Nelson Mandela International Airport (Praia International Airport)
Nelson Mandela International Airport, also known as Praia International Airport, is the airport of Santiago Island in Cape Verde. It was opened in October 2005, replacing the old Francisco Mendes International Airport. It is located about 3 km northeast of the city centre of Praia in the southeastern part of the island of Santiago.
The first flight to the new airport was on 6 October 2005 with a flight from Sal. Even though the airport serves the capital and largest city, Praia as well as the island of Santiago, Cape Verde's busiest international airport is Amílcar Cabral International Airport located on the smaller island of Sal.
In January 2012 a Cape Verde government statement noted that Praia International Airport was renamed after South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela, an icon for freedom in Africa, not without controversy. Modernization works, including a new departures hall, were scheduled for completion in July 2018.
The first flight to the new airport was on 6 October 2005 with a flight from Sal. Even though the airport serves the capital and largest city, Praia as well as the island of Santiago, Cape Verde's busiest international airport is Amílcar Cabral International Airport located on the smaller island of Sal.
In January 2012 a Cape Verde government statement noted that Praia International Airport was renamed after South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela, an icon for freedom in Africa, not without controversy. Modernization works, including a new departures hall, were scheduled for completion in July 2018.
IATA Code | RAI | ICAO Code | GVNP | FAA Code | |
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Telephone | (+238) 63 39 35 | Fax | (+238) 63 38 76 | ||
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Map - Nelson Mandela International Airport (Praia International Airport)
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Country - Cape_Verde
The Cape Verde archipelago was uninhabited until the 15th century, when Portuguese explorers discovered and colonized the islands, thus establishing the first European settlement in the tropics. Because the Cape Verde islands were located in a convenient location to play a role in the Atlantic slave trade, Cape Verde became economically prosperous during the 16th and 17th centuries, attracting merchants, privateers, and pirates. It declined economically in the 19th century after the suppression of the Atlantic slave trade, and many of its inhabitants emigrated during that period. However, Cape Verde gradually recovered economically by becoming an important commercial center and useful stopover point along major shipping routes. In 1951, Cape Verde was incorporated as an overseas department of Portugal, but its inhabitants continued to campaign for independence, which they achieved in 1975.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
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CVE | Cape Verde escudo | Esc or $ | 2 |
ISO | Language |
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PT | Portuguese language |