History of Sal Island, Cape Verde

History
Sal was discoverd in 1640 and was first known as LLANA or PLANA meaning "flat'. It was given its present nome when a lagoon in a crater of an extinct volcano was discovered and in this place, after the rains, salt was produced. This crater is now known as PEDRA DO LUME.Practically uninhabited and used only for grazing animals by the neighbouring population of BOA VISTA, it was only when salt was discovered that Sal began to grow in importance and, in fact, salt became its main export right up until the middle of this century.With a strong contribution from Italy and the recognition that a fueling point for flights to South America was necessary, the International Airport was built in 1939. As a result, quite a large internal migration took place, particularly from S.Nicolau to Sal. This factor made possible the construction of the tourist complexes, which for the last 20 years have been growing, particularly in SANTA MARTA, the region where the old salt pits were. The main attraction of this area are the magnificent beaches and sea and the excellent conditions for practising water sports.

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