| 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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| Zone | Africa |
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| Area | total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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| Land boundaries | 0 km |
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| Coastline | 965 km |
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| Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum |
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| Irrigated land | 965 km |
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| Natural hazards | prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active |
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Environment -
current issues | soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing |
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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 |
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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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