Fontainhas

"For the island of Brava's tallest point, see Monte Fontainhas"

Fontainhas (Portuguese meaning the "small fountains", Capeverdean Crioulo, ALUPEC or ALUPEK and the Santo Antão Crioulo: "Fontainhas") is a village in the northern part of the island of Santo Antão. Its population is between 80 and 100 inhabitants. The settlement is located southwest of Ponta do Sol and is linked with a stone-paved road that only has one lane linking with that town which goes through by the cliffs of the Atlantic and the rest of the island otherwise other roads or trails link to the mountain as well as the bay 2 km northwest due to its treacherous cliffs which makes the island nearly labyrinthine when its up to roads. The Atlantic Ocean is only 1 km away to the north.

Nearest places

*Ponta do Sol, northeast

Geography

The settlement sits on the edge of a mountain ledge. It has several buildings over the ledge, its total length is approximately 15 to 20 m at the end. The village has around six to seven streets. Houses are colored in pink and are also stone-built, a few of them are abandoned. Several local trees are sporadically founded. Hiking and trekking are common in the higher elevations of the area around Fontainhas. Farmlands also appear in the valley areas and a ribeira empties into a small bay that connects with the Atlantic. Another bay exists to the northwest and are linked with a zig-zag road and has a house by its cliffs.

The mountains dominate the area around the village as well as a valley to the west and another 500 m long valley to the east. Farmlands which includes paddies for fruits and vegetables as well as plantations are entirely by its angled slopes around the valley and which they are carefully accessed by foot. Cattle farms are also by its slopes. The mountain cliffs and steep and treacherous ledges dominate the valley area. The rest of the mountain are filled with grasslands with a few palm trees as well as its local ones even in its ledges and rocks.

Information

The village is in the island's low class. Most of the houses are built with mud-brick and stone, the rest are built with either steel reinforced concrete or with stone and wood. Much of its population are farmers and are based in agriculture where banana plantations, and other crops are common, the rest are for services including its schools. Some farms are in the form of paddies and stone walls. However, a part of the needy materials comes from the island capital, the island capital and the diaspora. But for other needs, electricity, communications, appliances and street lights are partially available in the area as well as phone lines since the late-20th century. A part of the necessities also comes from the island capital.

Other

Fontainhas has a school located 100 m from the centre to the east near a ledge. Fontainhas also features a church and a square. Its nearest high school, banks and a post office are in Ponta do Sol.

External links

* [http://www.ecaboverde.com/cat48.htm Photos of Fontainhas at ecaboverde.com] - eleven photos (as of December 2006) on the most spoken languages in the world including English, French and Portuguese