What is the geography of Fogo, Cape Verde?

Fogo is a nearly round, volcanic island in the Sotavento group of Cape Verde, spanning 476 square kilometers in the central Atlantic Ocean. It features the highest altitude in the archipelago, reaching 2,829 meters at the summit of Pico do Fogo, its active stratovolcano. The island is dominated by a large summit caldera containing a small village called Chã das Caldeiras.

What we know

• Fogo is part of the Sotavento group of islands in Cape Verde, located in the central Atlantic Ocean with an area of 476 square kilometers. [2]
• Fogo reaches the highest altitude in Cape Verde, rising 2,829 meters above sea level at the summit of Pico do Fogo. [2, 3]
• Because it consists of a single volcano, Fogo is nearly round and measures approximately 25 kilometers in diameter. [3]
• The island features a large summit caldera located towards its northeastern corner, bounded by steep fault scarps and breached to the east. [3]

Where to go next

• whenWhen did Pico do Fogo erupt?
• a case in pointWhat is life like inside Chã das Caldeiras?
• how it workedHow was the Cape Verde archipelago formed?
• whereWhere is São Filipe on Fogo?
• compared withWhat are the features of Sal Island?
• an unexpected connectionHow does volcanic activity connect to local building practices?While volcanoes are typically viewed purely as destructive natural hazards, the residents of Fogo use the solidified lava from the volcano directly as building material for construction.

Sources

• [1]Fogo (Wikidata Q426555) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Fogo, Cape Verde · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Pico do Fogo · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Santo António (Fogo) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Sal, Cape Verde · CC BY-SA 4.0