Cape Verde is an island country in the central Atlantic Ocean, off the west coast of Africa. Its capital is Praia, on Santiago island, and it sits roughly 500–650 km west of Senegal.

Quick Scoop

  • Region: West Africa, in the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Type: Archipelago made up of 10 volcanic islands.
  • Nearby mainland: Closest to Senegal, Mauritania, and The Gambia on Africa’s west side.

Simple way to picture it

Think of Cape Verde as a small island nation floating west of the African continent, not on the mainland itself.

Extra note

It is officially called Cabo Verde , though “Cape Verde” is still widely used in English.