São Nicolau, Cape Verde

São Nicolau (Portuguese for Saint Nicholas) is one of the Barlavento (Windward) islands of Cape Verde. It is located between the islands of Santa Luzia and Sal. Its population is 12,424 (2015),^[1]: 36 with an area of 343 km² (132 sq mi).^[1]: 25 The main towns are Ribeira Brava and Tarrafal de São Nicolau.

São Nicolau

Native name: Saniclau Nickname: Ilha de Chiquinho
São Nicolau Show map of Cape Verde São Nicolau Show map of Atlantic Ocean
Geography
Location	Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates	16.615°N 24.271°W / 16.615; -24.271
Area	343 km2 (132 sq mi)
Length	44.5 km (27.65 mi)
Width	22.0 km (13.67 mi)
Highest elevation	1,312 m (4304 ft)
Highest point	Monte Gordo
Administration
Cape Verde
Concelhos (Municipalities)	Ribeira Brava, Tarrafal de São Nicolau
Largest settlement	Ribeira Brava
Demographics
Population	12,424[1]: 36  (2015)
Pop. density	36.2/km2 (93.8/sq mi)

A cobblestone-paved road with the view of the island's mountain.

Coast of the island of São Nicolau

Tarrafal de São Nicolau fishing boat

History

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of São Nicolau, Cape Verde.

The island was discovered in 1461 or 1462 by Diogo Afonso, together with the islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão.^[2]: 73 It was first settled in the seventeenth century. The settlement Porto de Lapa was abandoned in 1653 due to pirate attacks, and the town Ribeira Brava was founded in the interior.^[3]: 16 It was the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Santiago de Cabo Verde between 1786 and 1943.^[3]: 28 The roadstead of Tarrafal de São Nicolau became an anchorage for whaling ships in the 19th century. It is now the largest settlement of the island.^{[4]: 14–16}

Geography

The mountainous island is mostly agricultural but is subject to droughts, especially in the lower lying areas. The highest point on the island is Monte Gordo (1,312 m), in the western half of the island.^[4]: 20 The eastern part is a chain of lower mountains, including Monte Bissau and Pico de Alberto.

Administrative divisions

The island is divided in two municipalities, which are subdivided into civil parishes:

• Ribeira Brava
  • Nossa Senhora da Lapa
  • Nossa Senhora do Rosário
• Tarrafal de São Nicolau
  • São Francisco de Assis

Before 2005, the island was administrated as one municipality: São Nicolau.^[5]

Demography

In the 1830s, São Nicolau had an estimated population of 5,000.^[6]

Population of São Nicolau (1940—2015)

Year	Population
1940[7]	14,846
1950[7]	10,366
1960[7]	13,866
1970[7]	16,308
1980[7]	13,572
1990[7]	13,665
2000[7]	13,536
2010[8]	12,817
2015[1]: 36	12,424

Transportation

The island has a domestic airport, São Nicolau Airport, located between Ribeira Brava and Preguiça. There is a port at Tarrafal de São Nicolau, with ferry connections to the islands of São Vicente (Mindelo) and Santiago (Praia).^[9]

Notable residents

• Cesária Évora (1941-2011), famed musician
• Teofilo Chantre (b. 1964), musician
• Baltasar Lopes da Silva (1907 - 1989), writer
• José Lopes da Silva (pseudonym: Gabrial Mariano, (1928–2003), poet and essayist
• Antónia Pusich, Portuguese poet, journalist, pianist and compositor of Croatian origin, daughter of the colonial governor António Pusich
• António Maria de Bettencourt Rodrigues (1854-1933), doctor, diplomat and politician