Cape Verde - Country history and economic development

1456. Cape Verde is colonized by the Portuguese.

1500s. Cape Verde thrives as center for the transatlantic slave trade.

1951. Portugal changes Cape Verde's status to that of an overseas province, granting more local control.

1975. Cape Verde becomes independent following a 1974 revolution in Portugal. Aristedes Pereira is elected as the first president and the first National Assembly is elected.

1980. The Cape Verde arm of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) abandons its goal of unification with Guinea-Bissau and forms the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV).

1981. Pereira of the PAICV is reelected president.

1986. Pereira is reelected president.

1990. Opposition political groups form the Movement for Democracy (MPD) in April and campaign for the right to take part in elections.

1991. The first multiparty elections are held in January, with the MPD winning a majority in the National Assembly and electing Antonio Monteiro as president.

1992. A new constitution is adopted.

1996. Monteiro is reelected president.

2001. Pedro Pires, of PAICV, is elected president by a narrow margin of 12 votes.