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Covering a total area of about 4,033 km², Cape Verde - along with the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands - is one of the Atlantic archipelagos belonging to the so-called Macaronesia. The islands are located about 450 km west of the African mainland, between the 15th and the 17th degree of latitude, in line with the Senegal. The fascinating thing about Cape Verde is its diversity: The six western islands ((Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Santiago, Fogo and Brava) are mountainous and rocky, while the three eastern ones (Sal, Boavista and Maio) feature wide sandy spaces and endless beaches. The archipelago can be divided culturally as well as climatically into Barlavento- and Sotavento-islands.

The time difference between Cape Verde and central Europe amounts to minus 3 hours during European summer time and minus 2 hours during European winter time. So when it is noon in winter in Berlin, it is only 10 a.m. in Cape Verde.

The climate in Cape Verde is warm and dry all year long, with rain showers being scarce; but rainfall may vary from island to island. Rainy season usually lasts from August until October. Air temperatures at sea level range from about 24°C to 30°C year round. Sea temperatures hover around 20°C in winter and 25°C in summer.

All of the islands are about 50 million years old and of volcanic origin. The Atlantic Ocean’s bottom lies about 5,300 meters below sea level around Cape Verde; thus, every island is only the tip of a mountain. Fogo, “fire island”, has the only volcano that is still active (Pico de Fogo, 2,829 m) on the archipelago. It last erupted in 1995.

Due to the unfavourable climate (rainy season often can be sporadic) there are only 250 different kinds of plants and very few forests on the islands. Including the plants the settlers brought, there are a total of about 850 plant species. Apart from coastal and steep face areas, currently only a fragment of the original vegetation remains. Plants were never able to regenerate after agricultural use and clearing. Still, Cape Verde’s flora is relatively rich with endemic plants, although some of them are endangered. There are about 80 endemic kinds of plants that do not exist anywhere but in Cape Verde, such as the "Drogoeiro", the "Figueira-Brabo" ficus or the "Tamareira" palm tree.

The fauna in Cape Verde, just as the flora, features relatively little variety. All mammals - except for bats - have been imported by humans. The dominant species on the islands are small reptiles such as geckos and skinks, many different kinds of insects, and various sorts of beetles and spiders. Some endemic bird species are to be highlighted, such as the Razo lark. On the whole, about 75 different kinds of birds live on the islands.

More characteristic of Cape Verde is its rich maritime fauna. The surrounding oceans are home to various species of cuttlefish, which are known as one of the islands’ delicacies. There are interesting kinds of snails and mussels, as well, and all sorts of fish, such as the serra (sawfish), the gilthead and the moray eel. Depending on the season, one may also come across swarms of tuna, dolphins and whales, and even a number of endangered sea turtle species come ashore to lay eggs.

The utter lack of dangerous animals such as poisonous snakes or scorpions is a great advantage for travellers.

Cape Verde has about 450,000 inhabitants, of which approximately 70% are mulattoes and 29% are black, while only 1% are caucasian. Almost 70% of the people live in rural areas, the rest in the cities of Mindelo and Praia. Half of the population is younger than 18 years, and the population growth rate currently lies at about 2.2%. The blending of Europeans and Africans is conspicuous and can result in dark-skinned people with blonde hair, for example.

Due to recurrent famines over the past centuries and the still prevailing job shortage, many inhabitants of Cape Verde are forced to emigrate. About twice as many Cape Verdeans (approximately 700,000) live in other countries than on the islands themselves. In the past, many people have tried to make a living as seamen, calling the harbours of Rotterdam, Lisbon, or Massachusetts their homes. The emigrants are a vital part of Cape Verde’s economy: They supply their families at home with money and thus help support the country’s national finances.

In Cape Verde, the family is still the center of life. Especially in the country, traditional social structures prevail. Different generations live together under the same roof, and usually there are numerous children, who are an accepted part of the society. They help around the house and start taking responsibility from a very young age. Despite this, the kind of nuclear family known to Europeans is, due to the people's high degree of mobility, not widely spread in Cape Verde. Numerous inhabitants, mainly men, used to and still emigrate to other islands or even other countries.

As a result of this movement, the islands have a large female surplus. The women are of high social standing, since they have to take charge, care for the family and hold it together in the absence of their husbands. Generally, mothers are seen as the center of the family and are responsible for the children's education and nurture; as far as these aspects are concerned, the father is only of secondary importance. It is not unusual for a woman to have children with different men. An old woman always has a family around to take care of her, while many old men are not highly respected among their descendants - after all, many of them have never stepped up to their role as fathers. Thus, a growing number of middle-aged men look to settle down, so as to avoid loneliness in old age. But of course there are happy couples who stay together and build a family in Cape Verde, too.

In the cities, the structures of everyday life are rather modern. Small families are predominant and often both parents work.

Over the past few years, family politics on the islands have led to steadily declining birth and children's mortality rates. Also, more women emigrate nowadays. It catches the eye that disabled people are not shunned, but instead included into the society. Thus, it often seems to tourists that there are an exceptional number of disabled persons in Cape Verde. Generally, there is relatively little discrimination, be it because of religion or skin colour.

The only area in society where there is a social hierarchy is working life: civil servants, proprietors of guesthouses or shops, clerks and land owners form the upper class. Numerous small scale farmers and fishers, who typically own neither land nor boat, work for land/boat owners and receive part of the harvest or haul in return. Many unskilled labourers are also employed in services trade.

Every single one of Cape Verde's islands has developed a unique cultural identity with its own music, celebrations, dances, etc. Thus, the islands' inhabitants typically have a special bond with the region they hail from.

There is a compulsory education of 4 years in Cape Verde. Families who can afford it send their children to secondary schools, or, if there are family members living abroad, even to universities in Portugal or the US. Cape Verde has one of the highest literacy rates on the African continent.

The official language is Portuguese, the language of the natives "Criolu" - a mixture of Portuguese and particular African words and dialects. French as a foreign language is commonly understood, whereas English is mainly spoken by former emigrants who have returned to Cape Verde as business people, for example hoteliers.

Approximately 96% of the population are Roman-Catholic. The other 4% is divided up between churches hailing from the US, the Church of England and natural religions or cults.

Cape Verde is a developing country with a strongly retrogressive balance of trade. On the whole, imports exceed exports tenfold. Despite this, and for varying reasons, the trade deficit is being balanced by international aid. Due to the fact that only one quarter of the islands' ground can be used agriculturally, it is almost impossible to provide everybody with basic nutrition. Continuous droughts in the past have done their part to make matters worse, and so people have no choice but to import nourishment.

Supplying the population with electricity poses another pressing problem. Since there are no energy resources such as carbon or natural gas on the islands, expensive oil has to be imported. This explains why even today some rural areas are without electricity.

About one third of the population works in agriculture, about 30% in trade, and approximately 25% are employed in the services sector. Only 5% of the people work in the industry, fishing employs even less people - 4%. About 45% of the population are out of work and forced to live below the official poverty line. With Cape Verde being a developing nation with a very low standard of living, great hopes and expectations lie with tourism.

It is mainly foreign exchange - money flowing back into the country from emigrants living abroad - the airport in Sal, and the harbours in Praia and Mindelo that make up the national finances' earnings. Export goods include fresh fish, bananas and canned tuna fish, the main acceptors are Portugal, Italy, Germany and the US.

Unfortunately, financial aid has often been used for expensive technological projects, instead of building up the infrastructure. A set of rules has been established, though, that facilitates the planning and realization of certain projects. The countries supplying Cape Verde with financial aid determine the intended purpose. Germany, for example, is responsible for development projects on the islands of Fogo and Brava.

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