History of Cape Verde Guinea (now Guinea-Bissau). This largesse ultimately backfired on the Portuguese, however, as literate Cape Verdeans became aware of the pressures for independence building on the mainland, while the islands continued suffering from frequent drought and famine, at times from epidemic diseases and volcanic eruptions, and the Portuguese government did nothing. Thousands of people died of starvation during the first half of the 20th century. Although the nationalist movement appeared less fervent in Cape Verde than in Portugal's other African holdings, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC, acronym for the Portuguese "Partido Africano da Independência
National emblem of Cape Verde symbolizes righteousness and uprightness which constitute the "key vault" of Cape Verdean constitution. The equilateral triangle symbolizes unity, equality and people's civil rights recognized by the democratic system. The torch symbolizes freedom gained after many years of struggle. The sea symbolizes nostalgia. The palms symbolize victory won in the struggle for national independence, and the stars represent the ten islands that form the archipelago of Cape Verde. National emblem of Cape Verde The national emblem of Cape Verde contains a circle within which is written the name of the nation in Portuguese. Within the circle are a torch and triangle,