The Cape Verde Islands are located in the mid-Atlantic Ocean some 450 km (280 mi) off the west coast of the continent of Africa. The landscape varies from dry plains to high active volcanoes with cliffs rising steeply from the ocean. The climate is arid. The total size is 4,033 km (1,557 mi ). The consists of ten islands and five smaller islands known as islets, divided into the windward (Barlavento) and leeward (Sotavento) groups.