The Republic of Cape Verde, an archipelago of beautiful, unspoilt, tropical islands off the coast of west Africa, have transformed in just a few years from being a virtually unknown destination to one growing greatly in popularity, especially for UK property buyers.

Often dubbed the African Caribbean, the eight islands each have their own distinct personalities and boast some spectacular white or golden sandy beaches. Previously uninhabited and then colonised by the Portuguese in the 15th century, the islands became a Republic in 1975.

Cape Verde is a developing country with a rather patchy infrastructure, some water shortages and lack of amenities. However, it does have excellent health provision and political and economic stability, as well as growing foreign investment and tourism numbers.

Accessibility has improved greatly in recent years, with a growing number of direct flights from the UK and numerous other European countries and elsewhere. Properties for sale in Cape Verde tend to represent extremely good value and as well as there being an increasing selection of new build developments, there are a number of charming colonial-period properties available too.

Hotspots for Cape Verde property sales include the islands of Sal and Santiago, which offer the most developed infrastructure of all the islands. Sal has a sizeable established tourist resort in the south of the island at Santa Maria, while Santiago is quieter and has a more varied geography. There is lively nightlife at its capital, Praia, and things are set to get livelier as resorts develop elsewhere on the island.

With property development relatively in its infancy, Cape Verde property investment is proving particularly popular as there is good potential for capital growth. A great advantage of owning a Cape Verde islands property is the all year excellent weather, which means excellent rental yields as well. There are a good choice of agents and developers offering a wide range of Cape Verde properties for sale.

By Ben West