Mato Inglês

Mato Inglês (in Cape Verdean Creole, written in ALUPEC: Mót Inglês), is a village located in the central part of the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde, on the east of the city of Mindelo. Mato Inglês contains around 500 to 600 people and is slowly growing. The village is linked to a major linking road to a small village called Madeiral and Ribeira de Calhau, Cape Verde and also linked to another linking road to the city of Mindelo as well as a few remote roads. The area was founded by English traders in the 18th or 19th century and settled as a community. It really owes it´s name.

Nearest Places

• Salamansa, north
• Seixal
• Mindelo, west

Geography

The area around Mato Inglês is very arid, rocky and colorful and are also filled with hills and mountains with a couple of grasslands. Monte Verde (Green Mountain), Cape Verde covers the eastern portion. Its farmlands are around the village and sporadically in the countryside. Forests are traced and it includes palm and several other types of trees. The farm sizes are very small. Their size is only the equivalent to almost a basketball or a volleyball field.

Information

A part of the houses were built in the late-20th century, most of the older homes were built with mud and brick as well as stone. The living standards are in the middle range as well as its income. One time, there were no money until the mid-20th century. The village is near the island's middle class. A part of the population are farmers and are based in agriculture where banana plantations, pineapple, livestock and other crops including fruits and vegetables are common. The rest works in shops, ports and other businesses. Electricity as well as communications, other necessities and phone lines arrived in the mid late 20th century but not all homes receive, especially in the countryside, where was the last piece of land on the island.

Panorama

Mato Inglês offers panoramic views of its nearby hills and the mountains including Monte Verde to the east, the mountains within Salamansa to the north, Mindelo to the west and parts of Madeiral to the south. A small portion of the island of Santo Antão can be seen.

Other

Mato Inglês has no school. Its nearest school is in the east of Mindelo or Madeiral. Seixal also features a church and a square (praça or prasa). Its nearest middle and secondary schools is in Mindelo.

External links

• Brief history with photos about Mato Inglês, only on Mindelo Infos (French)