Geography of Cape Verde

Cape Verde is a group of arid Atlantic islands. These islands are special because they have unique plants, birds, and reptiles that live only there. The geography of Cape Verde helps shape the lives of the people who live there and the animals and plants that call the islands home. Understanding the geography of Cape Verde lets us see how the land, water, and living things work together in this interesting part of the world.

Location and description

The Cape Verde Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean, about 450 km (280 mi) west of Africa. The islands have many different landscapes, from dry plains to high, active volcanoes with steep cliffs. The climate is dry, and the land area is 4,033 km² (1,557 mi²).

The island group has ten islands and five smaller ones, split into two groups: the windward (Barlavento) and leeward (Sotavento) islands. The six windward islands include Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Sal, and Boa Vista. The four leeward islands are Brava, Fogo, Santiago, and Maio. Some islands are rocky and volcanic, while others are flat and desert-like. Strong winds have moved sand and shaped the land on all the islands.

List of islands

Data

Cape Verde is a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It covers a total area of 4,072 km². The islands are about 1.5 times the size of Luxembourg.

The coastline stretches for 965 km (600 mi). The islands have a steep, rugged, and rocky landscape. The lowest point is at sea level, and the highest point is Mount Fogo, a volcano that reaches 2,829 m (9,281 ft) on Fogo Island.

The islands sometimes face long droughts and dusty winds. They are also in an area that can have volcanoes and earthquakes. Cape Verde is near major sea routes, which makes it important for communication and refueling.

Borders

Cabo Verde shares water borders with Mauritania and Senegal. Cabo Verde has signed agreements with these countries to set the borders, but the agreements sometimes disagree on exact lines. Because of its many islands, Cabo Verde has a large area of water for fishing and other uses, covering 800,561 km² (309,098 mi²).

Climate

Rainfall in Cape Verde can be hard to predict, sometimes causing droughts and food shortages. Today, special water-making machines help give water to many people. Scientists have tried using devices to catch mist from the air since 1962, but these have only been used in one place so far.

The islands usually have sunny days all year, especially between February and June. Sometimes, winds from the Sahara Desert bring dust and clouds, but this doesn’t happen all the time.

Cape Verde’s oceans are where some of the strongest hurricanes in the Atlantic start. These storms get their power from the warm waters and can become very intense. Although they often form near the islands, they usually move away before reaching land.

The islands can be very dry, but some higher mountains catch more moisture from the air, creating cooler, rainier spots. These areas often have more plants and trees because of the extra water.

Forests

In Cabo Verde, forests cover about 11% of the land. Some of these forests grow naturally, while others are planted by people. All of these forests are owned by the public. The islands are part of a special area called the Cape Verde Islands dry forests, recognized by the World Wildlife Fund.

Flora

Main article: Flora of Cape Verde

Cape Verde is a dry group of islands near Africa. Long ago, these islands had grasses and dry forests. Most of these were cleared for farming. Today, plants on the islands change depending on the height and rain. Some higher, wetter areas still have special forests found in only a few places in the world. These forests have unique trees and plants that grow nowhere else. Many of the original forests have disappeared because of farming and cutting down trees for wood.

Fauna

Cape Verde has many special animals that live only there. You can find four unique bird types, like the Raso lark, along with swifts, larks, warblers, and sparrows. The islands are a key place for seabirds to lay eggs, including the Cape Verde shearwater and Fea's petrel, which only nests here and in Madeira.

There are also reptiles that are found only on these islands, such as a large gecko called the Tarentola gigas. You can see many other geckos and skinks too.

Threats and protection

Much of Cape Verde's natural environment has been lost due to farming, cutting down trees, and soil loss. This has endangered some birds and reptiles. The last forests are only in high areas. New problems include taking sand from beaches without permission and catching too many fish. Birds that lay eggs on the ground are also at risk from animals like cats and rats that were brought to the islands.

Environment - international agreements

• Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Extreme points

Cape Verde has several extreme points that show its size and shape. The northernmost point is Ponta do Sol on Santao Antão Island. The southernmost point is Ponta Nho Martinhu on Brava. The westernmost point is Ponta Chao de Mongrade on Santao Antão. The easternmost point is Ponta Meringuel on Boa Vista.