São Nicolau

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For other uses, see São Nicolau (disambiguation).

São Nicolau San Nikolau

Elevation:	1,312 m, some tops at 1,340 m (Monte Gordo)
Latitude:	15.515 (16°36'55 N)
Longitude:	24.271 (24°16'16" W)
Length:	45 km
Width:	3 to 20 km
Area:	388 km²
Population:	12,864
Location:	Cape Verde Islands
Range:	-
Municipalities (as of 2005):	2
Area:	388 km²
Type:	Stratovolcano

A stone-made road with the view of the island's mountain

Coast of the island of São Nicolau

Tarrafal de São Nicolau fishing boat

São Nicolau (Portuguese meaning Saint Nicholas) is one of the Barlavento (Windward) islands of Cape Verde. It is located between the islands of São Vicente and Sal. Its population is 12,864, the area is 388 km². The mountainous island is mostly agricultural but is subject to droughts. The flat areas and hills dominate most of the coastline and the central part. A peninsula covers the eastern part of the island. The highest point on the island is Monte Gordo elevating (1,312 m). First inhabited in the sixteenth century, it is known for its mountains and for its main town, Ribeira Brava, long the seat of the Cape Verde diocese. Its other town is the ferry and the fishing port of Tarrafal. Its main economy are agriculture as well as fishing and tourism mainly in its beaches, business are rare to find. Much of the population are rural. The island also has an airport to the south between Vila da Ribeira Brava and Campo.

ISO 3166-2:CV: CV-SN (except for the newly created Tarrafal do São Nicolau)

1 Geography
2 History
3 Parishes
4 Places
5 Other
6 Persons
7 External links

[edit] Geography

Municipally São Nicolau includes the unhabited islands of Santa Luzia, Branco and Razo which were once administered by São Vicente. The highest point is around 1,300 m while the sea amount totals to around 5,300 m. Other mountains includes Monte Bissau to the central part and Pico do Alberto to the east.

[edit] History

The famine affected the entire island in the 1940s which lead to emigration mainly to São Tomé and Principe.

[edit] Parishes

The municipality formerly included the two parishes including São João Baptista and Santo André, today it administers only one parish and Tarrafal de São Nicolau covering the western part of the island split from the rest of the island creating its own municipality. This municipality of the same name now covers the northern and the eastern portions of the island.

[edit] Places

[edit] Other

São Nicolau has a few schools or collegiates (colegio), a few lyceums (middle schools), a gymnasium (secondary schools), churches, beaches, ports, a post office and squares (praças).

[edit] Persons

Amandio Cabral (b. 1934) - a Capeverdean singer who currently lives in California outside Cape Verde
Teofilo Chantre (b. 1964) - a Capeverdean musician
Antonio Gominho - a Capeverdean writer
Baltasar Lopes da Silva (April 23, 1907 - May 28, 1989 in Mindelo)
José Lopes da Silva (pseudonym: Gabrial Mariano, May 18, 1928 - February 18, 2003)

[edit] External links

Islands of Cape Verde
Island Groups
Barlavento \| Sotavento
Islands
Boa Vista \| Brava \| Fogo \| Maio \| Sal \| Santa Luzia \| Santiago \| Santo Antão \| São Nicolau \| São Vicente
Islets
Branco \| Ilhéu Laja Branca \| Ilhéu dos Passaros \| Ilhéu Rabo de Junco \| Razo \| Ilhéu de Sal-Rei \| Ilhéu Secos (Ilhéu de Cima \| Ilhéu Grande)