Island development and maritime exchange

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Ribeira Grande was an important port of call between Africa, Europe, Brazil, the Caribbean and the route around the Cape of Good Hope. Plants, goods and people moved through the archipelago, placing it within an early transcontinental system.

The balance between islands later shifted. Praia grew on Santiago, while Porto Grande at Mindelo became a 19th-century coaling station for steam navigation and Atlantic communications. Aridity, drought and dependence on external trade nevertheless made the economy highly vulnerable.

The sea thus shaped the country’s geography: it separated the islands but also connected ports, communities and diasporas. Coastal shipping, fishing, port services and migration left a lasting mark on towns and family histories.