Geography

The Cape Verdean archipelago consists of 10 larger and 5 smaller islands and is comprised of a total surface area of app. 4'000 km².

The small island world lies between the 15° and 17° marks of northerly latitude and the 22° and 25° degree marks of westerly longitude in the Atlantic, not far from the Tropic of Cancer. The distance to the African continent is app. 450 km (west of Senegal) whereas the Canary Islands are app. 1'700 km north of Cape Verde.

The Cabo Verde Islands originated from volcanic activity. They were created some 26 million years ago and belong to the mid-Atlantic back ridge heading in the north/south direction, from which the Cape Verde barrier branches off and which also includes the Canaries basin stationed in the north.

The eastern situated, flat desert islands of Sal, Boavista and Maio have almost no vegetation. Their close proximity to the African continent ensures that – thanks to the Harmattan winds – fine sand from the Sahara is brought to the islands, thus providing the islands with kilometres of beautiful beaches and dunes.

The western, mountainous islands of Santo Antão, Santiago, São Nicolau, Brava and Fogo have been shaped by intensive volcanism. High mountains ranging up to 3'000 m and deeply cut valleys characterize the landscape. The trade wind clouds coming from the west

are then forced into raining and help create a thick range of vegetation, at least in the western parts of the island.