Porto Novo
Santo Antão's ferry gateway connecting the agricultural island to São Vicente and Cabo Verde's transport network.
Porto Novo serves as Santo Antão's gateway—the municipality housing the ferry port that connects the island to São Vicente and the broader archipelago. All Santo Antão traffic passes through this transport hub, giving the municipality strategic importance beyond its modest population.
The economy revolves around transit and trade. Ferry services link to Mindelo; cargo handling supports Santo Antão's agricultural exports and import needs. Services for travelers—restaurants, accommodations, transport—capture value from passenger flows.
Agricultural activity extends into Porto Novo's territory, including ribeira (valley) farming and fishing along the coast. But the core economic function is connectivity—processing the flows of people and goods that sustain Santo Antão's relationship with other islands.
The biological pattern is gateway metabolism: Porto Novo converts geographic position (closest point to São Vicente) into economic activity, functioning as interface between Santo Antão's agricultural interior and external markets.