Sal, Cape Verde

{{Short description|Island in Cape Verde}} {{Infobox islands | name = Sal | image_name = Bela-vista-net-Sal-map.jpg | image_caption = | image_size = | map_image = Locator map of Sal, Cape Verde.png | map_caption = | native_name_link = Cape Verdean Creole | location = Africa | pushpin_map = Cape Verde#Africa | pushpin_label = | pushpin_label_position = top | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_relief = 1 | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|16|43|N|22|56|W||display=inline}} | archipelago = | total_islands = | major_islands = | area_km2 = 219.84 | length_km = 29.7  | width_km = 11.8  | highest_mount = Monte Grande | elevation_m = 406  | country = {{CPV}} | country_admin_divisions_title = Municipality | country_admin_divisions = Sal | country_largest_city = Espargos | population = 39,700 | population_as_of = 2019 | density_km2 = 180 | ethnic_groups = | additional_info = }}

'''Sal''' (Portuguese for "salt") is an island in Cape Verde. Sal is a tourist destination with white sand beaches and over 350 days of sunshine a year. It is one of the three sandy eastern islands of the Cape Verde archipelago in the central Atlantic Ocean, {{cvt|350|mile}} off the west coast of Africa. Cabo Verde is known for year-round kiteboarding, for the large reserve of Caretta turtles which hatch from July to September, and the music of Cesaria Evora. Cabo Verde is now the world's largest nesting aggregation for this turtle species,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Yen |first=Eugenie C |last2=Gilbert |first2=James D |last3=Balard |first3=Alice |last4=Taxonera |first4=Albert |last5=Fairweather |first5=Kirsten |last6=Ford |first6=Heather L |last7=Thorburn |first7=Doko-Miles J |last8=Rossiter |first8=Stephen J |last9=Martín-Durán |first9=José M |last10=Eizaguirre |first10=Christophe |date=2025-01-01 |title=Chromosome-level genome assembly and methylome profile yield insights for the conservation of endangered loggerhead sea turtles |journal=GigaScience |volume=14 |article-number=giaf054 |doi=10.1093/gigascience/giaf054 |issn=2047-217X |pmc=12143204 |pmid=40478729}}</ref> and Sal has the second-largest rookery.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-16 |title=Cabo Verde: Sea Turtles "In Abundance" |url=https://www.seaturtlestatus.org/articles/cabo-verde-sea-turtles-in-abundance |access-date=2025-08-28 |website=The State of the World's Sea Turtles {{!}} SWOT |language=en-US}}</ref>

== History == The island was discovered on 3 December 1460 and named ''Chã'' ("flat"). This name was changed into the current "Sal" when the two large salt ponds (Pedra de Lume and Santa Maria) were discovered.{{citation needed|date=June 2023|reason=prior reference was a dead link with no available archive}} The first three centuries after its discovery, the island was only sparsely inhabited; in 1720 there was a small fishing village near present Palmeira.<ref name="History of Sal">{{cite web|url=http://www1.umassd.edu/SpecialPrograms/caboverde/salhist.html|title=A History of Ilha do Sal|author=Ray Almeida|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160206120818/http://www1.umassd.edu/specialprograms/caboverde/salhist.html |archive-date= 6 February 2016 }}</ref> This changed when the salt industry was developed at the end of the 18th century, starting in Pedra de Lume. Santa Maria was founded in the south of the island in 1830 by Manuel António Martins.<ref name="History of Sal"/> During this time the salt industry thrived, with 30,000 tons of salt being exported in the early years. Most of the salt was exported to Brazil until its nationalization in 1887, Portuguese and French salt investors resumed salt production until 1984.<ref name="History of Sal"/>

In 1939 Italy started constructing an airport to receive flights from Europe and South America. Construction was halted and ceased around World War II. The Portuguese bought the airport from the Italians and finished it in 1949. Northeast of the airport, workers from São Nicolau Island settled in a village named Preguiça, now part of Espargos. Hurricane Fred struck the island of Sal in late summer 2015, causing damage to houses, tourist facilities and ships.

== Geography == The island is 29.7 km long and 11.8 km wide.<ref name=yearbook>[http://ine.cv/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/statistical-yearbook-cv-2015_en.pdf Cabo Verde, Statistical Yearbook 2015], Instituto Nacional de Estatística</ref>{{rp|25}} Its area is {{cvt|219.84|km2}}.<ref name=resumo>{{Cite web|title=Resumo dos Indicadores RGPH 2010|url=https://ine.cv/en/censo_quadros/resumo-dos-indicadores-rgph-2010/|access-date=2023-01-01|website=INE|language=pt-pt}}</ref> It is one of the three sandy eastern islands (Sal, Boa Vista and Maio) of the archipelago, with white sandy beaches. The island is fairly flat; its highest point is Monte Grande, at 406 m elevation.<ref name=yearbook/>{{rp|25}} The uninhabited islet Ilhéu Rabo de Junco lies near the west coast of Sal. Saline marshes can be found in the ''Pedra de Lume'' crater and north of Santa Maria.

=== Climate === Sal Island has on average 350 days of sunshine a year. Winds mainly blow from the northeast. However, some days do also have clouds, but they tend to be scattered and seldom bring rain. The 'rainy season' is from July to mid-October, although rainfall is still low.

{{Weather box |location = Sal, Cape Verde (Amílcar Cabral International Airport) 1991–2020, extremes 1950–1990 |metric first = yes |single line = yes |width = auto |Jan record high C = 32 |Feb record high C = 30 |Mar record high C = 33 |Apr record high C = 33 |May record high C = 33 |Jun record high C = 34 |Jul record high C = 33 |Aug record high C = 33 |Sep record high C = 38 |Oct record high C = 34 |Nov record high C = 33 |Dec record high C = 30 |year record high C = 38 |Jan high C = 25.0 |Feb high C = 24.9 |Mar high C = 25.2 |Apr high C = 25.5 |May high C = 26.1 |Jun high C = 27.0 |Jul high C = 28.1 |Aug high C = 29.6 |Sep high C = 30.1 |Oct high C = 29.6 |Nov high C = 28.1 |Dec high C = 26.1 |year high C = 27.1 |Jan mean C = 22.0 |Feb mean C = 21.8 |Mar mean C = 22.0 |Apr mean C = 22.5 |May mean C = 23.4 |Jun mean C = 24.3 |Jul mean C = 25.4 |Aug mean C = 26.9 |Sep mean C = 27.4 |Oct mean C = 26.8 |Nov mean C = 25.2 |Dec mean C = 23.3 |year mean C = 24.2 |Jan low C = 19.2 |Feb low C = 18.8 |Mar low C = 18.9 |Apr low C = 19.6 |May low C = 20.6 |Jun low C = 21.6 |Jul low C = 22.8 |Aug low C = 24.2 |Sep low C = 24.8 |Oct low C = 24.1 |Nov low C = 22.5 |Dec low C = 20.5 |year low C = |Jan record low C = 12 |Feb record low C = 10 |Mar record low C = 12 |Apr record low C = 15 |May record low C = 15 |Jun record low C = 15 |Jul record low C = 17 |Aug record low C = 20 |Sep record low C = 20 |Oct record low C = 19 |Nov record low C = 17 |Dec record low C = 16 |year record low C = 10 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 2.8 |Feb precipitation mm = 0.5 |Mar precipitation mm = 0.5 |Apr precipitation mm = 1.0 |May precipitation mm = 0.5 |Jun precipitation mm = 0.0 |Jul precipitation mm = 2.4 |Aug precipitation mm = 12.8 |Sep precipitation mm = 34.5 |Oct precipitation mm = 15.6 |Nov precipitation mm = 1.3 |Dec precipitation mm = 3.4 |year precipitation mm = |unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm |Jan precipitation days = 0.5 |Feb precipitation days = 0.2 |Mar precipitation days = 0.1 |Apr precipitation days = 0.2 |May precipitation days = 0.1 |Jun precipitation days = 0 |Jul precipitation days = 0.1 |Aug precipitation days = 1.2 |Sep precipitation days = 2.7 |Oct precipitation days = 1.1 |Nov precipitation days = 0.4 |Dec precipitation days = 0.5 |year precipitation days = |Jan humidity = 69.0 |Feb humidity = 70.9 |Mar humidity = 70.9 |Apr humidity = 70.6 |May humidity = 73.3 |Jun humidity = 75.4 |Jul humidity = 75.5 |Aug humidity = 75.9 |Sep humidity = 77.1 |Oct humidity = 74.7 |Nov humidity = 72.9 |Dec humidity = 71.1 |year humidity = 73.1 |Jan sun = 182.9 |Feb sun = 175.2 |Mar sun = 201.5 |Apr sun = 216.0 |May sun = 204.6 |Jun sun = 174.0 |Jul sun = 148.8 |Aug sun = 161.2 |Sep sun = 180.0 |Oct sun = 198.4 |Nov sun = 189.0 |Dec sun = 155.0 |year sun = |Jand sun = 5.9 |Febd sun = 6.2 |Mard sun = 6.5 |Aprd sun = 7.2 |Mayd sun = 6.6 |Jund sun = 5.8 |Juld sun = 4.8 |Augd sun = 5.2 |Sepd sun = 6.0 |Octd sun = 6.4 |Novd sun = 6.3 |Decd sun = 5.0 |yeard sun = 6.0 |source 1 =NOAA,<ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/4.4/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/CaboVerde/CSV/MINDELO_8583.csv |title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = January 4, 2024}}</ref> Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia e Geofísica (humidity 1981-2010)<ref name = INMG> {{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201229191802/https://www.inmg.gov.cv/index.php/servicos/servicos-climaticos | archive-date = 29 December 2020 | url = https://www.inmg.gov.cv/index.php/servicos/servicos-climaticos | title = Normais Climatológicas | publisher = Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia e Geofísica | language = pt | access-date = 28 December 2020}}</ref> |source 2 = Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes, sun)<ref> {{cite web | url = https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_085940_kt.pdf | title = Klimatafel von Santa Maria / Sal (Int.Flugh.) / Kapverden (Rep. Kap Verde) | work = Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world | publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst | language = de | access-date = 6 November 2018}}</ref> }}

{|class="wikitable" |+Sal mean sea temperature<ref name="DWD">{{cite web|title=Klimatafel von Santa Maria / Sal (Int.Flugh.) / Kapverden (Rep. Kap Verde), Senegal|url=https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_085940_kt.pdf|publisher=DWD|access-date=7 September 2022}}</ref> |- !Jan !Feb !Mar !Apr !May !Jun !Jul !Aug !Sep !Oct !Nov !Dec !Year |- |{{convert|23|°C}} |{{convert|22|°C}} |{{convert|22|°C}} |{{convert|22|°C}} |{{convert|23|°C}} |{{convert|23|°C}} |{{convert|24|°C}} |{{convert|25|°C}} |{{convert|26|°C}} |{{convert|26|°C}} |{{convert|25|°C}} |{{convert|24|°C}} |{{convert|24|°C}} |}

==Municipality==

Administratively, the island of Sal is covered by one municipality, ''Concelho do Sal''. This municipality consists of one ''freguesia'' (civil parish), ''Nossa Senhora das Dores'', which also covers the whole island. The municipality of Sal was created in 1935, when it was separated from the Municipality of Boa Vista.<ref>[https://portondinosilhas.gov.cv/images/igrp-portal/img/documentos/25D5473815744F31E053E700040ABE32.pdf Direito da Terra, Compêndio de Legislação], p. 272</ref> The municipal seat was originally at Santa Maria, but Espargos became the municipal seat in the 1970s.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

The ''freguesia'' is subdivided into the following settlements: * Espargos (city)<ref name=yearbook/>{{rp|32–33}} * Murdeira * Palmeira (town)<ref name=yearbook/> * Pedra de Lume * Santa Maria (city)<ref name=yearbook/> * Terra Boa

===Politics=== Since 2016, the Movement for Democracy (MpD) is the ruling party of the municipality. The results of the latest elections, in 2016:<ref name=dgape>[http://www.dgape.cv/images/bo_23-09-2016_53.pdf Official results local elections 2016] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819102707/http://www.dgape.cv/images/bo_23-09-2016_53.pdf |date=2019-08-19 }}, ''Boletim Oficial I Série, Número 53'', 23 September 2016</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style=text-align:right !rowspan=2|Party !colspan=2|Municipal Council !colspan=2|Municipal Assembly |- !Votes% !Seats !Votes% !Seats |- |align=left|MpD||50.88||7||50.18||9 |- |align=left|PAICV||43.58||0||41.14||7 |- |align=left|UCID||2.82||0||5.83||1 |- |align=left|PSD||0.34||0||0.38||0 |}

==Demographics==

As of 1832, the population was estimated at 400 people.<ref name=Roberts>{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Edmund|title=Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat|year=1837|publisher=Harper & Brothers|location=New York|page=14|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/7317/view/1/17/}}</ref> Until 1960, it was the least populous island of the nine inhabited islands of Cape Verde, with less than 3,000 inhabitants.<ref name="Stat" /> Since then the population has been growing rapidly, reaching around 40,000 in 2019, which makes it the third most populous island in Cape Verde, after Santiago and São Vicente, and having overtaken Santo Antão and Fogo.<ref name="ReferenceA">Instituto Nacional de Estatistica, Cabo Verde (web).</ref>

{{Bar chart | title = Population of Sal (1940—2015) | label_type = Year | data_type = Population | bar_width = 35 | width_units = em | data_max = 40000 | label1 = 1940<ref name="Stat">{{Cite web|title=Cape Verde Counties|url=http://www.statoids.com/ucv.html|access-date=2023-01-01|website=www.statoids.com}}</ref> | data1 = 1,121 | label2 = 1950<ref name="Stat"/> | data2 = 1,838 | label3 = 1960<ref name="Stat"/> | data3 = 2,608 | label4 = 1970<ref name="Stat"/> | data4 = 5,505 | label5 = 1980<ref name="Stat"/> | data5 = 5,826 | label6 = 1990<ref name="Stat"/> | data6 = 7,715 | label7 = 2000<ref name="Stat"/> | data7 = 14,792 | label8 = 2010<ref name=resumo/> | data8 = 25,779 | label9 = 2015<ref name=yearbook/>{{rp|36}} | data9 = 33,747 | label10 = 2019<ref name="ReferenceA"/> | data10 = 39,700 }}

== Economy == Sal's main town, Espargos, is home to one of the nation's international airports. Tourism, focused on the area of Santa Maria, has replaced salt and fishing as the main source of income. In 2017, 48.2% of the country's available beds were on the island of Sal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ine.cv/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/estatisticas-doturismo-_2017.pdf|title=INE Estatísticas do Turismo 2017|language=pt}}</ref> The living standards on the island are among the best in the Cape Verde archipelago. The island's GDP per capita as of 2015 is 495,827 escudos (4,497 euro).<ref>[http://ine.cv/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/aecv-2016-1.pdf Anuário Estatístico 2016], Instituto Nacional de Estatística</ref>

=== Infrastructure ===

The island is home to Amílcar Cabral International Airport, the busiest airport of Cape Verde. The main port of the island of Sal is at Palmeira. The main roads are: *Santa Maria - Espargos Road (EN1-SL01) *Palmeira - Espargos Road (EN1-SL02)

==Sports== {{Main|Sports in Sal, Cape Verde}} Football (soccer) is the chief sports on the island. It has the Sal Regional Football Association and its main competitions are the Premier and the Second Divisions. Its main clubs are Académica do Sal, Académico do Aeroporto, Juventude and SC Santa Maria. The island's main stadium is Estádio Marcelo Leitão situated southeast of Espargos's center and all regional matches are played. Also Basketball is the second most popular on the island as well as volleyball, they are played at Polidesportivo do Sal, Académico do Sal is the island's best basketball team. Futsal is also played. Also dominant particularly in the beaches the south of the island and its surrounding waters are surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing, recently gained for about 25 years and becoming the most dominant in the nation in windsurfing and kitesurfing.

==Twin towns - Sister cities== Sal is twinned with: *{{flagicon|POR}} Cascais, Portugal *{{flagicon|ITA}} Desenzano del Garda, Italy *{{flagicon|ITA}} Grottammare, Italy *{{flagicon|ENG}} South Normanton, England

==Notable residents == * Maria Alice, singer * Carlos Andrade, basketball player * Rodirlei José Ascensão Duarte (Rody), footballer * Elvis Évora (Elvis), footballer * Ana Firmino, singer * Hermínia da Cruz Fortes, singer * Ildo Lobo, musician * Mirri Lobo, musician * Ildo Augusto Dos Santos Lopes Fortes, current bishop of Mindelo * 4BGSal Islands, artist * Nelson Marcos, soccer player * Basílio Ramos, politician * Héldon Ramos (Héldon), footballer * Ruben Sança, athlete * Dona Tututa, composer and pianist

==Gallery== <gallery> File:2014 Cape Verde. Sal. Hund Vid Färgad Dörr.jpg|A sleeping dog File:2014 Cape Verde. Sal. Saltkratern (2).JPEG|Salt evaporation pond in Volcanic crater (Pedra de Lume) File:2014 Cape Verde. Sal. Fina Hus.jpg|Buildings in Santa Maria File:Cape Verde Sal Santa Maria shop.jpg|A souvenir shop in Santa Maria File:2014 Cape Verde. Sal. Gata.jpg|The Mainstreet in Santa Maria, Cabo Verde File:2014 Cape Verde. Sal. Stadsöversyn.JPG|Cityview over Espargos File:2014 Cape Verde. Sal. Kyrka.jpg|Catholic Church in Santa Maria File:2014 Cape Verde. Sal. Saltkratern (1).JPEG|Machinery in Volcanic crater, Pedra de Lume File:Lighthouse Sal.jpg|Ponta do Sinó lighthouse File:2014 Cape Verde. Sal. Baywatch.JPG|Lifeguard Tower File:2014 Cape Verde. Sal. Strand.jpg|Santa Maria Beach in the evening File:2014 Cap Verde. Sal. Blue Eye.JPG|Cave "Blue Eye" File:Sal Cape Verde Santa Maria house.jpg|Stores in Santa Maria File:Cape Verde Sal kitesurfing.jpg|Kiteboarding in Sal, Cape Verde File:Sal Island.jpg|Panorama taken at Palmeira harbour </gallery>

==See also== {{Portal bar|Africa|Islands}} * Wildlife of Cape Verde

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Sal (Cape Verde)}} *[http://www.cmsal.cv/ Official website of the Municipality of Sal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118104328/http://cmsal.cv/ |date=2021-01-18 }} * [http://www.caboverde.com/ilhas/sal/guide-e.htm Information on Sal] * [http://www.mountain7.co.uk/index.php?/archives/80-The-Cape-Verde-Salt-Flats,-Sal.html The Salt flats at Pedra de Lume]

Category:Sal, Cape Verde Category:Islands of Cape Verde Category:Municipalities of Cape Verde Category:1930s establishments in Cape Verde