São Vicente Portuguese for `Saint Vincent`, also Son Visent or Son Sent in Cape Verdean Creole, is one of the Barlavento islands of Cape Verde off the west African coast. It is located between the islands of Santo Antão and Santa Luzia, with the Canal de São Vicente separating it from Santo Antão. The island is of volcanic origin and has a roughly rectangular in shape with a surface area of ca. 227 square kilometres. The terrain includes mountains in the west, the southwest, the south, the east-central and the north. The urban area of Mindelo is in the northern part. São Vicente enjoys a very rare mild and dry tropical climate. The island is very arid, with only 80 to 130 mm of annual rainfall. These rare climate conditions are due to its position far off the west African coast and because Cape Verde is in the middle of the cold Canary Current.
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