Sal

Sal is Cabo Verde's tourism engine—a flat, arid island that converted geographic accident (proximity to Europe, year-round sunshine) into the archipelago's primary foreign exchange generator. The island hosts 1.2 million visitors annually at peak, with all-inclusive resorts lining Santa Maria Beach attracting mostly European sun-seekers.

The tourism monoculture is nearly complete. RIU, Meliá, Hilton, and other international hotel chains operate properties across 275 hotels and resorts. Windsurfing and kitesurfing draw adventure sports enthusiasts (Sal ranks among the world's top 5 windsurfing destinations). Sea turtle conservation provides ecotourism diversification. But the fundamental product is beach access and reliable weather.

This concentration creates both prosperity and vulnerability. Cabo Verde's 5.9% GDP growth (projected 2025) depends heavily on Sal's performance. European economic conditions directly impact visitor numbers. The island lacks agricultural capacity, manufacturing, or services beyond tourism.

The biological pattern is extreme specialization: Sal evolved to exploit a single ecological niche (European beach tourism) with remarkable efficiency but minimal resilience. Climate change, airline route decisions, or European recessions pose existential risks to an economy optimized for one activity.