The Sotavento Islands (Portuguese: Ilhas de Sotavento, literally, the Leeward Islands) is the southern island group of the Cape Verdearchipelago. There are four main islands. The western three islands, Brava, Fogo and Santiago, are rocky and volcanicagricultural islands, with the longest histories of human habitation. The fourth and easternmost island Maio is a flat desert island whose economy was primarily based on salt, giving it more in common with the Barlavento islandsSal and Boa Vista. The Ilhéus do Rombo are barren islets north of Brava. The total area of the Sotavento Islands is 1,803 km (696 sq mi).