Santo Antão (Portuguese for "Saint Anthony"), or Sontonton in Cape Verdean Creole, is the westernmost and largest of the Barlavento islands of Cape Verde. The nearest main island is São Vicente to the southeast, separated by a channel named Canal de São Vicente. It is the westernmost large island in Cape Verde and the continent of Africa, and the second largest in Cape Verde. The island, entirely made up of volcanic material, was discovered in 1462 by Diogo Afonso, but was not given its current name until around the 1500s. First inhabited in 1548, it is divided into north and south by a mountain range long considered impenetrable but now crossed by a road. The island's main town is Ribeira Grande on the north coast, home to an airport, while its ferry port is Porto Novo on the south coast. A part of the island in the southeast has an arid climate, while the northwest receives relatively normal precipitation. Its valleys are suffering heavy erosion. Many of its volcanoes are young, especially its calderas. Its mountains are composed of basalt. GeographyThe tallest mountain is Topo de Coroa, reaching a height of 1,979 m. The second tallest is Pico da Cruz at 1,585 m.
HistoryIn the 17th century, people from the nearby islands of Santiago and Fogo along with people from northern Portugal arrived in today's Vila da Ribeira Grande in the northern part of the island. Later, wine and coffee became the most important exports on the island.
InformationFishing and paper production are the main industries on the island. The main sources of agriculture are sugar cane, yams, cassava, bananas, mangoes, and grain, as well as fishing. The main product on the island is a kind of rum and is known as grogue. Tourism is becoming one of the most dominant industries on the island. The island is the most touristic island in Cape Verde.[citation needed] The island is very pretty and people are very polite and are well-educated. Bathing and fishing are in the area of Tarrafal de Monte Trigo.
Since 1999, vulcanologists have observed continuous rising of the water temperature of the sea in the area of Ponta do Sol which may indicate the risk of a new eruption in the area.
LanguageOther than Portuguese (official language), the majority of the population speaks Cape Verdean Creole.
Os Lusíadas in Santo Antão creoleEstóra de Tipêde i Tilôbe (Ti Pedro e Ti Lobo) by Luís Romano de Madeira Melo
MunicipalitiesPaúl, Cape Verde Porto Novo CV-PN Ribeira Grande CV-RG The island was a single municipality until 1990 (Old ISO 3166-2 code: CV-SA) when it broke up into the three present-day municipalities.
StreamsRibeira do Passo, near Passo Ribeira das Bras, near Ribeira das Bras
PersonsRoberto Duarte da Silva (1837 - 1889), Capeverdean chemist. Luís Romano de Madeira Melo, Capeverdean componist. Gabriel Mariano, Capeverdean essayist, novelist and poet. Manuel de Novas. Capeverdean songwriter. Antoninho Travadinha, a Capeverdean violin player.
Wikipedia - Santo Antao Island
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