Ribeira Brava, Cape Verde (municipality)

Ribeira Brava is a municipality on the island of São Nivolau of the Barlavento group in Cape Verde. This new municipality was formed in 2005 after the splitting in two of the older municipality of São Nicolau.

Parishes

The municipality includes two parishes:
*Nossa Senhora da Lapa
*Nossa Senhora do Rosário

ettlements

*Agua das Patas
*Belém
*Cabeçalinho
*Cachaço
*Caleijão
*Campinho
*Campo
*Carriçal
*Carvoeiro
*Castilhano
*Covada
*Estância de Brás
*Fael
*Fajã de Baixo
*Fajã de Cima
*Fontainhas
*Jalunga
*Juncalinho
*Pombas
*Preguiça
*Queimada
*Ribeira Brava
*Talho

Ribeira Brava (town)

The town of Ribeira Brava (also known in Cape Verdean Creole "R’bera Brava" or "Stanxa") takes its name from several ‘rough’ streams in the valley areas in the mountains to the west and also in the centre of the island of São Nicolau. The town is sandwiched between two mountains, Monte Fora to the North and Caleijão mountains to the South. Its streets and buildings stretch hundreds of metres within the valley. It serves as the center of business and trade for the surrounding areas. Its population is 4,982. It is one of the oldest towns in Cape Verde and was for many years the seat of the Roman Catholic Church in the islands. The town has a colonial look with Portuguese style buildings, charming parks and gardens, small winding streets, and steep hills with stunning views. Ribeira Brava is linked with roads to Tarrafal de São Nicolau on the southwestern part of the island, south to its nearest port Campo and to the eastern half of the island as well. The town was founded in the sixteenth century after locals settled here to escape continuous pirate attacks by the likes of Sir Francis Drake. Ribeira Brava is famous for being the bedrock of Cape Verdean intellect in the 19th century as there you find a Seminary which for many years was the center of higher education in the archipelago.

Ribeira Brava has a schools or collegiates ("colegio"), a lyceums (middle school), a gymnasium (secondary schools), churches, a nearby airport located south between Ribeira Brava and Campo, a post office and a few squares ("praças").

Historical population (town)

Persons

*Amândio Cabral (b. 1934), a Cape Verdean songwriter who currently lives in California.