São Vicente

São Vicente
  • STS087-768-2
  • 13 November 1997
  • 13:56 UTC

Sao Vicente lies 12 km southeast — across the Canal de São Vicente, — from the island of Santo Ãntao in the northwestern regions of the Ilhas do Barlavento group; the smaller island of Santa Luzia is located 8 km to the southeast. The island, covering an area of 227 km², is roughly rectangular in shape, measuring 24 km in length from east to west with north to south widths of up to 16 km.

Terrain on the island includes several low groups of mountains, located in the northeast, southeast, southwest and northeast regions, reaching a height of 750 m at Monte Verde (in the northeast). Outwith the elevated areas, terrain is is generally flat and semi-arid to desert-like in appearance. Prominent in the image is the large streak of light-coloured sand formed by the Chão de S. Pedro, stretching from the northern coast near Mindelo to the southeast coast.

The northern coastlines of the island are somewhat irregular, being marked by numerous peninsulas, headlands and bays. Prominent among the latter (from left to right in the above image) are the near semi-circular Porto Grande bay (a drowned caldera formation and site of the main settlement of Mindelo), the Baia de Salamansa and the wide Baia do Norte.

Just visible in the image as a speck off the northern coast (opposite Porto Grande bay and Mindelo) is the small offshore islet of Ilhéu dos Pássaros.

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