Praia Republic

Praia is a constituent republic of Verde Commonwealth.

Praia Republic
Island of Santiago
Constituent Republic of Vekllei
Part of the Verde Commonwealth
Capital	Praia
Population	492,199
Area	991 km²
Languages	English, Verde Creole, Portuguese
Vekllei Accession	1945, as part of the British Atlantic Territories

The Praia Republic (literally “Beach”) is a constituent republic of Vekllei in the Atlantic, and is located in the southeastern fringe of the Barlavento archipelago. Perhaps a better name might have been ‘Plateau,’ since the republic’s most charismatic feature is its raised towns on pleateaus surrounded by valleys. It is both an unusual and an extraordinarily pretty island reflected well in its distinctive and insular culture.

For an island of its size, Praia remains surprisingly provincial. Neighbouring republics of the Verde Commonwealth have large federal or international institutions – the NLTU in Sal, or the International Peace Park on Maio, for example. But despite being the most populous of the Barlavento islands, Praia seems to administrate only itself. This is despite its welcoming culture, developed coastal cities and pleasant climate, and makes it both an oddity and oddly charming in Vekllei’s disparate Commonwealth. It is also heavily forested, especially in its valleys and mountains, which is unusual for the region.

Praia is the administrative heart of eastern Verde and the seat of its federal garrison. Unlike Cavoada’s dramatic mountainous interior or Viana’s natural harbor, Praia was never destined for greatness by geography alone. Its selection as the Verde capital in 1858 was a case of political pragmatism over natural advantage, chosen precisely because it offended no established interests while offering the practical benefit of defensible highlands overlooking excellent anchorage. The massive Fortaleza do Plateau (now Fortress Praia, built in phases between 1860 and 1895) remains the most imposing structure in the republic and has completely absorbed the islet of Santa Maria it once sat atop in the capital’s harbour.

The island’s Portuguese colonial period left the usual scars of slave entrepôts and salt pans, but Praia’s independent character emerged during the great morna renaissance of the 1880s, when Verdean musicians fleeing drought found patronage among the Portuguese colonial bureaucrats and garrison officers who had begun to see their Atlantic posting as something more than exile. “Plateau Sessions” – informal concerts held in the fortress courtyards during the cooler evening hours – remain a distinctive tradition to this day, and draw musicians from as far as the Azores who contribute to an evolved “federal morna” style. Today’s visitor will still find echoes of the Portuguese colonial period in the cafés surrounding Government House, where retired functionaries with ancestry in three continents argue about federal this-or-that over grogue and pastéis.

The republic’s unique position as the archipelago’s administrative center has preserved Verdean traditions amidst a growing, cosmopolitan population. The capital, also called Praia, is well-developed and home to many tall buildings, including the federal fortress and the headquarters of the Commonwealth Maritime Register. They are proud of their underground metro, the only such example in Verde, which feeds into winding and scenic train lines that reach out to the republic’s mountain towns and villages. A fast train leaves regularly for Tarrafal, the other city of the republic.

Climate

Expect heavy rains between August and October, but no precipitation at all the rest of the year. The weather is warm year-round.

Public Holidays

• New Year’s Day 1 Jan
• Heroes Day 20 Jan
• Republic Day 9 Mar
• Good Friday 30 Apr
• Commonwealth Day 1 May
• Ascension Day
• Whit Monday
• Assumption Day 15 Aug
• All Saints Day 1 Nov
• Christmas Day 25 Dec