 Natural colour satellite image of Fogo | |
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  Fogo  Fogo | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 14°57′00″N24°20′33″W / 14.9500°N 24.3425°W /14.9500; -24.3425 |
| Area | 476 km2 (184 sq mi) |
| Length | 26.3 km (16.34 mi) |
| Width | 23.9 km (14.85 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 2,829 m (9281 ft) |
| Highest point | Pico do Fogo |
| Administration | |
| Concelhos (Municipalities) | Mosteiros,Santa Catarina do Fogo,São Filipe |
| Largest settlement | São Filipe (pop. Sao Filipe) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 35,837 (2015) |
| Pop. density | 75.3/km2 (195/sq mi) |
Fogo (Portuguese pronunciation:[ˈfoɡu];Portuguese for "fire") is anisland in theSotavento group ofCape Verde in the central Atlantic Ocean. Its population is 35,837 (2015),[1]: 36 with an area of 476 km2 (184 sq mi).[1]: 25 It reaches the highest altitude of all the islands in Cape Verde, rising to 2,829 metres (9,281feet)above sea level at the summit of its active volcano,Pico do Fogo.[1]: 25
The eastern side of Fogo collapsed into the ocean 73,000 years ago, creating a tsunami 170 meters (560 ft) high that struck the nearby island ofSantiago.[2]
Fogo was discovered in 1460 byGenovese captainAntónio de Noli on behalf ofHenry the Navigator and the Portuguese Crown. It appeared in a 1598 map asI. de Fogo.[3] Fogo was the second island of Cape Verde that was settled by the Portuguese, between 1470 and 1490, makingSão Filipe the second oldest town of Cape Verde afterCidade Velha.[4]
TheFogo volcano erupted frequently, both from the summit and from flank fissures,[5] notably in 1680, 1725, 1857, 1951, 1995, and2014–15.[6] The eruption of 1680 covered much of the island in ash, which forced many inhabitants to flee to the nearby island of Brava.[6]
Fogo has been very susceptible to drought and famine. In years with insufficient summer rains, many inhabitants experienced starvation. This occurred several times in the 18th and 19th century, and also between 1941 and 1943, when 31% of the island population perished.[7]
Until January 1992 the island was one single municipality, subdivided into four parishes. The southwestern three parishes joined the newmunicipality of São Filipe and the northeastern parish Nossa Senhora da Ajuda became themunicipality of Mosteiros.[8][9] The parish of Santa Catarina do Fogo was separated from São Filipe in 2005, and became the Municipality ofSanta Catarina do Fogo.[10]
One of the southernmost islands in Cape Verde, Fogo is located between the islands ofSantiago to the east andBrava to the west. It is 26.3 km long and 23.9 km wide; its area is 476 km2.[1]: 25 Practically the whole island is astratovolcano that has been periodically active: it last erupted in 2014. The largest volcanic feature isBordeira, a nine-kilometre-wide (5.6 mi)caldera, which has walls one kilometre (0.62 miles) high, and has a breach in its eastern rim.[6] Two small villages, Portela and Bangaeira, exist in the floor of the caldera (Chã das Caldeiras); the residents were evacuated during eruptions.
The island's main city isSão Filipe, near which are anairport and aport. Fogo is largely anagricultural, fertile island. The north-eastern part receives the most precipitation.
Key bird species of Fogo areFea's petrel,Boyd's shearwater andCape Verde swift.[11] The endemic plantsEchium vulcanorum (endangered)[12] andErysimum caboverdeanum (critically endangered)[13] are only found on the outer crater rim of the volcano of Fogo.[11]
Being very mountainous, Fogo has quite a number of climates. Along the coast Fogo has a moderate dry tropical climate according to theKöppen–Geiger climate classification system; higher on the slopes (~ 800 metres or 2,600 feet A.S.L.) it has a semiarid mild tropical climate (Köppen–GeigerBSh with very balanced temperatures year round; above 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) it has a cool highland subtropical steppe climate (Köppen–GeigerBSkL). The average annual temperature on the coast is about 23–25 °C (73–77 °F), decreasing to some 12–14 °C (54–57 °F) on the highest ground.
There can be remarkably cool weather in the interior, with the warmer wet season starting in July and ending in November, with the colder dry season starting in December and ending in May. Drought, the majorclimate risk of Cape Verdean islands, is much less pronounced on Fogo, due to the mountain's ability to gain moisture from clouds. During the mid-nineteenth century, Fogo suffered from severedroughts. Death fromstarvation was common in the 1830s.[14]
| Climate data forSão Filipe, southwestern Fogo, 113 metres (371 feet) ASL | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.6 (78.1) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.7 (80.1) | 27.1 (80.8) | 27.8 (82.0) | 28.4 (83.1) | 28.7 (83.7) | 29.1 (84.4) | 29.0 (84.2) | 28.6 (83.5) | 26.4 (79.5) | 27.4 (81.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 22.3 (72.1) | 22.1 (71.8) | 22.6 (72.7) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.7 (74.7) | 24.3 (75.7) | 25.1 (77.2) | 25.7 (78.3) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.2 (77.4) | 23.5 (74.3) | 24.2 (75.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.1 (66.4) | 18.7 (65.7) | 19.0 (66.2) | 19.4 (66.9) | 20.3 (68.5) | 20.8 (69.4) | 21.8 (71.2) | 22.8 (73.0) | 23.3 (73.9) | 23.7 (74.7) | 21.9 (71.4) | 20.6 (69.1) | 21.0 (69.8) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 3 (0.1) | 2 (0.1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 14 (0.6) | 81 (3.2) | 121 (4.8) | 35 (1.4) | 11 (0.4) | 5 (0.2) | 272 (10.8) |
| Source: Climate-Data.ORG[15] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data forChã das Caldeiras, central Fogo, 1,764 metres (5,787 feet)ASL | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.8 (58.6) | 14.9 (58.8) | 15.4 (59.7) | 15.9 (60.6) | 16.4 (61.5) | 17.1 (62.8) | 17.7 (63.9) | 18.3 (64.9) | 18.9 (66.0) | 18.4 (65.1) | 17.4 (63.3) | 15.4 (59.7) | 16.7 (62.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.7 (53.1) | 11.5 (52.7) | 11.8 (53.2) | 12.3 (54.1) | 13.1 (55.6) | 13.7 (56.7) | 14.5 (58.1) | 15.2 (59.4) | 15.6 (60.1) | 15.5 (59.9) | 14.2 (57.6) | 12.7 (54.9) | 13.5 (56.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.7 (47.7) | 8.2 (46.8) | 8.3 (46.9) | 8.8 (47.8) | 9.8 (49.6) | 10.4 (50.7) | 11.3 (52.3) | 12.2 (54.0) | 12.3 (54.1) | 12.6 (54.7) | 11.1 (52.0) | 10.1 (50.2) | 10.3 (50.5) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 11 (0.4) | 6 (0.2) | 3 (0.1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (0.1) | 49 (1.9) | 151 (5.9) | 198 (7.8) | 67 (2.6) | 25 (1.0) | 12 (0.5) | 524 (20.5) |
| Source: Climate-Data.ORG[16] | |||||||||||||
In the 1830s, Fogo had an estimated human population of 10,000.[14] In 2015, Fogo had 35,837 inhabitants, making it the fourth most populous island in the Cape Verde archipelago after Santiago, São Vicente and Santo Antão.[1]: 36 Since 2015, there are three cities (São Filipe,Mosteiros andCova Figueira) and two towns (Ponta Verde andPatim) in the island.[1]: 32–33
| Population of Fogo, Cape Verde (1940–2015) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940[17] | 1950[17] | 1960[17] | 1970[17] | 1980[17] | 1990[17] | 2000[17] | 2010[18] | 2015[1]: 36 |
| 23,022 | 17,582 | 25,615 | 29,412 | 30,978 | 33,902 | 37,409 | 37,071 | 35,837 |
The official language of Fogo isPortuguese; yet mostlyFogo Creole is spoken.[citation needed]
The economy of the island is based on agriculture and fishing, withcoffee andwine among the main products. In the 1830s, Fogo's wine was described as being "very superior."[14] Due to its volcanic soil Fogo's coffee also has a good reputation.[19] The island has experienced a substantialdiaspora. Many households live off remittances from emigrants in the U.S. and in European countries (Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Italy). Fogo fosters strong connections to Rhode Island and to Massachusetts (U.S.), where many people with Cape Verdean origin live.[20]
Tourism is steadily becoming popular. The volcano (allowed only accompanied by a local guide) is the island's major attraction but many visitors also come to see relatives. The historic city of São Filipe andChã das Caldeiras in the volcanic crater receive the bulk of visitors. No great tourism facilities exist, but there are small hotels and bed-and-breakfasts and local guides offer hiking tours.
The island is divided in three municipalities, which are subdivided into civil parishes:
The island has a domestic airport,São Filipe Airport, located in the southwest of the island. There is a port atVale de Cavaleiros near São Filipe, with ferry connections to the islands ofBrava (Furna) andSantiago (Praia).[21] There are twofirst class national roads on Fogo: the Fogo Circular Road (EN1-FG01) and the road linking São Filipe and the island's port (EN1-FG02).[22]
The main football teams areAcadémica do Fogo,Botafogo,Cutelinho,Spartak d'Aguadinha andVulcânicos.
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