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: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 89.82% (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