The islands were uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese in 1456. First settlers came there in 1462. They became a base for the slave trade. But no other source of wealth was found and the prosperity declined after the slave trade was abandoned in 1876.

The islands have few resources and especially are subject to long droughts as they are offshore of the Sahara. When they were a Portuguese colony they were ruled as a unit with Guiné Bissau but split off at independence in 1975. The state is now a separate republic.

Before the invention of stretched airliners, Sal Island was used as a fueling point for South African airways.

The economic state of the islands is not encouraging unless cheap desalination could be developed, though tourism might help pay for this.

Portuguese

The one-Party state (PAIGC) came to an end in February 1991 when the opposition candidate, Mascarenhas Monteiro, won the election for president. The aid donors demanded democracy.

Since then there have been several chaneges of party in power and the islands could be regarded as a settled democracy.

Aid is the main source of income, which means the islands are vulnerable to outside pressure mainly from Portugal and in the past from South Africa.

Europeans are beginning to build houses and buy businesses there and use the islands as a major tourist and recreation (water sports) destination.

Famines have occurred in the past due to lack of water. The islands are not really viable as an independent state in the absence of rain. One possible solution might be OTEC which could produce both electricity and fresh water if the surface temperature is high enough. This technology might transform the islands. It could make intensive agriculture possible.

They have a high rate of population increase which will make the situation worse. Before the Portuguese arrived no doubt any visitors had concluded they should not stay.