Wondering where Cape Verde actually is — and how its islands fit together? This is the whole archipelago at a glance: a group of ten volcanic islands adrift in the central Atlantic, about 570 kilometres off the coast of West Africa. Below you'll find a clear map of every island, the two island groups explained, distances and flight times, and the key facts you need to picture exactly where Cape Verde sits on the globe.
Cape Verde (in Portuguese, Cabo Verde) lies at a genuine crossroads between Europe, Africa and the Americas. That mid-Atlantic position gave the islands their history as a trading and refuelling stop, and today it makes them an easy, sun-sure escape just a few hours' flight from northern Europe.
Where is Cape Verde located?
Cape Verde is an island country in the central Atlantic Ocean, lying roughly 570 km (350 miles) west of Senegal in West Africa. It takes its name from the Cap-Vert peninsula near Dakar — the westernmost point of mainland Africa — which is the nearest land. The islands sit in the tropics at approximately 16.5° N, 23.0° W.
To place it on a wider map: Cape Verde is about 1,400 km south of the Canary Islands (Spain), some 2,900 km southwest of mainland Portugal, and a roughly six-hour flight from the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium. It belongs to the same Atlantic island region, Macaronesia, as the Azores, the Canary Islands and Madeira. Although its culture is deeply shaped by Portugal, Cape Verde is firmly part of Africa.
Map of the Cape Verde islands
The archipelago is made up of ten main islands (nine inhabited) plus a scatter of small uninhabited islets. On the map they form a loose horseshoe shape opening to the west. The islands are usually divided into two groups by their position relative to the trade winds: the northern Barlavento (windward) islands and the southern Sotavento (leeward) islands.
From the green, mountainous west (Santo Antão, São Vicente, Fogo) to the flat, sandy east (Sal, Boa Vista, Maio), the islands are remarkably varied for such a compact country — which is exactly why so many visitors island-hop rather than stick to one.
The two island groups: Barlavento & Sotavento
The words Barlavento and Sotavento simply mean windward and leeward — a nod to the northeast trade winds that sweep across the archipelago. The split is mostly geographic, but it's the easiest way to understand the map.
Barlavento (windward · north)
The six northern islands: Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Sal and Boa Vista. This group holds the beach-and-sun heavyweights (Sal, Boa Vista), the cultural capital of Mindelo (São Vicente) and the best hiking (Santo Antão). Santa Luzia is uninhabited.
Sotavento (leeward · south)
The four southern islands: Maio, Santiago, Fogo and Brava. Here you'll find the national capital Praia (Santiago), the active volcano Pico do Fogo (Fogo), quiet beaches (Maio) and the remote "island of flowers" (Brava).
All the islands of Cape Verde, at a glance
Every inhabited island, its group, size, main town, airport and what it's best known for. Tap an island name to open our full guide (Sal is live; the rest are on the way).
| Island | Group | Area | Main town | Airport | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sal | Barlavento | 216 km² | Espargos | SID | Beach holidays, watersports, first-time visitors |
| Boa Vista | Barlavento | 620 km² | Sal Rei | BVC | Endless beaches, dunes, turtles & whales, quiet luxury |
| Santiago | Sotavento | 991 km² | Praia (national capital) | RAI | Culture, history, mountains, authentic city life |
| São Vicente | Barlavento | 227 km² | Mindelo | VXE | Music, culture, nightlife, Carnival, city vibe |
| Santo Antão | Barlavento | 779 km² | Porto Novo / Ribeira Grande | Ferry only | Hiking, dramatic scenery, green valleys, nature |
| Fogo | Sotavento | 476 km² | São Filipe | SFL | Volcano climbing, wine, colonial towns, adventure |
| Maio | Sotavento | 269 km² | Vila do Maio (Porto Inglês) | MMO | Empty beaches, peace, turtles, off-the-beaten-track |
| São Nicolau | Barlavento | 388 km² | Ribeira Brava | SNE | Hiking, dragon trees, authentic villages, tranquillity |
| Brava | Sotavento | 64 km² | Nova Sintra | Ferry only | Flowers, tranquillity, hiking, true escapism |
| Santa Luzia | Barlavento | 35 km² | — | — | Uninhabited nature reserve |
Cape Verde also has several uninhabited islets — including Branco and Raso between Santa Luzia and São Nicolau — which is why some sources quote more than ten islands.
How far is Cape Verde? Distances & flight times
Cape Verde feels remote on the map, but it's more accessible than it looks. Here are the distances and typical flight times from the places travellers ask about most.
| From | Distance | Approx. flight |
|---|---|---|
| Dakar, Senegal (nearest mainland) | ~570 km | ~1 hour |
| Canary Islands, Spain | ~1,400 km | ~2 hours |
| Lisbon, Portugal | ~2,900 km | ~4 hours |
| London, UK | ~4,400 km | ~6 hours |
| Amsterdam, Netherlands | ~4,500 km | ~6 hours |
| Boston / US East Coast | ~5,000 km | ~7 hours |
Distances are approximate and measured to the nearest island; flight times are for direct services. Most European visitors land on Sal or Boa Vista, the two easternmost islands closest to Africa, which also have the most direct international flights.
Getting between the islands
Because the islands are spread across open ocean, you travel between them by short domestic flights or by ferry. Inter-island flights connect the main airports — on Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago (Praia) and São Vicente (Mindelo) — in well under an hour, which is the quickest way to combine, say, a beach island with a mountain or cultural one.
Ferries are cheaper, more scenic and essential for the two islands with no scheduled flights: Santo Antão (reached by a roughly one-hour crossing from São Vicente) and Brava (reached by ferry from Fogo). Popular pairings for a two-island trip include Sal + Boa Vista for beaches, São Vicente + Santo Antão for music and hiking, and Fogo + Brava for volcano and flowers.
Cape Verde key facts
The essential geography of Cape Verde in one place.
| Official name | Republic of Cabo Verde |
| Location | Central Atlantic Ocean, off West Africa |
| Coordinates | ≈ 16.5° N, 23.0° W (spans 14°48′–17°12′ N) |
| Distance to Africa | ≈ 570 km west of Senegal (Cap-Vert) |
| Islands | 10 volcanic islands · 9 inhabited + islets |
| Total land area | ≈ 4,033 km² |
| Capital | Praia, on Santiago |
| Largest island | Santiago (≈ 991 km²) |
| Highest point | Pico do Fogo, 2,829 m (on Fogo) |
| Population | ≈ 500,000 |
| Island groups | Barlavento (north) & Sotavento (south) |
| Language | Portuguese (official) · Cape Verdean Creole |
| Time zone | Cape Verde Time (UTC−1) |
| Region | Macaronesia (with Azores, Canaries, Madeira) |
Frequently asked questions about Cape Verde's location
Where is Cape Verde located?
Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) is an archipelago in the central Atlantic Ocean, about 570 km (350 miles) off the west coast of Africa, roughly level with Senegal and Mauritania. It sits at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and the Americas, around 1,400 km southwest of the Canary Islands and about a six-hour flight from northern Europe. Its approximate coordinates are 16.5° N, 23.0° W.
Is Cape Verde in Africa or Europe?
Cape Verde is part of Africa. It is an independent African island country off the coast of West Africa and a member of the African Union. Culturally it blends African and Portuguese-European influences — Portuguese is the official language and it was a Portuguese colony until 1975 — but geographically and politically it belongs to Africa.
How many islands does Cape Verde have?
Cape Verde has ten main volcanic islands, nine of which are inhabited. The one uninhabited main island is Santa Luzia. There are also several small uninhabited islets, such as Branco, Raso and Santa Maria, which is why some older sources loosely quote a higher number.
What are the names of the Cape Verde islands?
The nine inhabited islands are Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago, São Vicente, Santo Antão, Fogo, Maio, São Nicolau and Brava. Santa Luzia is the tenth main island and is uninhabited. They are split into the northern Barlavento (windward) group and the southern Sotavento (leeward) group.
What is the capital of Cape Verde?
The capital of Cape Verde is Praia, on the island of Santiago. Santiago is the largest and most populous island, home to more than half the country's population, and Praia's Nelson Mandela International Airport is one of the country's main gateways.
How far is Cape Verde from the UK and mainland Europe?
Direct flights from the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium to Cape Verde take around six hours. The archipelago lies roughly 2,900 km from southern Portugal and about 1,400 km south of the Canary Islands, so from the Canaries it's only about a two-hour hop further south.
How far is Cape Verde from Africa?
The islands lie about 570 km (350 miles) west of the nearest point of mainland Africa, the Cap-Vert peninsula in Senegal, after which the country is named. From Dakar it is roughly a one-hour flight. The easternmost islands, Boa Vista and Sal, are the closest to the African coast.
Which is the largest island in Cape Verde?
Santiago is the largest island by both area (about 991 km²) and population, and it holds the capital, Praia. Santo Antão is the second largest and the most mountainous. The smallest inhabited island is Brava.
What is the difference between the Barlavento and Sotavento islands?
The names describe their position relative to the prevailing northeast trade winds. The Barlavento (windward) group lies to the north and includes Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Sal and Boa Vista. The Sotavento (leeward) group lies to the south and includes Maio, Santiago, Fogo and Brava. It's mainly a geographic grouping, though the windward islands can feel a little breezier.
Which Cape Verde island should I visit?
It depends on what you want. For beaches, sun and watersports, choose Sal or Boa Vista. For culture and music, head to São Vicente (Mindelo). For hiking and green mountains, Santo Antão is unbeatable. Fogo has an active volcano to climb, while Maio, São Nicolau and Brava are quiet, off-the-beaten-track escapes. Santiago offers the most history and city life.
How do you travel between the Cape Verde islands?
You island-hop by short domestic flights or by ferry. Flights connect the main islands via airports on Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago and São Vicente in well under an hour. Ferries link several islands — the São Vicente–Santo Antão and Fogo–Brava crossings are especially useful, since Santo Antão and Brava have no scheduled flights.
What are the GPS coordinates of Cape Verde?
Cape Verde's central coordinates are approximately 16.5° N latitude and 23.0° W longitude. The archipelago as a whole spans roughly 14°48′ to 17°12′ North and 22°40′ to 25°22′ West, placing it firmly in the tropics of the North Atlantic.
Ready to choose an island? Start with our in-depth guide to Sal, the easiest and sunniest introduction to Cape Verde, or browse all the islands.