Cape Verde

The official language of Cape Verde is Portuguese -- used in government administration, press and publications. However, the national language is the Cape Verdean Creoule (based on Portuguese), being the mother tongue of nearly all the population. While it is recognized as the only language in the region, there are several dialects that vary depending on the location. In the south there are the Sotavento dialects based on the Santiago creoule, which covers the islands of Santiago, Brava Fogo and Maio. In the north the Barlavento dialects are based on the São Vicente creoule, which covers the islands of Boa Vista, Sal, São Nicolau, São Vicente and Santo Antão.