Sal, Cape Verde
Sal (actually Portuguese: Ilha do Sal, Germany: Island of salt ) is one of the Cape Verde Islands in the Atlantic.
Facts and Figures
- Localities: Espargos ( capital of the island ), Santa Maria, Pedra de Lume, Palmeira, Murdeira
- Location: between 16 ° 35 'and 16 ° 51 ' north latitude and 22 ° 52 'and 23 ° 00 ' west longitude
- Part of Ilhas de Barlavento (German: Leeward Islands ) east of São Nicolau and north of Boa Vista.
Geography
Sal is with its 216 km ² is the smaller of the Cape Verde Islands, located on the northeastern edge of the archipelago and is old (about 50 million years) volcanic origin. The largely flat island with limestone plateaus and dunes is dominated by some witnesses mountains and weathered volcanic vents. In the north outweigh lava cliffs and beaches, while the south is characterized by miles of sandy beaches bright, flat dunes and abandoned salt pans. Individual oases with date palms windswept such as Fontona in the past served the horticulture and animal husbandry. In Pedra de Lume impress a perfectly circular caldera whose floor is at sea level and has been used industrially as saline. Today it is used almost exclusively for tourism purposes, because of the high Salzkonzentation in the Saline basin is a " swim " in the Dead Sea as possible.
Geology
Geologic Sal can be broken down as follows ( from young to old):
- Quaternary abrasion
- Monte Grande- Pedra Lume - formation
- Serra Negra Eruptiva
- Ponta do Altar Baleia complex
- Haupteruptiva
- Age Eruptivkomplex
The Old Eruptivkomplex has 25.6 million years BP, the previous highest age for volcanic rocks of Cape Verde rendered (Upper Oligocene ). It consists of submarine lavas ( pillow lava and Hyaloklastiten of alkalibasaltischer composition. These submarine deposits were of an imposing vein swarm with variable chemical composition intruded ( basalts to trachytes ). Preferred transition directions are N 070, N 090 and N 160 too intrusive bodies consisting of Foidsyeniten ( nepheline syenites ), gabbros and Alkalipyroxeniten ( Essexiten ) are encountered. they often show circular zonal structure and are interpreted as subvolcanic magma chambers that had arisen from nepheline - normative magmas to separate an pyroxenitischen Kumulusphase. In the Eruptivkomplex embedded, pelagic micrites reported in more than 300 meters of water were sold, they occupy a seamount stage for Sal Subaerial volcanic rocks are Erutivkomplex likewise available ( lava flows and transitions from Melanephelinit and phonolite ), but in terms of volume relatively insignificant.
After a period of intense erosion led to the formation of the Middle Miocene Haupteruptiva that occur both submarine and subaerisch and are characterized by a very high flow rate. From 15.8 million years BP ( Langhium ) emerged Alkaliolivinbasalte and from 14.2 million years BP Olivinnephelinite. The Haupteruptiva are due in the southeast part of Sal. They are also penetrated by a vein swarm, which however is oriented differently with N 040.
The following about Ponta do Altar Baleia complex shows how the Haupteruptiva a Alkaliolivinbasalt - Olivinnephelinit sequence, but of 2 meters thick, marine sediments ( calcarenites, conglomerates, mudstones and SilTite ) is disconnected. For the Olivinnephelinite the hanging wall of age from 11.2 to 8.7 million years BP were determined ( Tortonian ). After the eruption Olivinnephelinite there was a drastic decline in volcanic activity and erosion processes gained the upper hand: there were, for example, lahar - like deposits, limestones and calcarenites of marine origin and Upper Miocene age were also discontinued.
With the Serra Negra Eruptiva began at the end of the Miocene to 5.5 million years BP ( Messinian ) a new phase of volcanic activity. In her submariner is gradually replaced by subaerial volcanism. In contrast to the previous Spaltenvulkanismus the Serra Negra Eruptiva were promoted over vent centers. Were formed hypersthene - normative basalts.
After a 4.5 million years lasting break BP created in the early Pleistocene from 1.06 million years the volcanic rocks of the Monte Grande- Pedra Lume - formation - Olivinnephelinite and Olivinmelilithite present as lava flows and pyroclastic cones. A phreatomagmatic explosion blew out the circular crater of Pedra Lume. The pyroclastic cone follow in part a northeast-southwest oriented belt. The volcanic activity continued until the Middle Pleistocene ( 600,000 years BP).
Then in the late Quaternary it came to Sal from about 1 million years BP to intense marine abrasion that left 17 terrace levels and surf platforms. The highest level reached 100 meters.
History
The uninhabited island at this time was discovered on December 3, 1460 by the order of Henry the Navigator propelled Genoese Antonio da Noli captain and under the name Llana ( Flat Island) repossessed.
After the island was initially inhabited by shepherds slaves for extensive livestock farming, followed in the 17th century free settlers to obtain salt. 1838 a large saline was created in Santa Maria, the much more abundant saline followed in the 19th century in the crater of Pedra Lume. The main objective of salt exports were the English and Belgian colonies in Africa and Latin America.
Salt production and extensive livestock fed only a marginal population, which is only slightly increased after the opening of a tuna fishery, 1930.
Economy and Transport
In 1939, the Axis powers secured the flight route from southern Europe to Latin America by building a military airfield on Sal by the Italian Mussoliniregime. After the Second World War it was completed in 1949 as a civilian airport. Since independence (1975 ) it bears the name of the national hero as Aeroporto Internacional Amilcar Cabral ( SID IATA Code, ICAO Code GVAC ). The international airport near the island's capital Espargos has contributed significantly to the development of the island and settlement of a growing population. The standard of living on Sal exceeds the national average by far. During the apartheid policy in South Africa, the Organization of African Unity imposed an overflight embargo on South African commercial aircraft and allowed only stopovers on Sal in Europe and North America traffic.
Sal is one of the driest places on earth, with 350 days of sunshine per year and very durable, strong north-east wind. Thanks on, fine sandy beaches and shallow water of Sal has since the 1990s, a popular spot for surfers, divers and swimmers.
Main tourist resort is Santa Maria in the south of the island, is the administrative center Espargos.
Sons and daughters of the island
- Ildo Lobo (1953-2004), musician
- Ana Firmino ( born 1959 ), singer
- Mary Alice ( born 1961 ), singer
- Elvis Évora (born 1978 ), Portuguese national basketball player
- Nélson Marcos ( b. 1983 ), Portuguese footballer
- Odair Nelson Fonseca Conceicao ( born 1984 ), basketball player in Portugal
- Heldon Augusto Almeida Ramos ( * 1988), Cape Verdean footballer