History, Language & Culture Cape Verde

The country is named after the nearby Cap-Vert peninsula, on the Senegalese coast. In 1444, a few years before they discovered the islands, Portuguese explorers named that landmark Cabo Verde ("green cape").

On 24 October 2013, the country's delegation announced at the United Nations that the official name should no longer be translated into other languages. Instead of "Cape Verde," the designation "Republic of Cabo Verde" is to be used. English-speakers have used the name "Cape Verde" for the archipelago and, since independence in 1975, for the country. In 2013 the Cape Verdean government determined that the Portuguese designation Cabo Verde would henceforth be used for official purposes, such as at the United Nations, even in English-language contexts.