Mindelo

Mindelo is a port city in the northern part of the island of São Vicente in Cape Verde. Mindelo is also the seat of the parish of Nossa Senhora da Luz, and the municipality of São Vicente. The city is home to 93% of the entire island's population and is Cape Verde's second most populous city and largest city in Barlavento Islands. Mindelo is also considered the cultural capital of Cape Verde, known for its colourful and animated carnival celebrations, with roots in Portuguese traditions later influenced by the Brazilian culture.

History

thumb|left|Old postcard of Mindelo from the early 20th century

A settlement at Mindelo was founded in 1793 by the Portuguese. It was initially named Nossa Senhora da Luz, renamed Leopoldina around 1820 after the Queen consort. In 1838 it was renamed Mindelo after the 1832 Landing at Mindelo, north of Porto.

Between 1940 and 1958 three prolonged periods of severe drought, combined with soil erosion and overgrazing, brought famine in Cape Verde. In the whole archipelago, about 45,000 people died and 20,000 people emigrated. Mindelo attracted immigrants, notably from nearby Santo Antão, and continued to grow.

Geography

thumb|Downtown Mindelo seen from 'Gud'

thumb|Mindelo, Cape Verde

Mindelo is situated at the Porto Grande Bay, a large natural harbour. The town is surrounded by low mountains: the Monte Cara and the Morro Branco headland to the west, and the Monte Verde to the east. The town is crossed by the river Ribeira de Julião.

The Cesária Évora Airport lies southwest of Mindelo, near the village São Pedro. Ferries for Santo Antão leave from the port.

Subdivisions

The city is divided into the following localities for statistical reasons:

Alto Miramar
Alto Morabeza
Alto Santo António
Alto São Nicolau
Alto Solarine/Forca
Atrás do Cemitério/Sul do Cemitério
Bela Vista/Pedreira
Campinho
Chã de Alecrim
Chã de Cemitério
Chã de Marinha
Chã de Monte Sossego
Chê Guevarra
City center/Morada
Cruz João Evora
Dji d'Sal
Fernando Pó
Fonte Cónego
Fonte Filipe
Fonte Françês
Fonte Inês/Espia
Fonte Meio/Madeiralzinho
Fortinho/Escola Técnica
Horta Seca
Lazareto
Matiota
Monte/Craca
Monte Sossego
Pedra Rolada
Ribeira Bote
Ribeira da Craquinha
Ribeira de Julião
Ribeira de Passarão
Ribeirinha
Tchetchênia
Vila Nova/Lombo Tanque
Zona Industrial Sul
Zona Militar

Climate

Mindelo city has a desert climate (Köppen: BWh). The average annual temperature is . It is very dry with only around annual precipitation.

Economy

thumb|250px|center|New [[hotel developments in Praia da Laginha, Mindelo]]

Its economy consists mainly of business, fishing, shipping, boating and more commonly tourism which developed more recently. Mindelo has several hotels, restaurants and tourist agencies.

Cityscape

thumb|Porto Grande

thumb|Palácio do Povo

thumb|Centro Nacional de Artesanato e Design

The main streets of Mindelo are Avenida Marginal along the waterfront, and the perpendicular Rua Libertadores de África (former Rua Lisboa). Many colonial buildings from the 19th and early 20th century have been preserved in the city centre. Sites of interest include:

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Sporting teams

Mindelo has several sports teams that includes the city, Académica, Corinthians and Derby are clubs that includes the entire island.

Académica do Mindelo – football, basketball, athletics
Batuque FC - football
GS Castilho – football, cricket
FC Derby – football
CS Mindelense – football, the oldest club in Cape Verde

The main football stadium is Estádio Municipal Adérito Sena. Basketball, volleyball and futsal are played at Polivalente de Amarante in the southwest.

Notable people

Bana – singer
Bau – guitar and cavaquinho player
Yorgan de Castro - mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of the UFC
B. Leza (1905-1958) – writer, composer and singer
Josimar Dias (born 1986) – footballer, also called Vozinha
Bela Duarte – artist
Cesária Évora (1941-2011) – folk singer
Fantcha – singer
Humberto Duarte Fonseca (1916-1983) – scientist
Corsino Fortes (1933-2015) – writer
Fock – footballer
Sergio Frusoni (1901-1975) – poet
António Aurélio Gonçalves (1901-1984)– writer, critic, historian and professor
Daniel Batista Lima, footballer, football manager
Noni Lima, footballer, football manager
Leão Lopes – community developer, documentary-maker, politician
Manuel Lopes (1907–2005) – writer, one of the founders of Claridade
João Cleofas Martins (born 1901) - photographer and humorist
Ovídio Martins (born 1928) - poet
Vasco Martins – musician
Tito Paris (born 1968) – musician
Gualberto do Rosário (born 1950) – acting Prime Minister and later Prime Minister of Cape Verde
Onésimo Silveira (1935–2021) – poet, diplomat and a political activist
Jenifer Solidade (born 1984) - singer
Carlos Veiga (born 1949) – former Prime Minister of Cape Verde
Jorge Carlos de Almeida Fonseca (born 1950) - former president of Cape Verde
Dani Pinto (1958), football manager