Cape Verde is an
archipelago, which means a group of islands, and lies in the Atlantic
Ocean. The republic of Cape Verde is 620 kilometres (385 miles) off the
west coast of Africa. There are ten islands and five rocky islets
divided into the Barlavento, or Windward, and Sotavento, or Leeward
groups.
The archipelago has
a total land area of 4,033 square kilometres (1,557 square miles). Cape
Verde became an independent nation on July 5, 1975 after 500 years of
Portuguese colonial rule. The islands are mountainous and volcanic in
origin. Fogo is an active volcano 2,829 meters (9,281 feet) high and is
the highest of the islands.
The Windward Islands
consist of Santo Antao, Sao Vicente, Santa Luzia, Sao Nicolau, Boa
Vista, and Sal, together with the islets of Raso and Branco. The Leeward
Islands include Maio, Sao Tiago, Fogo, and Brava, and the three islets
called the Rombos. They are Grande, Luis Carneiro, and Cima. The
islands' largest port is Mindelo, or Porto Grande, on Sao Vicente.
