The Island of Boavista

Boavista is the nearest island to the African continent and was discovered in 1480 it’s first name being S. Cristovão.

In the past the island had a large cattle activity which you can still see to this day by the amount of free goats everywhere. The abundance of salt sparked the development of the town of Sal Rei, the islands capital which had a period of splendor during the XIXth century when the Governor of the archipelago choose the island as his residence.

The decline of the trade in salt left a crisis which led to emigration. Now with only 4400 inhabitants, the island is the least populated of the Cape Verde group.

The island is largely flat and is covered with big sand dunes, with a mini desert in the centre called Viana and about 50 km of beaches. Some of beaches like Joao Barrosa are chosen by the big Caretta Turtles to lay their eggs and the sole colony of the Rabil bird (Fregata magnificens) on this side of the Atlantic.

Santa Mónica beach is an incredible stretch of 20 km of white sand beach with emerald green water.

List of Protected Areas on the Island of Boavista :

• Location Status
• Boa Esperança Natural Reserve
• Ilhéu de Baluarte Integral Natural Reserve
• Ilhéu de Pássaros Integral Natural Reserve
• Ilhéu de Curral Velho Integral Natural Reserve
• Ponta do Sol Natural Reserve
• Tartaruga Natural Reserve
• Parque Natural do Norte Natural Reserve
• Monta Caçador e Pico Forcado Protected Landscape
• Morro de Areia Natural Reserve
• Curral Velho Protected Landscape
• Monte Santo António Natural Monument
• Ilhéu de Sal Rei Natural Monument
• Monte Estância Natural Monument
• Rocha Estância Natural Monument

The new international airport is due to be finished at the end of 2006 and will be able to operate direct flights to continental europe.