Cape (geography)

For other uses, see Cape (disambiguation).

Cape Cod and the islands off the Massachusetts coast, from space

Cape Cornwall, England

Cape Tisan in Mersin Province, Turkey

In geography, a cape is a headland or a promontory of large size extending into a body of water, usually the sea. A cape usually represents a marked change in trend of the coastline. Their proximity to the coastline makes them prone to natural forms of erosion, mainly tidal actions. This results in capes having a relatively short geologic lifespan. Capes can be formed by glaciers, volcanoes, and changes in sea level. Erosion plays a large role in each of these methods of formation.

List of some well-known capes

Africa

• Eritrea–Sudan
  • Ras Kasar
• Liberia
  • Grand Cape Mount
  • Cape Mesurado
  • Cape Palmas
• Ghana
  • Cape Coast
• Mauritania
  • Cape Blanc
• Morocco
  • Cape Juby
  • Cape Three Forks
• Senegal
  • Cap-Vert
• Somalia
  • Cape Guardafui
• South Africa
  • Cape Agulhas
  • Cape of Good Hope
• Tunisia
  • Cap Bon

Asia

• India
  • Cape Comorin
• Philippines
  • Cape Engaño
• Russia
  • Cape Chelyuskin (Northern tip of mainland Asia)
  • Cape Dezhnev
• Turkey
  • Cape Baba (Western tip of mainland Asia)
• Vietnam
  • Mũi Né

Europe

• Albania
  • Cape of Gjuhëz, Karaburun Peninsula
  • Cape of Rodon
• Bulgaria
  • Cape Emine
  • Cape Kaliakra
• Cyprus
  • Cape Greco
• France
  • Cap Gris Nez
  • Pointe du Raz
• Germany
  • Cape Arkona
• Greece
  • Cape Matapan, also known as Cape Tainaron (Southern tip of mainland Europe)
• Latvia
  • Cape Kolka
• Norway
  • Cape Nordkinn (Northern tip of mainland Europe)
  • North Cape
• Portugal
  • Cabo da Roca (Western tip of mainland Europe)
  • Cabo de São Vicente / Sagres Point (Southwestern tip of mainland Europe)
• Spain
  • Cape Finisterre
• Turkey
  • Sarayburnu, İstanbul, the easternmost point of the historical city
• United Kingdom
  • Cape Cornwall, Cornwall
  • Cape Wrath, Scotland

North America

• Canada
  • Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
  • Cape Chidley, Newfoundland and Labrador / Nunavut
  • Cape Columbia, Nunavut (Canada's northernmost point)
  • Cap Diamant, Quebec City
  • Cape Race, Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Cape Spear, Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada's easternmost point)
  • Murchison Promontory, Nunavut (Northern tip of mainland America)
• Greenland
  • Cape Farewell (Greenland's southernmost point)
• Mexico
  • Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
• United States
  • Cape Ann, Massachusetts
  • Cape Canaveral, Florida
  • Cape Charles, Virginia
  • Cape Cod, Massachusetts
  • Cape Coral, Florida
  • Cape Fear, North Carolina
  • Cape Flattery, Washington (Farthest northwest point of the contiguous, lower 48 states)
  • Cape Girardeau, Missouri
    • Capes on the Mississippi River
  • Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
  • Cape Henlopen, Delaware
  • Cape Henry, Virginia
  • Cape Lookout, North Carolina
  • Cape May, New Jersey
  • Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska

Oceania

• Australia
  • Cape Byron
  • Cape Leeuwin
  • Cape York
  • South East Cape
• New Zealand
  • Cape Egmont
  • Cape Foulwind
  • Cape Kidnappers
  • Cape Reinga
  • East Cape
  • North Cape

South America

• Argentina
  • Cape Virgenes
• Chile
  • Cape Froward
  • Cape Horn
• Venezuela
  • Cape San Román (Paraguaná Peninsula's northernmost point)

See also

• Cape Amsterdam
• Five southernmost capes
• Great capes
• Headland