Praia is the capital of Cape Verde, a volcanic archipelago located about 570 kilometers off the coast of West Africa. The city is situated on the island of Santiago and is built on a series of basalt plateaus known as 'achadas.' Cape Verde was uninhabited until the Portuguese discovered it in the 15th century, subsequently becoming a vital hub for the Atlantic slave trade and later a major refueling stop for ships and planes crossing the ocean. The islands are famous for their 'Morna' music, popularized by Cesária Évora, which reflects the 'sodade' (longing) of the Cape Verdean diaspora. One of the archipelago's islands, Fogo, consists almost entirely of an active volcano (Pico do Fogo) where residents remarkably grow coffee and wine grapes inside the volcanic crater. Cape Verde is also one of the most stable democracies in Africa and is categorized as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) particularly vulnerable to climate change and drought.