Many rising steeply from the ocean and culminate in cones, which tell of the volcanic origin.
The Madeira Islands, some 450 miles west of Morocco, are also in Portuguese possession. Their equable climate favors the production of fruit, grapes for wine, and vegetables, and makes them favorite tourist resort. Funchal is the capital.
The Canaries, a Spanish group, rising from the continental shelf of Africa, attain a height of over 12,000 feet in Teneiffe, the biggest island, on which is situated Santa Cruz, the Capital. Las Palms on Gran Canaria, is a refueling station.
The Cape Verde Islands (Portuguese) lie in the North East Trade Wind Belt, about latitude 16°N. Though their climate is drier than the more northerly groups, yet they grow much fruit, together with some cereals and cane-sugar.
The British islands of Ascension and St. Helena lie in the mid Atlantic. On both islands are cable stations on the England to cape Town route, which also touches the Cape Verde Island.
In 1960, the French colony of Madagascar became an independent state, known as the Malagasy Republic, Madagascar is separated from Africa, by the Mozambique Channel, 350 miles wide at its narrowest part. Physically the island is a detached portion of Africa and exhibits the same plateau-like configuration. The greater part is a tableland with an average height from 2,000 to 3,000 feet, bordered by coastal plains. The bulk of Madagascar lie in the south-east trade wind belt, though in the southern summer, when the wind belts have shifted south, the north-east of the island comes under the influence of the north-east trades. Antananarivo, the capital in the centre of the island, is connected by rail with Tamatave, the chief port.
Mauritius, a former British colony, became independent in March 1968. It lies in the Indian Ocean 500 miles east of Madagascar, Cane-sugar, the chief crop, accounts for one quarter of the total output of Africa. Most of the sugar grown in Mauritius is exported to the United Kingdom. It is mini India. Its capital is Port Louis.
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