A brief history of Praia

Cape Verde was in the headlines recently for a very exciting reason, particularly on the island of Santiago, as the country's first capital became its inaugural Unesco world heritage site, placing it on a par with the Taj Mahal, the Tower of London and the Great Barrier Reef.

But while Cicade Velha - the name given to the city originally called Ribiera Grande - has been given a high status as an international treasure, the fact that it is no longer the capital and has not been since 1770 may also be considered worth of attention.

It is of course known that Cicade Velha, which was founded in the 15th century shortly after the discovery of the islands, became vulnerable to attacks from pirates and it was for this reason that the city was abandoned. It was at this point that Praia, 20km north-east up the coast, took over.

In many respects the history of Praia is that of Cape Verde, becoming a capital not of an independent nation but a Portuguese colony. For that reason, the cultural and architectural influences on the city have come from the former masters.

But since independence, Praia has emerged as a city of greater significance, with one very obvious feature of this being its rapidly growing population. As Santiago's population as a whole has doubled since 1975, so the capital has also seen growth. In 1990 the population was 61,000. The latest figure puts it at 125,000. This amounts to over a fifth of the entire nation's population and puts it well ahead of every other city in the archipelago.

Of course, being the capital and largest city means that Praia is inevitably the seat of much of what is going on, particularly in politics, business and - as a major port - trade. The growth of the city may also excite investors, as many will spot the potential for new business as the labour force gets larger.

As for the future, this fast-growing city in a fast-emerging country may have plenty of extra potential for tourism, according to one blogger on Cape Verde Info, G from Scotland. He said: "I think that long term, Praia will become the new Cape Town, assuming the casino is built and Praia Bay is cleaned up as planned."

Given the growth that has taken place in recent years, Praia may indeed emerge as something remarkable. Not necessarily as a place for world heritage, but as a vibrant, growing heart of a nation that is not just independent but looking to the future with confidence.

This article has been brought to you be Sambala; the developer for Cape Verde Property.

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