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Locations - Santiago

Largest island

Santiago (or ‘São Tiago’) is Cape Verde’s largest island and was the first where people settled, in 1462. Over half of Cape Verde’s population live on Santiago, and it is the agricultural centre of the country. The nation’s capital city and its largest urban centre, Praia, is situated on the island and is home to one of Santiago’s two international airports. Praia is popular with many visitors for its lively nightlife, although its beaches are fewer and less impressive than those of Sal. The island has a varied economy. Aside from tourism, it is a main port for exporting such goods as coffee, sugar cane and tropical fruits, and the island’s industries include agriculture, fishing and manufacturing.

Varied landscape

Compared to the flat and more desert-like landscape of some of Cape Verde’s other islands - such as Sal – Santiago’s scenery is lush and varied. It has tropical forests, an interior landscape of mountains and valleys, and a coastline dotted with small but pretty white beaches.

Luxurious resort

The island of Santiago, along with Sal, is one of Cape Verde’s main players in terms of development and receiving investment. The government has marked out Santiago to be developed into a more luxurious alternative for visitors, with its appeal lying more in its exclusive resorts and facilities than in its coastline. Several golf courses are being planned which traditionally encourage the growth of tourism, along with large-scale resorts such as the 160-acre Ponta Bicuda with its two miles of coastline and extensive leisure facilities on-site.

Investment potential

Property prices on Santiago are still low, despite Cape Verde being tipped as a top tourism destination of the coming years. The island’s varied economy, and the potential of its tourism industry in particular, mean that its population is likely to grow further (it has already doubled since Cape Verde become independent in 1975) as it attracts Cape Verdians as well as an expatriate population. However, the main investment potential clearly lies in its tourism potential, as the island aims to attract a high-spending segment of the tourist market.

Related items

Documents and Reports

	Cape Verde property investment report (325Kb)
Documents and Reports

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