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

Geographic coordinates 16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references Political Map of the World

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

Area - comparative slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries 0 km

Coastline 965 km

Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
contiguous zone: 24 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, limestone, kaolin, fish

Land use
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
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

NOTE: The information regarding Cape Verde on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cape Verde Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cape Verde Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.