Santiago, Cape Verde

Santiago

Nickname: Ilha-berço (cradle island)
Santiago Show map of Cape Verde Santiago Show map of Atlantic Ocean
Geography
Location	Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates	15°04′N 23°38′W / 15.067°N 23.633°W / 15.067; -23.633
Area	991 km2 (383 sq mi)
Length	54.9 km (34.11 mi)
Width	28.8 km (17.9 mi)
Highest elevation	1,392 m (4567 ft)
Highest point	Pico de Antónia
Administration
Cape Verde
Concelhos (Municipalities)	Praia, Ribeira Grande de Santiago, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, São Domingos, São Lourenço dos Órgãos, São Miguel, São Salvador do Mundo, Tarrafal
Largest settlement	Praia (pop. 151,436)
Demographics
Population	294,135[1]: 36  (2015)
Pop. density	296.8/km2 (768.7/sq mi)

Santiago (Portuguese for “Saint James”) is the largest island of Cape Verde, its most important agricultural centre and home to half the nation's population. Part of the Sotavento Islands, it lies between the islands of Maio (26 km (16 mi) to the east) and Fogo (55 kilometres (34 miles) to the west). It was the first of the islands to be settled: the town of Ribeira Grande (now Cidade Velha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site^[2]) was founded in 1462. Santiago is home to the nation's capital city of Praia.