Which African country includes the islands of Santiago, Sal, and Boa Vista? Cape Verde includes Santiago, Sal, and Boa Vista among its Atlantic islands.
Cape Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an archipelagic country off the west coast of Africa. Its ten main volcanic islands are traditionally divided into two groups: the Barlavento, or Windward, Islands, and the Sotavento, or Leeward, Islands.
Sal and Boa Vista belong to the Barlavento group. They are relatively flat, dry, and sandy, and their economies have long been associated with salt, fishing, and tourism. Santiago belongs to the Sotavento group and is the largest island, home to the capital, Praia, as well as the historic former capital Cidade Velha.
The name Cape Verde can cause confusion because the country is an island nation, not a mainland territory. Its islands sit in the central Atlantic, roughly 570 kilometers from Africa, near Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania. The country’s official Portuguese name is Cabo Verde.