Ilhéu de Santa Maria (once known as ''Quail Island'') is a small uninhabited islet of the
Sotavento archipelago in
Cape Verde
, national_anthem = ()
, official_languages = Portuguese
, national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole
, capital = Praia
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, demonym ...
located off the shore of the island
Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...
. Like all Cape Verdean islands, the islet is of volcanic origin. The islet has an area of roughly and is long and wide. It is situated at the entrance of
Praia Harbour
Praia Harbor ( pt, Porto da Praia) is the port of the city of Praia in the southern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. It is situated in a natural bay of the Atlantic Ocean. Since the latest modernization in 2014, it has 2 long quays, 3 sh ...
, in front of
Praia da Gamboa, near the city centre of
Praia
Praia (, Portuguese language, Portuguese for "beach") is the capital and largest city of Cape Verde. .
In the 1850s, a customs house
[Valor simbólico do centro histórico da Praia]
Lourenço Conceição Gomes, Universidade Portucalense, 2008 and warehouses were built on the islet.
[ The buildings have been used for ]quarantine
A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...
as well, but this was moved to the new ''Lazareto'' on Ponta Temerosa in the 1870s.[
In 2015, the Cape Verdean government and the Chinese-based Legend Development Company agreed on construction of a hotel resort and casino on the islet. As of May 2018, the bridge from the islet to the mainland has been completed, and construction of the hotel and casino are due to start in August 2018.]
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ilheu de Santa Maria
Uninhabited islands of Cape Verde
Subdivisions of Praia