Brava, Cape Verde

Brava
Brava is located in Cape Verde
Brava
Brava
Geography
LocationAtlantic Ocean
Coordinates14°52′N 24°42′W / 14.867°N 24.700°W / 14.867; -24.700
Area62.51 km2 (24.14 sq mi)
Length10.5 km (6.52 mi)
Width9.3 km (5.78 mi)
Highest elevation976 m (3202 ft)
Highest pointMonte Fontainhas
Administration
MunicipalityBrava
Largest settlementNova Sintra
Demographics
Population5,698 (2015)
Pop. density91.2/km2 (236.2/sq mi)

Brava is an island in Cape Verde. It is in the Sotavento group. It is the smallest inhabited island of the Cape Verde archipelago.

For more than a century, its main industry was whaling. Now it is primarily agricultural.

History

Brava was discovered in 1462 by the Portuguese explorer Diogo Afonso.[1] Around 1620 the population of Brava started with the arrival of settlers from Madeira and the Azores.[2]

Geography

Monte Fontainhas is the highest point on the island, reaching 976 metres elevation.[3]

Municipality

Administratively, the island of Brava is covered by one municipality. There are 2 civil parishes: São João Baptista and Nossa Senhora do Monte. The municipal seat is the city Nova Sintra.

References

  1. ↑ Valor simbólico do centro histórico da Praia, Lourenço Conceição Gomes, Universidade Portucalense, 2008, p. 97
  2. ↑ Centre historique de Nova Sintra, UNESCO (in French)
  3. ↑ Cabo Verde, Statistical Yearbook 2015, Instituto Nacional de Estatística