Chão de Estância

Chão de Estância (Capeverdean Crioulo, ALUPEC or ALUPEK: Txãu di Stânsia, São Vicente Crioulo: Tchãu d' Stância) is a hilly area covering the southern, the southcentral and the southeastern parts of the island of Maio in Cape Verde. Its length is about 15 km and its width is approximately 15 km.

Places

Villages and settlements dominate the hilly area, it is home to around 15% of the island's population, the villages lies in the southcentral part of the area:

• Barreiro
• Figueira da Horta
• Figueira Seco
• João
• Ribeira Dom João

Geography

The area are made up of hills and foothills, several mountains dominate the area including the major and the islands' tallest, Monte Batalhas. Vegetation covers a part of the area that includes trees and some groves as well as palm trees and other plants and it is the island's most covered vegetation. Farmlands covers the areas within the village and are slightly larger than other parts of Cape Verde and mainly consists of cattle and other crops. The climate is mainly dry. A small part of the southern part are flat. A series of hills and mountains dominates northeast of the hills. The road encircling the southern and the eastern half of the island is to the south and east. Several rural and unearthened roads are around the area.

The island of Maio and the surrounding islands
Communities and settlements Alcatraz | Barreiro | Calheta | Cascabulho | Figueira da Horta | Figueira Seco | João | Lagoa | Monte Branco | Morrinho | Morro | Pedro Vaz (East Maio) | Pedro Vaz (Northeastern Maio) | Pilão Cão | Porto Cais | Praia Gonçalo | Ribeira Dom João | Santo Antônio | Vila do Maio (Porto Inglês)
Parishes Nossa Senhora da Luz
Mountains Monte Batalhas | Monte Penoso
Other geographical features Ponta Cais | Chão de Estância | Baía de Galeão | Baía La Figueira | Ilhéu Laja Branca | Ponta Preta | Terras Salgadas | Baía da Santana