Santa Cruz, Cape Verde

Santa Cruz
Municipality
Port of Pedra Badejo
Coordinates: 15°07′N 23°33′W / 15.11°N 23.55°W / 15.11; -23.55Coordinates: 15°07′N 23°33′W / 15.11°N 23.55°W / 15.11; -23.55
Country	Cape Verde
Island	Santiago
Area
• Total	112.2 km2 (43.3 sq mi)
Population (2010)[1]
• Total	26,585
• Density	240/km2 (610/sq mi)

Santa Cruz is a concelho (municipality) of Cape Verde. It is situated in the eastern part of the island of Santiago. Its seat is the town Pedra Badejo. Its population was 26,585 at the 2010 census.^[1]

Economy

Its economy is based in agriculture, in which rural population produces agricultural commodities for export to larger markets in Praia, Assomada and Fogo. Small market centers exist in São Lourenço dos Órgãos and Pedra Badejo, which act primary as commodity exchanges where subsistence farmers exchange goods as available with merchants who transport and sell goods in larger markets. The primary agricultural productions include fodder (usually in the form of maize stalks), bananas, papayas and coconuts. Prior to 1981 the area also produced a substantial percentage of the island's maize, but the arrival of large-scale international food aid, while vastly improving the region’s food security, made producing foodstuffs unprofitable. Maize and legumes are still the region's primary agricultural product, though 97% is consumed by the families that produce it. The mixture of nitrogen fixing and nitrogen consuming crops reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, allowing small farmers to remain solvent despite little cash income.

The dry-season economy is directed primarily by agricultural cooperatives, which assign stonemasonry, carpentry and other construction tasks through contracts awarded by the local governments. The president of the cooperative acts as a de facto village headman in areas where there are no government representative.

The soil in the region is very fertile (being especially rich in iron and potash), though water is scarce in all parts of the municipality.

Tourism has become the second industry in the municipality, led by construction of hotels and a resort named Villa Morgana (often as Villa Morgana Cape Verde Resort).^[2]

Subdivisions

The municipality consists of one freguesia (civil parish), Santiago Maior. The freguesia is subdivided into the following settlements:

History

It was created in 1971, when two parishes of the older Municipality of Praia were separated to become the Municipality of Santa Cruz. In 2005, a southern parish of the municipality was split off to become the Municipality of São Lourenço dos Órgãos.

In the 1980s and the 1990s, its harsh living conditions led to the movement of a part of the population to the capital Praia and the islands of Sal (notably Espargos and Santa Maria) and Boa Vista with much of it to Sal Rei for better working and living conditions. The municipality was affected by unemployment and illiteracy, today, they are a little better across the municipality.

Demography

Sports

One of the Santiago North Zone Regional League's four stadiums are located in Pedra Badejo names Estádio Municipal 25 de Julho. Desportivo de Santa Cruz and Scorpion Vermelho are the chief clubs of the municipality. All clubs play at Estádio de Pedra Badejo first built in the late 2000s.

Politics

At the federal level, it belongs to the constituency of Santiago North.

Municipal

As of 2008, the PAICV was the ruling party

Municipal assembly

Municipality

Notable people

• Catchás, one of the Great Cape Verdean singers
• Djaniny, footballer
• Elida Almeida, singer
• Lito, footballer
• Tino Santos, footballer

Sister city

The municipality of Santa Cruz is twinned with

• Aveiro - sister city
• Candiolo - sister city
• Viseu, twinned

External links

• In Portuguese:
  • Câmara Municipal de Santa Cruz
  • ANMCV (Associação Nacional dos Municípios Cabo-Verdianos - National Association of the Capeverdean Municipalities)

References