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

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 4,033 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 4,033 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 176

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
965 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

Climate:
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic
More Climate Details

Terrain:
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

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

Natural resources:
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Land use:
agricultural land: 18.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 11.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 6.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 21% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 60.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
35 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable; islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled to exploit their extensive salt deposits; the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged the soil fertility and vegetation; approximately half of the population lives on Sao Tiago Island, which is the location of the capital of Praia; Mindelo, on the northern island of Sao Vicente, also has a large urban population

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

volcanism: Fogo (2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano

Environment - current issues:
deforestation due to demand for firewood; water shortages; prolonged droughts and improper use of land (overgrazing, crop cultivation on hillsides lead to desertification and erosion); environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
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