Brava (volcano)

Brava
Highest point
Elevation956 m (3,136 ft)
Prominence956 m (3,136 ft)
Coordinates14°51′05″N 24°42′15″W / 14.8514°N 24.7041°W / 14.8514; -24.7041
Geography
LocationBrava Island
CountryCape Verde
Geology
Rock age~ 3.0–0.1 Ma
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Rock type(s)Phonolitic, Basalt
Last eruptionHolocene (Exact date unknown)

Brava (Portuguese: [ˈbɾavɐ]; lit.'Brave') is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cape Verde archipelago, located in the east central Atlantic Ocean about 18 km (11 mi) west of the active volcano Pico do Fogo. It is the smallest inhabited island of Cape Verde, but geologically it is notable for its abundance of phonolitic volcanic rocks, its complex tectonic setting, and its unusual association with carbonatite volcanism. Brava is characterized by a cluster of youthful volcanic craters, lava domes, and phreatomagmatic explosion vents. Although no confirmed historical eruptions are recorded, episodes of seismic unrest in the 20th and 21st centuries show that the system remains active.