Espargos
Encyclopedia
Espargos is the capital city of the island municipality of Sal
, Cape Verde
and is also in the heart of the island. Espargos means "asparagus
" and refers to the wild vegetable asparagus stalk
with its bright yellow flowers which grows in sandy areas around the island. Espargos is connected with roads linking to Reguinho Fiúra to the north, Pedra de Lume to the east, Santa Maria
to the south and Palmeira to the west. It is close to its airport, Aeroporto Internacional Amílcar Cabral
(SID). There are also hotels, restaurants and others. The flat terrain named Terra Boa (good land in Portuguese) to the north, further northeast Morro Sal and further south, small hills and a plateau. The GDP until the 2000s were low-class and the living standards used to be low as well.
It has a population of 8,000 inhabitants, until the 1990s.
In 1939 the Italian Government of Benito Mussolini
was granted authorization by the Portuguese colonial government to begin construction on a transit airport to service its flights flying between Europe
and South America
. Very simple pre-fabricated installations were built. However, as a consequence of World War II
the Italian involvement in the airport project ceased. In 1945 the Portuguese purchased the airport installation from the Italians and by 1949 the Ilha do Sal airport was a fully operational transit facility. The airport has been gradually improved ever since. Small houses were erected in several areas immediately adjacent to the airport. Workers from nearby Sao Nicolau named the civilian area "Preguiça" after the port village on their home island. Espargos is the city's official name. Today Espargos is the principal commercial and government center of Ilha do Sal. In 1990 the population was approximately 4000.Sal History
Espargos has schools, a middle school, churches, banks and a few squares (praças in Portuguese). In the centre of the city you'll also find the market, several shops and coffees and, near the Town Hall, a small bandstand and the Public Library.
Sal, Cape Verde
Sal is an island in Cape Verde. It belongs to the northern group of islands, called Barlavento. The island is composed by a single administrative division, the Sal municipality. The island is home to Amílcar Cabral International Airport, the main airport of Cape Verde.- Geography :The island is...
, Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
and is also in the heart of the island. Espargos means "asparagus
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis is a spring vegetable, a flowering perennialplant species in the genus Asparagus. It was once classified in the lily family, like its Allium cousins, onions and garlic, but the Liliaceae have been split and the onion-like plants are now in the family Amaryllidaceae and...
" and refers to the wild vegetable asparagus stalk
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
with its bright yellow flowers which grows in sandy areas around the island. Espargos is connected with roads linking to Reguinho Fiúra to the north, Pedra de Lume to the east, Santa Maria
Santa Maria, Cape Verde
Santa Maria is a fishing city situated in the southern part of the island municipality of Sal, Cape Verde. The city is the third largest in Cape Verde and is one of the few that it is larger than the municipal capital...
to the south and Palmeira to the west. It is close to its airport, Aeroporto Internacional Amílcar Cabral
Amilcar Cabral International Airport
Amílcar Cabral International Airport , also known as Sal International Airport or Amílcar Cabral Airport, is the principal international airport of Cape Verde. The airport is named after the revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral....
(SID). There are also hotels, restaurants and others. The flat terrain named Terra Boa (good land in Portuguese) to the north, further northeast Morro Sal and further south, small hills and a plateau. The GDP until the 2000s were low-class and the living standards used to be low as well.
Nearest communities
- Palmeira, West
- Pedra de Lume, East
- MurdeiraMurdeiraMurdeira is a village in the southcentral part of the island of Sal. The village is about 8 km south of Espargos and around 9 km north of Santa Maria...
, South-West - Santa MariaSanta Maria, Cape VerdeSanta Maria is a fishing city situated in the southern part of the island municipality of Sal, Cape Verde. The city is the third largest in Cape Verde and is one of the few that it is larger than the municipal capital...
, South
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1990 (June 23, Census) | 5,778 |
| 2000 (June 16 June 2000 June 2000 was the sixth month of 2000. It began on a Thursday and ended after 30 days on a Friday.-Portal:Current events:This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from June 2000.... , Census) |
5,456 |
| 2003 (Estimate) | - |
| 2005 (January 1, Computing) | 6,173 |
It has a population of 8,000 inhabitants, until the 1990s.
History
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
was granted authorization by the Portuguese colonial government to begin construction on a transit airport to service its flights flying between Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Very simple pre-fabricated installations were built. However, as a consequence of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Italian involvement in the airport project ceased. In 1945 the Portuguese purchased the airport installation from the Italians and by 1949 the Ilha do Sal airport was a fully operational transit facility. The airport has been gradually improved ever since. Small houses were erected in several areas immediately adjacent to the airport. Workers from nearby Sao Nicolau named the civilian area "Preguiça" after the port village on their home island. Espargos is the city's official name. Today Espargos is the principal commercial and government center of Ilha do Sal. In 1990 the population was approximately 4000.Sal History
Espargos has schools, a middle school, churches, banks and a few squares (praças in Portuguese). In the centre of the city you'll also find the market, several shops and coffees and, near the Town Hall, a small bandstand and the Public Library.
External links
- Espargos Photos from Espargos