Cape Verde operates on Cape Verde Time (CVT), which is 1 hour behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-1). The country does not observe daylight saving time, so the offset remains constant throughout the year.
All ten islands of Cape Verde follow the same timezone. Praia, the capital located on Santiago island, is the country's largest city. The archipelago is divided into the windward (Barlavento) and leeward (Sotavento) island groups.
Cape Verde is the only African country in the UTC-1 timezone, making it one hour behind most of West Africa. The country is known as the birthplace of morna music, made famous by singer Cesária Évora, often called the "Barefoot Diva." Cape Verde has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa, exceeding 85%.