Cape (geography)

For other uses, see Cape (disambiguation).

Cape of Good Hope (left) and Cape Hangklip (right) in South Africa, from space
Cape Tisan in Mersin Province, Turkey
Cape Tindari and Marinello lagoons, Sicily

In geography, a cape is a headland, peninsula or promontory extending into a body of water, usually a sea.[1] A cape usually represents a marked change in trend of the coastline,[2] often making them important landmarks in sea navigation. This also makes them prone to natural forms of erosion, mainly tidal actions, resulting in a relatively short geological lifespan.

  1. ^ Whittow 1984, p. 80.
  2. ^ Wright & Nichols 2018, p. 360.