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Location:
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Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
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Geographic coordinates:
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16 00 N, 24 00 W
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Map references:
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Political Map of the World
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Area:
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total: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Rhode Island
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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965 km
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Maritime claims:
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measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM
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Climate:
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temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic
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Terrain:
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steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
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Natural resources:
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salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish
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Land use:
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arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 89.82% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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30 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
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Environment - current issues:
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soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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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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