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
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 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, limestone, kaolin, fish |
| 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; 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
Source: CIA World Factbook
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