Mosteiros, Cape Verde

Archipelago

Mosteiros is the second largest town on the Cape Verdean island of Fogo. It lies in the northeast of the island and is called in Creole Musteru. The village has about 3000 inhabitants.

Transport links and infrastructure

Mosteiros is on a good road with São Filipe, the capital of southwestern island of Fogo, connected. Several times a day (except on Sundays and holidays) is to reach the city with the typical for the Cape Verde Aluguer buses. Mosteiros also had a small airfield, which was, however, closed down in favor of the airport of the island's capital. In Vila de Mosteiros, the center of the velvet municipality, various schools, several small shops, a few simple restaurants and guest houses are located ( pensão ).

Economy

The closure of the airfield was a setback for the economy and the development of the city. The illiteracy rate is among the highest in the whole country with 31%. The most important economic factor is the agricultural sector, where 96 % of the working population is employed. Near the town there are some plantations, where in a range of 300-1000 m asl Grown coffee and is marketed as Café do Fogo. The cultivation of coffee in Cape Verde started in 1790, takes place today, however, only on the island of Fogo to any significant extent. The yield on Fogo in 2006 amounted to 35 t, 45 t in 2007 and 2008 after a drought 21 t. In the 19th century, the physic nut was grown extensively on Fogo, from whose seed they won a machine oil. Throughout Fogo you can still see the now overgrown shrubs. Recently, the plant has re- directed as a potential producer of biodiesel, the interest of science itself.

Attractions

• The geographic center of the small square Praça do Entroncamento with its manicured gardens, around which most of the shops and the post office and police station are located.
• Is also worth seeing the church of Nossa Senhora de Ajuda.

Environment

• Not far from Mosteiros is one of the few forests of Cape Verde, Floresta de Monte Velha. The landscape is dominated by the lava flow, the volcano Pico do Fogo launched in 1951.
• Not far southwest of the city, the main attraction of the entire island of Fogo is to see the volcano Pico do Fogo, the method last erupted in 1995. It is at an altitude of 2,829 meters the highest mountain in the Cape Verde Islands. At its foot after the outbreak was worth visiting the village of Cha das Caldeira, in their environment on an area of ​​over 200 hectares of vineyards. More than 100 wine-growers are united in a cooperative, which successfully marketed the wine. Many buildings in Cha das Caldeira are built with black lava stone, even the main road is paved with blocks of lava.
• South of Mosteiros extends near the village Cova Matinho one of the few beaches on the island, the Casa Praia with bizarre rock formations.