| Tarrafal | |
| Coordinates: | 15.278°N -23.752°W |
| Key: | 71120 |
Tarrafal (also: Mangui or Mangue) is a city[1] in the northern part of the island of Santiago, Cape Verde. In 2010 its population was 6,656. It is a fishing port situated on the northwestern coast. It constitutes the seat of the Tarrafal Municipality.
The city is situated by the Baía de Tarrafal, at the foot of 643 m high Monte Graciosa.[2] Tarrafal is at the northern end of two main roads to Praia in the south, one leading through Assomada and São Domingos (EN1-ST01), the other along the east coast through Calheta de São Miguel and Pedra Badejo (EN1-ST02).
The origin of the toponym “Tarrafal” is the Portuguese word “tarrafal”, which means a plantation of the indigenous plant “tarrafe”,[2] Tamarix senegalensis.[3] The settlement was mentioned in the 1747 map by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin as "Terrafal".[4] In 1917, the municipality of Tarrafal was separated from Santa Catarina, and the town Tarrafal became its seat.[5] Between 1936 and 1974, political prisoners were held at the Tarrafal camp, south of the city. At least 32 prisoners died in the camp, which now houses a museum.[2]
| Year | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 June 1990, census | 3,626 | |
| 16 June 2000, census | 5,785 | |
| 1 January 2005, estimate | 6,463 | |
| 2010, census | 6,656 |