Monte Graciosa | |
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Monte Graciosa
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 654 m (2,146 ft) |
Listing | List of mountains in Cape Verde |
Coordinates | 15°17′57″N 23°44′56″W / 15.29917°N 23.74889°WCoordinates: 15°17′57″N 23°44′56″W / 15.29917°N 23.74889°W |
Geography | |
northern Santiago
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Geology | |
Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
Monte Graciosa (Portuguese meaning “gracious mountain”) is a third tallest mountain ranges in the island of Santiago in Cape Verde in the northern part northeast of the town of Tarrafal. Its elevation is 645 m. Monte Graciosa has been a protected area since 2003.
The mountain is located just east of the Baía de Tarrafal. The western part of the mountain area is the headland of Ponta Preta and its point located northwest of the lighthouse and are surrounded by cliffs.
Monte Graciosa are the three main important summits on the island after Serra da Malagueta (1,064 m) and Pico da Antónia (1,394 m) to the south.
The mountain mainly composes of phonolitic rocks and are covered with basalt layers in the achada (plateau) area and descends to the ocean. The bast features andesite and nepheline rocks with fluid texture, formed by feldspathic rocks including andesine and labradorite.
During the Ice Age, the elevation was over 750 meters between 15000 and 9000 BC, around 6000 to 5000BC, its elevation measured below 700 meters.
In the colonial times, the landmark was known to navigators.
The natural park features about 2.4% of the endemic plants in the country, notably Campylanthus glaber ssp. glaber (alecrim brabo), Euphorbia tuckeyana, Kickxia webbiana (agrião de rocha), Kickxia dichondrifolia, Nauplius daltonii ssp. daltonii, Paronychia illecebroides (palha de formica), Sarcostemma daltonii (gestiba) and Macaronesian ironwood (Siderxylon marginata) (marmolano or marmulano)
Other plants in the park includes Jatropha curcas and Prosopis juliflora (American acacia) founded higher than 200 m altitude.