Chã das Caldeiras facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chã das Caldeiras
Settlement
Village of Chã das Caldeiras before the 2014–15 eruption
Chã das Caldeiras Location in Cape Verde
Country	Cape Verde
Island	Fogo
Municipality	Santa Catarina do Fogo
Civil parish	Santa Catarina do Fogo
Population  (2010)
• Total	697
ID	83102

The Chã das Caldeiras (say "Shah das Kal-DAY-ras") is a huge, bowl-shaped area on Fogo Island in Cape Verde. Its name means "Plain of the calderas." A caldera is a large crater that forms when a volcano collapses. This one is about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) wide and is open on its eastern side.

On the west, it's surrounded by a tall mountain wall called the bordeira, which reaches up to 2,700 meters (8,858 feet) high. The Chã das Caldeiras was created by an ancient volcano called Monte Armarelo. Later, a smaller volcano, Pico do Fogo, grew inside it.

Exploring Chã das Caldeiras

A view of the town of Bangaeira.

Chã das Caldeiras is located in the southwestern part of Cape Verde. It covers the northeast area of Fogo Island. This special place is split between two local areas: Mosteiros in the north and Santa Catarina do Fogo in the south.

More than a thousand people live permanently inside this caldera. They live in small towns like Bangaeira and Portela. These towns are about 1,700 meters (5,577 feet) high. Sometimes, the temperature here can drop to 0°C (32°F).

The Chã das Caldeiras is part of the National Park of Fogo. It's one of the most popular places for tourists to visit in Cape Verde. You can get there by a single road that is about 35 kilometers (22 miles) long from the town of São Filipe.

Unique Plants of the Caldera

The plants growing here are not very dense. However, some very special plants grow only in this area. These are called endemic plants, meaning they can't be found anywhere else in the world!

Some examples include:

• Echium vulcanorum (also called lingua-de-vaca)
• Erysimum caboverdeanum (also called crabo bravo)

Other interesting plants you might see are:

• Sarcostemma daltonii (gestiba)
• Verbascum cystolithicum (mato-branco)
• Lavandula rotundifolia (aipo)
• Euphorbia tuckeyana (tortolho)

How People Make a Living

In areas where the land isn't covered by lava, farmers grow different crops. They plant fruit trees, various grains, and vineyards. A group of farmers works together in a cooperative. They produce a local wine called manecon. This wine is special because it is only sold within Cape Verde and not sent to other countries.

Buildings and Services

In 2010, a school in the area had 158 students. The town of Portela has two churches: one Catholic church and one Adventist church.

As of 2012, the towns of Bangaeira and Portela did not have electricity. However, there were plans to connect them to electricity by 2016.

Images for kids

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  Village of Bangaeira before the November 2014 – February 2015 eruption

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  Bangaeira in the aftermath of the 2014–15 eruption, remains of some buildings still exists, some houses were covered with lava, several suffered damages

• 

  Two years after the 2014–15 eruption, these were some buildings that survived the lava flows

• 

  Main Street of Bangaeira before the 2014-15 eruption, much of it were covered with lava and is now earthened

• 

  Catholic Church of Portela.

• 

  Coffee plant near Mosteiros.

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  Cooperative (Associação dos Agricultores de Chã) in Portela

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  “Espírito da Caldeira” label grape and quince spirits

See also

In Spanish: Chã das Caldeiras (Cabo Verde) para niños