The Sotavento archipelago (literally, the Leeward), is the southern island group of Cape Verde.
There are four main islands: Brava, Fogo and Santiago are rocky and volcanic agricultural islands, with the longest histories of human inhabitance and densest populations in the Cape Verdes. Maio lies to the east and is a flat desert island whose economy was primarily based on salt, giving it more in common with Sal and Boa Vista among the Barlaventos.
Minor islands include the Rombo Islands north of Brava and Santa-Maria Island off Santiago.
