Assomada
| Assomada | |
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The summit city
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| Coordinates: 15°05′46″N 23°40′01″W / 15.096°N 23.667°WCoordinates: 15°05′46″N 23°40′01″W / 15.096°N 23.667°W | |
| Country | Cape Verde |
| Island | Santiago |
| Municipality | Santa Catarina |
| Civil parish | Santa Catarina |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 12,332 |
Assomada (in Cape Verdean Creole: Somada) is a city on the Sotavento (leeward) island of Santiago in Cape Verde. It is the seat of the municipality of Santa Catarina, which comprises the central western part and much of the interior of the island, and it is the largest city in that region. Assomada lies at about 550 m elevation on a plateau surrounded by mountains, farmland, and hills in the center of Santa Catarina. Surrounding communities bordering Assomada includes Gil Bispo to the northeast, Palha Carga to the west and Boa Entrada to the north.
Assomada lies at approximately the midpoint on the highway that runs the length of the island of Santiago from Praia (the capital) in the south to the seaside port of Tarrafal in the north. It is also connected by road to the eastern port of Pedra Badejo. Assomada is located 26 km northwest of Praia.
The etymology of the name is a portuguese word, the other word assomar (to loom) and assomar-se (looming) indicates that a city is in a highest portion of an island, in an area of the highest part of a plateau on the island. It is the etymology of the other two Assomadas, one in the Azores and the other in the Madeira Islands.
Assomada has an urban area of about 550 ha or 5.5 km².
In 2015, it had about 15,000 people throughout the city and is the second largest on the island. The city has grown considerably since the independence of Cape Verde, and the regional center attracts many people coming from the interior and other parts of the island in search for work.
Assomada plays an important commercial role and has a pleasant combination of urban areas and fields. The city centre features many Portuguese-style colonial buildings.
In 2005, its urban area was 213 ha or 2.13 km².
Assomada is subdivided into 22 neighborhoods including Achada Riba, Atrás de Banco, Bolanha, the City Center (central part), Chã de Santos, Covão, Covão Ribeiro, Cruz Vermelha, Cumbém (located in the south), Cutelo, Cutelo Torre, Espinho Branco, Leiria, Lém Vieira, Matinho, Nhagar (located in the north), Pedra Barro, Ponta Fonte Lima, Portãozinho, Tarafalinho and Tras da Empa (Traz d'Empa).
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Wikipedia