ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW • POPULATION (2017 EST.): 555,988 • CAPITAL: Praia • MAIN CITIES: Mindelo, Santa Maria, Sao Filipe • VISA: 30-day tourist exemption, otherwise visa required by U.S. citizens. Consulate General of Cape Verde, 300 Congress Street, #204, Quincy, MA 02169. T: 617 353 0014 or Embassy (see above) • HEALTH: Yellow fever immunization is essential if arriving from an infected area. Precautions against hepatitis A, typhoid and polio are recommended. Also malaria if traveling to Sao Tiago island • CURRENCY: Cape Verdean escudo (ESC$) = 100 centavos
• EXCHANGE RATE (APPROX.): ESC$98.79 = $1 • TIME: GMT –1 • ELECTRICITY: 220 volts. Adaptor required • DRIVING: Traffic drives on the right. U.S. visitors require an international driving permit • PUBLIC HOLIDAYS (2022): Jan 1, 13, 20; Apr 15; May 1; Jun 1; Jul 5; Aug 15; Nov 1; Dec 25 • LANGUAGE: Portuguese is the official language. Also Creole. English is widely spoken • RELIGION: Catholic • COUNTRY DIAL CODE: +238
CLIMATE Tropical though cooled by Atlantic trade winds, with temperatures fairly constant and averaging 75F, with eight hours of sunshine a day. Rainy season August to October
GETTING THERE • MAJOR GATEWAY: Sal Cabral (SID) • OTHER AIRPORTS: Boa Vista Rabil (BVC); Maio Vila Maio (MMO); Mosteiros (MTI); Praia F. Mendes (RAI); Santo Antao (NTO); Sao Filipe (SFL); Sao Nicolau Preguica (SNE); Sao Vicente San Pedro (VXE)