including Cape Verde - to tackle drug trafficking. Governing PAICV party wins parliamentary elections.88% of the population have access to an improved drinking water source.
  

• 2011 Jorge Carlos Fonseca becomes president.

• 2013 The latest Human Development Index report places Cape Verde 132nd in the world. Infant mortality is announced as being 25.13 deaths per 1,000 live births, 77th in the world and far better than a lot of Africa.