Fogo’s Island was discovered on May 1st 1460, and was inicialy named S. Filipe. The Island has a circular shape, and and a total area of 476 km2, being the forth in dimension related to other Cape Verde’s Islands and it has more than 30,000 inhabitants. All its surface stands on a volcano which is still active, with a maximum altitude which reaches 2,829 meters. This volcano is a “ex-libris” of the island by its imponence, showing rare views of beauty and it is an important touristic site. S. Filipe, is the island’s capital. In Cha das Cldeiras, an vilage built inside a volcano’s cratera that it is still active, it is also an place of great interest for tourism. At the moment, and in spite of little rain, Fogo is an island of unbelieavable fertility, which gives it a caracteristic contrast of a solified black lava and several tones of greens on the cultivated fields. Cape Verde has 10 islands, 6 on the Northwind and 4 on Southwind with 4 small islands “ilheus” with the names Branco, Raso on the Northwind, Rei and Rombo on Southwind. The names of the islands are:

• Santo Antao
population, 47,170 area total:779Km2
• Sao Vicente
has a city named Mindelo, population 67,163
• Santa Luzia
is a deserted island frequented only by fisherman and some tourists
• Sao Nicolau
population 13,661 area 346Km2
• Sal
where the international airport is, population 14,816 area 216Km2
• Boa Vista
population 4209, area 620Km2
• Maio
population 6,754, area 260Km2
• Sao Tiago
population 236,627, area 991Km2
• Fogo
population 37,421, area 476Km2
• Brava
The flowers' Island, population 6,804 area 64Km2 .

At the present time Fogo’ island, is divided in two counties and four parishes: Sao Filipe County, Mosteiros County, Parish of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao, Parish of Sao Lourenco, Parish of Santa Catarina, and Parish of Nossa Senhora de Ajuda. The city of Sao Filipe is the Fogo’s Island Municipality capital, it is the oldest populated center of Cape Verde after the ruin of Ribeira Grande, also known as Old City in the Sao Tiago’s Island. Its foundation and population began a quarter of century after Cape Verde was discovered by the Portuguese in 1460/62.

Cova Figueira in the Parish of Santa Catarina was elevated to the category of Village in 1998 and it is the second urban center in the Fogo’ Island. According to the latest figure the population of this Parish is almost 8,000; with approximately five people in each family. The average life expectance is around 70 years, slightly more than some other neighboring places. In the education sector, it has some primary schools in many places and it also has high school which teaches until the eighth grade.The educational sector is fundamental for the development and it always bring back positive results to put people in a high level. Investing in education is investing in our self. This parish has all the requisite to be a County since long time ago. Without doubt the Parish of Santa Catarina is the ultimate point for tourists and travelers who visit Fogo’s Island, attracted by the will to be near the majestic Volcano and be involved by the Nature and by gentle and friendly people who reside in the Parish of Santa Catarina. The DESCENTRALIZATION and promotion of Parish of Santa Catarina to the level of a county, will bring many benefits to its people who reside there and it will accelerate the development of Fogo’s Island. This promotion only brings benefits. If we consider the potentialities we will reach a conclusion that it will improve and facilitate the lives of all who resides in this parish and not only. For example talking about tourism and travelers who visit Cape Verde, they always show desire to be in these interesting neighborhoods to be near the Volcano. With a good planing the revenue they live there would go to the people improving their economy to a high level facilitating the progress of all inhabitants there. The Parish of Santa Catarina is situated in a strategic place; It is known for most people that there still is Porto de Alcatraz which is out of commission due to the lack of maintenance. Historically this port was a dock for ships which brought food or merchandise from Sao Filipe, Mosteiros, and the neighboring islands for the consumer and construction. Near the dock, there were some outlets - which only old walls remain now - for these products. Perhaps this Port should never have been abandoned due to its importance and good location because it stands in a vast strip of land near the coast, from Alcatraz going on through Fajan, Casinha and surrounding areas. In Fajan there are wells of water, it is known since long time ago that there is drinking water under the soil but it was not well explored due to lack of resources then. To give an example, when there was no water in the parish, the people would come to these wells to get water. The animal are still coming to drink from these wells. It would be a boost, for this region, to give it a chance to develop, building good roads, taking the advantage of these lands such as more plantation, arborization, agriculture, fishing, restoring the Porto de Alcatraz etc.
NATURAL PARK OF FOGO’S ISLAND

The Natural Park of Fogo is situated in the hearth of Fogo’s Island, and reaches the Volcano, the crater and a unique natural view in the whole Cape-Verde which deserves be appreciated The fantastic cenary of the Natural Park makes it in a must stop place to the visitors, a optimal space to relax, adventure, innovation, “get-together” or meeting, and of rest. The paisagistic beauty, the speciality of the fauna and flora and its relationship with the environment, represents on the Natural Park and unique heritage, where the ecologic functions and natural associations are yet most preserved and intact.

Flora e Fauna

Of the 82 species of endemics plants of Cape Verde, 37 are found in the Fogo’s Island. 31 species grow in the high zones of Bordeira and 6 of them are endemism of Fogo’s Island. The most spectacular is the Lingua - de - Vaca (Echium Vulcanorum) endemic of Fogo. Of the 18 species of birds which nested in the Island 10 exist in the zone, and 3 of which are endemics. The most in danger it is the endemic Gon-Gon (Pterodroma feae)

View

The paisagistic aspects of the crater (caldeira) which the wall is still intact is the Pico of Fogo, still active, are aspects of great importance. In the xx century there were two eruptions, one in June 6, 1951 and the other one in April 2, 1995, both from secondary craters in the base of the volcano. The Volcano Pico of Fogo has 2,829 m of height, and the Pico of April 2 which came after the eruption of 1995, in its base, stands about 2000m.

Population

The population of Chã das Caldeiras has its own characteristics, not only physic as well as by its traditional way of living and sharing. The population live main from agriculture and cattle. Large part of the houses were traditional built from the Volcanos stones. Still there are houses with round shape (funcos) from long time ago which were comox . The inhabitants are very close to the land to which they live.

Use The area of the Park is also a very important zone for agriculture and fruit culture. The fruit culture represents a great source of income, through the production of the famous Wine of Fogo and the “MANECOM” traditional wine.

The values of the Park are in danger due to the over-utilization of natural resources. The Natural Park of Fogo, which main goal is the harmonization of necessity of conservation of the environment, will guaranty the improvement of living condition for the local population, in a compatible way with the defense of these values, thus guarantying the conservation of the flora and fauna endemic, of the unique ecosystems promoting the sustained development of the resident population, contributing this way, to better the living condition.

In the area of communication or tele-communication, Cova Figueira in the Parish of Santa Catarina, is situated in a strategic point due to its geographic position. For example in the late sixties or seventies, before the country’s independence, the defunct colonial government of Portugal built with the help of another country, a network of tele-communication stations, around Cape Verde one of them in Fogo’s island in the Parish of Santa Catarina more precisely in Cova Figueira. Since long time ago, it is known that this zone, is privileged for radio communication, television, telex etc.; to cite an example, the first television broadcast received in Fogo’s Island was done in Cova Figueira in the decade of seventy, where, people saw for the first time in Fogo’s history, live from Montreal Canada, the Olympic Games of 1976, which was a tremendous joy for all the people there. In the meantime it should be said that the first television broadcast between Sao Tiago and Fogo was received in the parish of Santa Catarina, in which a modulator of television waves, transmitted signals from Monte Tchota in Sao Tiago to a television receiver in Cova Figueira, received just with a dipolo antena.

PEOPLE

The folks of Parish of Santa Catarina are kind, easygoing, hardworking, and optmists. All these caracteristcs are traces of the people of this locality, giving to the travellers who come by an unforgetable sample of its friendship which last for ever. Its population is formed by a blend of people of different ethnic race such as Africans, Europeans, and people of others continents. The predominant color is Moreno - which is a mixture of black and white, but there is a small percentage of white color. Practically all people know each other one way or another making it easier o have a good relationship between all parties. In Cova Figueira the Parish center almost everybody is related to each other one way or another, the same is true to the neighboring regions. By their last name, people can see the familiar link. For example the last names Goncalves, Aandrade, Fontes, Veiga, Lopes, Monteiro, Vieira, Nunes, Pires, Alves, Rodrigues, Pina, Montrond, Silva and many more; are linked in one way or another through out the Island of Fogo.

In a permanent state of adventure the majority of the people of this Parish always find opportunities to discover new horizons immigrating to far away land taking with themselfs hopes of progress and some day return to the crib. Most of people has someone related in overseas. Since long time ago, the santacatarinnses tried to find in far away land the way to improve its standard of living by looking for better chance of paying jobs, studying, learning and giving the best of themselfs. This phenomena increased in the decade of sixties and seventies continuing until the this date.

For the ones who stayed always there is the constant desire to go for adventures and for those who depart always there is that desire to return to the mother land engraved in the soul.

Presidente opens officially Natural Park of Fogo

President of Republic, commander Pedro Pires, opens up in Monday on the second week of October the natural park of Island of Fogo.
The objective of natural park is the creation of conditions for a sustained administration of natural resources Fogo’s high lands in an area of 70 square kilometers approximately, including the Bordeira, Chã das Caldeiras and Pico Novo
.
The conservation of natural resources - endemic plants - the human presence and the cultural aspects always guided the creation of the park, which was financed by the Germany Agency of Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in value of two million marcos (Germany currency).
The natural park, which has been functioning effectively also has promoted the formation of tourist guide, swing fashion courses and public attendants, toward development of echologic tourism and operation of the population.

Now there is a course for the formation in the area of (English and French languages for the tourist guide and for those who explore the habitation tourism..
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