Arquipelago de Cabo Verde
The Cape Verde Islands (Arquipelago de Cabo Verde) are a
group of semi-arid islands (see panoramic image) located in the eastern regions of the Atlantic Ocean,
located between 570 km and 835 km off the coast of West Africa. Lying within a region of some 63,000 km² in area, there are 12
main islands and numerous small offshore islets. The archipelago has a
total land area of 4,033 km². The islands are split into two geographical groups: the Ilhas do Barlavento (Windward Islands)
in the north and the Ilhas do Sotavento (Leeward Islands) in the south.
The Ilhas do Barlavento grouping includes the islands of Santo Ãntao (779 km²), Boa Vista (634 km²), São Nicolau (388 km²), São Vicente (227 km²), Sal (216 km²), Santa Luzia (34 km²), Ilhéu Branco (3 km²) and Ilhéu Raso (7 km²). The Ilhas do Sotavento includes the islands of São Tiago (991 km²), Fogo (476 km²), Maio (268 km²), Brava (64 km²) and the 6 small islets of the Ilhéus do Rombo group — the main members of this small cluster are the islands of Ilhéu Grande (3 km²) and Ilhéu de Cima (1.5 km²).
Volcanic in origin, the islands are composed predominantly from igneous rock formations with a small fraction of sedimentary rocks also being found. The younger islands exhibit a rugged landscape of high peaks, ridges, plateaux and deep valleys; in contrast, the older islands of Boa Vista, Maio, and Sal are relatively flat and highly eroded. The highest elevation is found at the Pico de Fogo — a steep-sided volcanically-active cone that emerges from the Cha Caldera on Fogo to a height of 2,829 m. Coastlines of the islands are often cliff-lined or bound by steep slopes that descend to rocky shores or to beaches of black or white sand.
Very little of the archipelago's original dry forest and scrub type vegetation cover remains. Those areas of original vegetation that do remain in this highly modified environment are generally confined to fragmented patches on high, steep and inaccessible slopes. The islands contain 92 species of plant that are endemic to the islands, including a number of endangered tree species. Savannah type vegetation is common also. Much of the terrain is devoid of vegetation cover however, instead comprising a stony, sandy or bare-rock desert-like landscape.
Climatically, the islands experience a dry subtropical to arid-type climate with a dry season from December to July and a wet season from August to November. Both rainfall and temperature vary significantly with elevation; average temperatures are 24 °C. The islands are usually windy; dust-laden Harmattan winds blowing out across the Atlantic from northwest Africa often bring vast quantities of fine-grained sand to and over the islands, producing hazy conditions and colourful sunsets. The area also produces what are known as Cape Verde-type hurricanes — tropical cyclones that develop into tropical storms before reaching hurricane-strength as they near the Caribbean.
