Cabo Verde Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Cabo Verde?

Overview

A little over 500 years ago, early Portuguese explorers discovered an archipelago of ten islands just off the coast of West Africa (620 km./385 miles due west of Senegal) and about halfway between Portugal and Brazil. Because there was inadequate water, the islands had no permanent settlements at the time. The Portuguese Crown found the location strategically important, despite the water shortage, and established a colony called "Cabo Verde." The new colony acquired a population - Portuguese, other Europeans, and Africans (initially as slaves) - who soon intermarried and founded a Creole culture, with subsequent additions from the Netherlands, Morocco, and New England when Cape Verde became the refueling and crewing center for whaling vessels, as well as an entrepôt for other parts of Africa. These three elements - location (between Europe and the New World; off Africa but not part of the mainland), the lack of water, and the mix of peoples have continued to play a major role in shaping the history, prospects, and the sense of identity of Cape Verde.

The 10 islands, totaling about 4,033 sq. km., are volcanic and have limited arable land. Nine of them are inhabited. Santo Antão, São Vicente, Boa Vista, São Nicolau, and Sal, (plus the uninhabited Santa Luzia) make up the six Windward Islands, while Maio, Santiago (which contains the capital, Praia), Fogo (with a semi-active volcano), and Brava comprise the four Leeward islands. The total population, according to the 2000 census, is 434,812. Santiago Island (with the city of Praia) alone contains over half of the total population and Mindelo (the second largest city) on São Vicente accounts for an additional 15%.

Geography - note

Strategic location 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; an important sea and air refueling site

Climate

In terms of climate, Cape Verde is part of the Sahel region. Annual dust storms, originating in the Sahara, tend to erode the windward side of the islands and bring seasonal harmattan or smog-like dust. The climate otherwise is superb, with sub-tropical temperatures mediated by the surrounding water and the prevailing north-westerly winds. The average temperature in Praia is 75 degrees F (24.4°C), but summers are hot and humid. The range of monthly averages is from 72°F to 79°F. Rainfall is almost absent even in normal year-average precipitation is less than 10 inches. In addition, Cape Verde suffers periodically from drought. For 10 years, from 1989 until 1999, Cape Verde suffered severe drought, receiving less than half the average amount. In 1999 and 2000, the drought was relieved by a normal wet season (August to October.)

Cabo Verde Use of Natural Resources

Cabo Verde Environment

Climate:

Terrain:

Steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Natural Resources:

Salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish

Natural Hazards:

Prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Irrigated Land:

13 Square Miles
34 Square Kilometers

Environmental Issues:

Soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel have 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, 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

Cabo Verde Geography

Geographic Location	Africa
Total Area	1,557 Square Miles 4,033 Square Kilometers
Land Area	1,557 Square Miles 4,033 Square Kilometers
Irrigated Land	13 Square Miles 34 Square Kilometers
Coastline	600 Miles 965 Kilometers
Geographic Coordinates	16 00 N, 24 00 W
Terrain	Steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
Highest Point	2,829 Meters
Highest Point Location	Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
Lowest Point Location	Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Natural Resources	Salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish
Time Zone	UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

World Regions

Africa Asia Central America Europe Middle East North America Oceania South America The Caribbean

Most Popular

United States of America China France Italy Canada Spain India Brazil Mexico

All Countries

Afghanistan Akrotiri Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Clipperton Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Coral Sea Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dhekelia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia, The Gaza Strip Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Jan Mayen Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sudan, South Suriname Svalbard Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States (US) Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands Wake Island Wallis and Futuna West Bank Western Sahara World Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe