Short facts about the geography of Cape Verde

Location:

Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:

World

Area:

total:  4,033 sq km land:  4,033 sq km water:  0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

965 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines contiguous zone:  24 NM exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain:

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:  Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources:

salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish

Land use:

arable land:  11% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  6% forests and woodland:  0% other:  83% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

1,500 to 2,000 hectares (1999)

Natural hazards:

prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues:

overgrazing of livestock and improper land use such as the cultivation of crops on steep slopes has led to soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site

Source: World Factbook