Cape Verde Geography:
Location:
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 24 00 W
Map references:
Area:
total:
4,033 sq km
land:
4,033 sq km
water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
total: 0 km
border countries: NA
Coastline:
965 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 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, clay, gypsum
Land use:
arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 89.82%
(2001)
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; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; 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 (not ratified)
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 |
