How a barren Atlantic rock transformed from a salt mine into a tourism hub

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Discovered in 1460 and initially named for its flat, desolate terrain, Sal spent centuries as a quiet salt-producing outpost. Today, this Cape Verdean island has reinvented itself as a premier destination for kiteboarding and sun-seekers, boasting some of the highest living standards in the entire archipelago.

Located 350 miles off the African coast, Sal was originally christened Chã, or 'flat,' upon its discovery on December 3, 1460. For three centuries, it remained sparsely populated, serving as little more than a remote fishing waypoint. The island's trajectory shifted dramatically at the end of the 18th century when the salt industry began to thrive, particularly around the Pedra de Lume crater. By 1830, the town of Santa Maria was founded to support this booming trade, which exported 30,000 tons of salt in its early years, primarily to Brazil.

The 20th century brought further structural evolution. In 1939, Italy initiated the construction of an airport to bridge Europe and South America, a project eventually completed by the Portuguese in 1949. This infrastructure laid the groundwork for the island's modern identity. As the salt industry waned—production finally ceased in 1984—tourism surged to fill the economic void. By 2017, Sal hosted nearly half of all available tourist beds in Cape Verde, anchored by the development of Santa Maria and the bustling Amílcar Cabral International Airport.

Today, Sal is a vibrant, rapidly growing hub. Its population has exploded from fewer than 3,000 residents in 1960 to approximately 40,000 by 2019, making it the third most populous island in the nation. Beyond its economic shift, the island has become a vital ecological sanctuary. It serves as the second-largest nesting site for Caretta turtles in the archipelago, which is itself the world's largest nesting aggregation for the species. With 350 days of sunshine annually, the island has successfully traded its industrial salt pans for a thriving, sun-drenched economy driven by international travel and water sports.

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