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| Location: |
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
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| Geographic coordinates: |
16 00 N, 24 00 W
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| Area: |
total:
4,033 sq km
land:
4,033 sq km
water:
0 sq km
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| Area - comparative: |
slightly larger than Rhode Island
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| Maritime claims: |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone:
24 NM
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea:
12 NM
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| Climate: |
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
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| Terrain: |
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
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| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
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| Natural resources: |
salt, basalt rock, pozzuolana (a siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin, fish
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| Land use: |
arable land:
11%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
6%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
83% (1993 est.)
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| Irrigated land: |
1,500 to 2,000 hectares (1999)
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| Natural hazards: |
prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active
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| Environment - current issues: |
overgrazing of livestock and improper land use such as the cultivation of crops on steep slopes has led to soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; overfishing
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| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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| 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
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