Brava, Cape Verde

Brava is an island in Cape Verde, located in the central Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Sotavento group and covers an area of 62.5 km² (24.1 sq mi), making it the smallest inhabited island in the Cape Verde archipelago. Despite its small size, Brava is known for being the greenest island in the group.

The island was first settled in the early 16th century. Its population increased significantly after the eruption of Mount Fogo on the neighboring island of Fogo in 1680. For over a century, whaling was the main industry of Brava. Today, the island's economy is primarily based on agriculture.

History

Brava was discovered in 1462 by a Portuguese explorer named Diogo Afonso. People began living on Brava around 1620 when settlers arrived from Madeira and the Azores. In 1680, many people came to Brava from the nearby island of Fogo after its volcano erupted.

Later, around 1720, a special fungus was found on Brava and was used as a dye for textiles. Whaling ships from North America sometimes stopped at Brava for supplies and water. Some men from Brava even went to work on these ships and settled in New Bedford, a port in Massachusetts.

Geography

Brava is a small island that stretches 10.5 km from north to south and is 9.3 km wide. It covers an area of 62.51 km² (24.14 sq mi). The island is mostly made up of a volcano and sits in the shadow of the much larger Fogo volcano nearby. Though Brava has not had any recorded eruptions, it still shows signs of volcanic activity, like earthquakes, meaning it could erupt again in the future. About 13% of the island is covered in forests.

To the north of Brava are a few small, empty islands, with the biggest ones being Ilhéu de Cima and Ilhéu Grande. The highest point on Brava is Monte Fontainhas, which rises to 976 metres above sea level.

Because Brava is very mountainous, it has a range of different weather patterns. Along the coast, the climate is dry, while inland it is semi-arid with mild, balanced temperatures throughout the year. Coastal temperatures average around 23–25 °C (73–77 °F), dropping to about 17–20 °C (63–68 °F) in the mountains. The island experiences a warmer, wetter season from June to November, followed by a cooler, drier season from December to May.

Municipality

The island of Brava is managed by one municipality called Concelho da Brava. This area is made up of two smaller parts, or civil parishes, named São João Baptista and Nossa Senhora do Monte. The main city in this municipality is Nova Sintra.

In politics, since 2012, the Movement for Democracy has been in charge. Orlando da Luz Vieira Balla is the leader of the municipality. The most recent election results were in 2016:

Population

The main town on the island is Nova Sintra. The island has two parishes called São João Baptista and Nossa Senhora do Monte, which are divided into 16 zones to help count the people.

In the 1830s, about 8,000 people lived on the island.

Economy

The island’s economy relies mostly on farming and fishing. Important crops grown there include coffee, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, bananas, and sugar cane.

Attractions

Brava Island has many beautiful places to visit. In Nova Sintra there is a museum and traditional Portuguese buildings, along with several churches and shops. Another nice spot is Fajã de Agua, a small harbor on the west coast that has a natural swimming pool.

Up in the mountains, you can find the village of Nossa Senhora do Monte, which has a special church that people visit for pilgrimages. Nearby, the village of Cova Rodela features a unique dragon tree growing right in its main street.

Sports

Brava has several football clubs. These clubs are organized by the Brava Regional Football Association.

Infrastructure

The Esperadinha Airport, which opened in 1992, closed in 2004 because of strong winds that kept coming. The village of Furna has a port for trade, and another port at Fajã de Água is used just for fishing. Ferries leaving from Furna go to the islands of Fogo and Santiago. On Brava, you can reach villages by taking an "Aluguer" bus. These buses do not have a fixed schedule; they only drive when enough people want to go. There are no taxis on the island.

Notable residents

Brava has been home to many talented people. One famous resident is Eugénio Tavares, a musician and poet who used the traditional music style called morna and wrote in Cape Verdean Creole. There is a statue of him in the main square of Vila Nova Sintra, which is surrounded by a beautiful garden.

Other notable people from Brava include Vinny deMacedo, who served as a State Representative and State Senator in Massachusetts, and David Soares, who works as a District Attorney in Albany County, New York, USA.