Boa Vista is a constituent republic of Verde Region.
| Boa Vista Republic | |
|---|---|
| Island of Boa Vista | |
| Constituent Republic of Vekllei | |
 |
|
| Part of the Verde Region | |
| Loggerhead sea turtles nest on its beaches in numbers that make it one of the largest loggerhead populations in the Atlantic. | |
| Population | 38,311 |
| Demographics |
70% Sampadjudo 15% São Tomense & Forro 7% African
8% other
|
| Economy | Arable farming Fisheries & shipping, Livestock & dairy |
| Produces | Fish, Salt, Shellfish, Lobster, Root Vegetables |
| Working week | 18.8 hours |
| Specialisation | Agriculture, Land & Sea |
| Accession | 1945, as part of the British Atlantic Territories |
| Area | 631.1 km² |
| Capital | Sal Rei |
| Languages | English, Verde Creole, Portuguese |
The Boa Vista Republic (literally “Good View”) is a constituent republic of Vekllei in the Atlantic, and is the easternmost island of the Cabo Verde archipelago. It comprises a main island, the third largest of the archipelago, and a tiny, uninhabited islet off its west coast. The republic is particularly flat and dry, and much of its surface is made of sand dunes and scrubland exposed to trade winds. It is fringed by pretty beaches of pale sand. It is best known in Vekllei for the loggerhead sea turtles that nest on them.
The island had few inhabitants for most of the early colonial period, but gained permanent settlement once salt pans were laid out in the southeast. Although the industry declined substantially during the 20th Century, small-scale production continues, and Carlyle Salt maintains a salt reserve there. Most of the republic’s economic activity is now fishing, with boats going out from the capital daily. There is also small-scale agriculture in a few green valleys where groundwater is accessible.
The capital of Sal Rei is a quaint colonial town of pastel houses, with a historic fort and a port. Outside the town is a wide, flat expanse of dunes and scrubland without any major features, and the republic is mostly treeless. The population has grown modestly under federalisation, but Boa Vista remains among the more sparsely inhabited islands of the Verde Region. To accommodate new residents, the Commonwealth has built apartments in the city that are painted in the colours of the homes they replaced. This effort, called the Novo Rei housing project, has extended the old centre northward.
Loggerhead sea turtles arrive on the beaches of the south and east coast every year to nest, in numbers that make it one of the largest loggerhead populations in the Atlantic. The beaches are protected during nesting season and patrolled by the Ministry of Landscape, and a lot of local work is related to the turtles in some way, either as wardens or as guides for visitors.
Most visitors are domestic tourists from the Commonwealth seeking its beaches and quiet atmosphere, arriving mostly by flying boat from Viana or Sal. The island is also connected by ferry to Maio and Praia. The Sal Rei Central Railway runs from the capital to Santa Monica Beach on the west coast.
Climate
Hot, dry and very windy year-round. The Harmattan wind from the Sahara brings dust in winter. Almost no rainfall, with a brief wet season from August to October.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 25° 19° 25° 19° 25° 19° 25° 19° 26° 20° 27° 21° 28° 22° 29° 23° 30° 24° 30° 24° 28° 22° 27° 21°
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 25° 19° 25° 19° 25° 19° 25° 19° 26° 20° 27° 21° Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 28° 22° 29° 23° 30° 24° 30° 24° 28° 22° 27° 21°
Public Holidays
- New Year’s Day 1 Jan
- Heroes Day 20 Jan
- Republic Day 5 Mar
- Good Friday
- Commonwealth Day 1 May
- Assumption Day 15 Aug
- All Saints Day 1 Nov
- Christmas Day 25 Dec
- Electronic Components
- Fish
- Fruit
- Glass
- Wheat
- Molasses
- Palm Oil
- Paper
- Petroleum
- Salt
- Sugar
- Timber
- Vegetables
- Water
- Curral Velho Turtle Beach: Primary loggerhead sea turtle nesting beach, protected by the Ministry of Landscape during breeding season.
- Santa Monica Beach: Ten-kilometre stretch of pale sand on the island’s west coast, among the longest beaches in the Verde archipelago.
- Viana Desert: Extensive interior dune system with sand formations up to thirty metres high.
- Sal Rei Old Town: Small colonial quarter centred on the old harbour, with characteristic pastel-painted houses and the historic fort.
- Agriculture, Land & Sea 13.2%
- Education 11.7%
- Healthcare 9.9%
- Domestic 9.6%
All 19 groups
Hide table
- Agriculture, Land & Sea 13.2%
- Education 11.7%
- Healthcare 9.9%
- Domestic 9.6%
| Occupation | Share | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Land & Sea | 13.2% | 6,180 |
| Education | 11.7% | 5,480 |
| Healthcare | 9.9% | 4,650 |
| Domestic | 9.6% | 4,520 |
| Skilled Trades & Construction | 8.8% | 4,150 |
| Industry | 6.1% | 2,850 |
| Arts & Media | 5.4% | 2,550 |
| Government & Civil Administration | 5.1% | 2,380 |
| Transport | 4.8% | 2,280 |
| Security & Defence | 4.1% | 1,950 |
| Retail, Distribution & Logistics | 3.8% | 1,780 |
| Economic Planning | 3.0% | 1,430 |
| Sport & Recreation | 3.0% | 1,420 |
| Hospitality & Participatory Trades | 2.4% | 1,110 |
| Information & Communications | 2.2% | 1,010 |
| Law & Justice | 2.1% | 980 |
| Science & Research | 2.0% | 950 |
| Energy & Resources | 1.8% | 850 |
| Religious & Ceremonial | 1.0% | 490 |
Register estimates of posts located in the republic, rounded; figures under 50 suppressed. Includes 260 posts held by non-residents.