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# Cape Verde/Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references: World

Area:
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 965 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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, pozzuolana? (a siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement), limestone, kaolin?, fish

Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 83% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: prolonged drought?s; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active

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 reptile?s; overfishing?

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity?, [Climate Change]?, Desertification, [Environmental Modification]?, [Hazardous Wastes]?, [Law of the Sea]?, [Marine Dumping]?, [Nuclear Test Ban]?
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

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Last edited July 13, 2001 8:41 am (diff)
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