National Identity
- Official name
- Republic of Cabo Verde
- Official name (in Portuguese)
- República de Cabo Verde
- Name etymology
the name derives from the Cape Verde (Green Cape) peninsula on the Senegalese coast, the westernmost point of Africa and the nearest mainland to the islands
Sources:- Constitution of the Republic of Cabo Verde ↗ - Official Website of the Government of Cabo Verde
- The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- National emblem
- National flag
Translated from the Government of Cabo Verde The National Flag consists of five rectangles arranged lengthwise and placed one above the other. The upper and lower rectangles are blue in colour, the upper one occupying an area equal to half of the flag and the lower one a quarter. Separating the two blue rectangles, there are three stripes, each with an area equal to one twelfth of the area of the Flag. The stripes adjacent to the blue rectangles are white in colour and the one between them is red in colour. Over the five rectangles, ten yellow five-pointed stars, with the upper vertex in the ninety-degree position, define a circle
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from the Government of Cabo Verde The predominant blue of the flag symbolises the sky and the sea. The ten islands of the archipelago are represented by stars, arranged in a circle, a sign of unity. The stripes refer to the building of the country, the white being the peace that the people want and the red the effort of the people.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from the Government of Cabo Verde The constitutional revision of 1992 defined a new flag for Cabo Verde. Until then, the country shared the same colours as the flag of Guinea-Bissau.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerSource:- governo.cv ↗ - the Government of Cabo Verde
- National anthem
- Cântico da Liberdade1:11
- Title (in Portuguese)
- Cântico da Liberdade
- Title (in English, translated)
- Song of Freedom
- Lyrics
Canta, irmão Canta, meu irmão Que a liberdade é hino E o homem a certeza.
Com dignidade, enterra a semente No pó da ilha nua; No despenhadeiro da vida A esperança é do tamanho do mar Que nos abraça, Sentinela de mares e ventos Perseverante Entre estrelas e o atlântico Entoa o cântico da liberdade.
Canta, irmão Canta, meu irmão Que a liberdade é hino E o homem a certeza.
Source: - Citizens
- Cabo Verdeans
- Official name:Constitution of the Republic of Cabo Verde ↗ - Official Website of the Government of Cabo Verde
- Official name, Citizens:The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- National flag:governo.cv ↗ - the Government of Cabo Verde
- National anthem:nationalanthems.info ↗
Geography
- Location
- Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
- Total area
- 4,033 km²
- Land area
- 4,033 km²
- Water area
- 0.00 km²
- Land borders
- None
- Coastline
- 965 km
- Terrain
Steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic - Highest point
- 2,829 mMt. Fogo (a volcano on Fogo Island)
- Lowest point
- 0 mAtlantic Ocean
- Climate
Temperate warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic - Avg. temperature
- 23.1 °C
- Avg. daily range
- 22.3 to 24.2 °C
- Annual precipitation
- 149 mm
Temperature °CMeanDaily rangePrecipitation mmMonthly climate normals Month Avg. high, °C Mean, °C Avg. low, °C Precipitation, mm January 22.5 21.4 20.6 5 February 22.1 20.9 20.1 3 March 22.2 21 20.1 1 April 22.5 21.3 20.5 1 May 23.1 22 21.1 1 June 23.9 22.7 21.8 1 July 25 23.9 23 9 August 26.3 25.3 24.4 37 September 26.8 25.8 25 55 October 26.5 25.5 24.7 24 November 25.4 24.4 23.6 6 December 23.8 22.8 22 5 Country-wide averages over 1991–2020.
Sources:- The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Weather
- Loading
- Land use2023
- Arable12.4%Perm. crops1.0%Pasture6.2%Forest12.4%Other68.0%
- Arable land
- 50,000 hectares (12.4%)
- Permanent crops
- 4,000 hectares (1.0%)
- Permanent meadows & pastures
- 25,000 hectares (6.2%)
- Forest
- 49,820 hectares (12.4%)
- Other land
- 274,180 hectares (68.0%)
Source: - Natural hazards2026
- Drought4.8Medium#54/191Epidemics4.5Medium#109/191Earthquakes0.1Very low#127/191River floods0.0Very lowTsunamis0.0Very lowTropical cyclones0.0Very lowCoastal floods0.0Very low
Scores out of 10, ranks out of 191 countries.
Source:- INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Location, Land borders, Coastline, Terrain, Highest point, Lowest point, Climate:The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- Climate:Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Land use:FAOSTAT Land Use domain ↗ - FAO
- Natural hazards:INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
Demographics
- Population change2026
- +0.44% per year+2,304 people/yearWorld Rank147thof 237
- Birth rate
- 12.0 per 1,000 population
- Death rate
- 5.2 per 1,000 population
- Net migration rate
- −2.5 per 1,000 population
- 2026
- 29.5 yearsWorld Rank141stof 237
- Age structure2026
- 0-14 years23.8%15-64 years68.7%65 years +7.5%
- Share aged 65 and over
- 7.5%
- Share aged under 18
- 29.4%
- Total dependency ratio
- 46
- Youth dependency ratio
- 35
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 11
- Sex ratio
- 1.03 male / female
MaleAgeFemalePopulation by age group, % of total population Age Male Female 80+ 0.4% 0.8% 70-79 1.3% 2.0% 60-69 3.2% 3.7% 50-59 4.5% 4.3% 40-49 6.9% 6.3% 30-39 9.1% 8.4% 20-29 8.5% 7.6% 10-19 9.5% 8.9% 0-9 7.4% 7.1% - 2026
- 0.61 below the replacement level for Cabo Verde ()1.49 births per womanreplacement 2.10123World Rank173rdof 237
- 0.72 daughters per woman0.28 below replacement, long-run each generation smaller than the lastreplacement 1.000.511.5
- 2026
- +6.7 per 1,000 populationfor every 1,000 people, 6.7 more births than deaths a year
- 2026
- −2.5 per 1,000 population
- Urbanization2026
- 78.5% live in cities415,650 urban residents
- Largest cities2021
- Praia, Mindelo, Espargos, AssomadaRankCity or TownPopulation (2021 census)1Praia141,2192Mindelo70,7323Espargos22,5494Assomada10,2225Pedra Badejo10,2016Porto Novo9,8387Sal Rei9,6108São Filipe8,4489Santa Maria7,32810Tarrafal6,933Source:
- National Statistics Institute, Cabo Verde (2021 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution
- Among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable; islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled; the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations; approximately half of the population lives on Sao Tiago Island, which is the location of the capital of Praia; Mindelo, on the northern island of Sao Vicente, also has a large urban population.
- Ethnic groups
- Creole (Mulatto)71.0%African28.0%European1.0%
- Religions2021
- Roman Catholic72.5%Protestant4.0%Christian Rationalism1.7%Muslim1.3%Jehovah's Witness1.2%Church of Jesus Christ1.0%Other Christian1.3%Other1.2%None15.6%Unspecified0.4%
- Protestant
- 4.0%
- Adventist
- 1.9%
- Nazarene
- 1.8%
- Assembly of God
- 0.2%
- God is Love
- 0.1%
Source:- The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- Languages
- Portuguese (Português)
- Population, Population change, Median age, Age structure, Total fertility rate, Net reproduction rate, Natural change, Net migration rate:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Urbanization:UN World Urbanization Prospects ↗
- Largest cities:National Statistics Institute, Cabo Verde (2021 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution, Ethnic groups, Religions:The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
Government & Administration
- Form of state
- RepublicThe President, who represents the Republic and commands the armed forces, is elected by universal, direct and secret suffrage of electors at home and abroad; the Constitution names "the republican form of government" (Arts. 2, 108, 124).Source:
- Constituição da República de Cabo Verde ↗, Arts. 2, 108, 124
- System of government
- Semi-presidentialThe President appoints the Prime Minister in light of the election results and the Assembly's balance; the Government is politically responsible to the National Assembly and falls on a rejected confidence motion or two censures in one legislature (Arts. 185, 193, 201).Source:
- Constituição da República de Cabo Verde ↗, Arts. 185, 193, 201
- Territorial organisation
- Unitary
- Official websites
- Government (in Portuguese)
- President
- Parliament (in Portuguese)
- Capital
- Praia141,219 people(2021)
- National holidays
- 12 days in 2026
- ThuJan 1New Year's Day
- TueJan 13Democracy and Freedom Day
- TueJan 20National Heroes Day
- WedFeb 18Ash Wednesday
- FriApr 3Good Friday
- SunApr 5Easter Sunday
- FriMay 1Worker's Day
- MonJun 1International Children's Day
- SunJul 5National Independence Day
- SatAug 15Assumption Day
- SunNov 1All Saints' Day
- FriDec 25Christmas Day
Nationwide public holidays only, excluding regional, bank and government-only days.
- Time
- CVTCape Verde Standard TimeUTC−1
- Currency
- Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE)
- Entry requirements
- Official visa and entry information
- Calling code
- +238
- Internet TLD
- .cv
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- CV, CPV
- Infrastructure
- Passengers carried
- 71,784 by the country's airlines(2023)
- Aircraft departures
- 815 by the country's airlines(2023)
- Air freight
- 0.1 million tonne-km(2023)
- Aircraft registration prefix
- D4
Sources:- The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Flag carrier
- Cabo Verde AirlinesState-owned
- 2025
- 62 / 100World Rank35thof 182Confidence interval
Corruption index score by year Year Score Lower bound Upper bound 2012 60 54 67 2013 58 50 66 2014 57 47 67 2015 55 45 65 2016 59 50 68 2017 55 48 62 2018 57 50 64 2019 58 51 65 2020 58 51.9 64.1 2021 58 53.1 62.9 2022 60 52.1 67.9 2023 64 59 69 2024 62 55.7 68.3 2025 62 55.1 68.9 Source:- Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial organisation:Constituição da República de Cabo Verde ↗ - Government of Cabo Verde
- National holidays:Open World Holidays Framework (vacanza/holidays) ↗
- Infrastructure:The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- Infrastructure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Corruption Perceptions Index:Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
Economy
- Upper middle income
- GDP growth (real)2026
- +5% per yearWorld Rank36thof 195
- GDP per capita (PPP)2026
- GDP per capita (nominal)
- $6,556 (117th in the world)
Source:- 2025
- Services67.9% of GDPIndustry10.7% of GDPAgriculture5% of GDPManufacturing5.2%part of industry
- Households
- +71.1%
- Government
- +22.9%
- Investment
- +17.4%
- Exports
- +42%
- Imports
- −53.4%
The shape of the economyGDP by end useSource:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Inflation2026
- 1.2%down 1.1 percentage points1.1pp from 2025
- Labor force2024
- 222,879 (42% of population)World Rank175thof 187
- Labor force participation2024
- 57.0% of people aged 15+
- Unemployment2024
- 11.9%
- Youth unemployment2024
- 28.1% ages 15 to 24
- Labor productivity2024
- $11 per hour worked at PPP
- Budget balance2026
- 2% of GDP deficit
- Current account
- 1.9% of GDP, $66 million deficit
Source: - Debt2024
- Central government debt113.7% of GDPInterest on debt2.4% of GDP
- Trade2025
- Goods$344.2 million26.8%
- Services$939.6 million73.2%
- Total exports
- $1.3 billion
- Change from 2024
- up 10.9 percent on the previous year10.9%
Sources:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- Agricultural products2024
- Raw milk of goats, Chillies and peppers (dry), Coconuts (in shell), and 7 more
- 1Raw milk of goats35.5×
- 2Chillies and peppers (dry)35.4×
- 3Coconuts (in shell)12.7×
- 4Tomatoes6.9×
- 5Onions and shallots (dry)5.7×
- 6Squash and gourds (including pumpkins)5.5×
- 7Carrots and turnips4.6×
- 8Bananas3.5×
- 9Hen eggs in shell (fresh)3.2×
- 10Sweet potatoes3.1×
ProductSource:- FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Industries
- food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
- Income level, GDP by sector, Trade:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- GDP (nominal), GDP growth (real), GDP per capita (PPP), Inflation, Budget balance:IMF World Economic Outlook ↗
- Labor force, Labor force participation, Unemployment, Youth unemployment, Labor productivity:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- Debt:IMF Global Debt Database ↗
- Debt:IMF Public Finances in Modern History ↗
- Trade, Industries:The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- Agricultural products:FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
Cost of Living
- Cost of living index
- Loading
- Monthly costs (excluding rent)
- Loading
- Rent
- Loading
- Buying an apartment
- Loading
- Average gross salary2015latest available
- CVE 32,193 per month$324 (USD), $639 (PPP)
- Median
- CVE 21,823 per month($220)
- Men
- CVE 33,332 per month($335)
- Women
- CVE 30,874 per month($311)
Source:- ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- 2024
- CVE 15,000 per month, gross$147 (USD), $282 (PPP)
- Average gross salary, Minimum wage:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
Society
- 2023
- 0.668MediumWorld Rank135thof 193Cabo VerdeWorld
Human Development Index by year Year Cabo Verde World 2000 0.585 0.651 2001 0.591 0.657 2002 0.600 0.662 2003 0.606 0.669 2004 0.610 0.675 2005 0.616 0.681 2006 0.631 0.688 2007 0.636 0.694 2008 0.643 0.698 2009 0.644 0.701 2010 0.648 0.707 2011 0.654 0.713 2012 0.655 0.717 2013 0.660 0.721 2014 0.659 0.726 2015 0.658 0.731 2016 0.661 0.735 2017 0.663 0.739 2018 0.663 0.741 2019 0.667 0.745 2020 0.647 0.742 2021 0.651 0.742 2022 0.664 0.752 2023 0.668 0.756 Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- 2015latest available
- 42.4
- Mean years of schooling2023
- 6.1 years
- Expected for a child today
- 11.4 years
Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Literacy2024
- 88.5% of adults
- Education expenditure2023
- 4.3% of GDP
- Share of government spending
- 14.7%
Source:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Internet users2024
- 74.7% of the population
- Households with Internet access
- 73.8%
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Mobile subscriptions2024
- 587,026
- Fixed telephone lines
- 61,294
- Fixed broadband
- 8.3 subscriptions per 100 people
Counts subscriptions, not people.
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Refugees hosted2025
- 0 people
- Stateless persons
- 115
- Refugees from Cabo Verde abroad
- 14
Source:- Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Inbound tourists2022
- 785,000 arrivalsup 4% against 20194% above 2019World Rank91stof 139
- Per resident
- 1.5 arrivals per resident
- $647.8 million(2024)
- $93.1 million(2024)
- Hotel beds
- 28,851
- Average hotel stay
- 5 nights
Overnight arrivals by year2010 to 2022A tourist stays at least one night. Arrivals count trips, not people.
Source:- UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- 1 site1 cultural
Site Cidade Velha Historic Center of Ribeira Grande Source:- The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- Human Development Index, Mean years of schooling:Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Income inequality (Gini), Education expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Literacy:UIS Data Browser ↗ - UNESCO Institute for Statistics
- Internet users, Mobile subscriptions:ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Refugees hosted:Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Inbound tourists:UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites:The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
Crime & Safety
- Travel advisory (US)
- Loading
- Active humanitarian crisisAug 2026
- None - no active crisis
- Homicide rate2020
- 7 per 100,000 peopleMedium by global standards
- Crime rates
- 7 offence categories
Offence Per 100,000 Count Year Homicide (victims) 7.0 36 2020 Serious assault 587.2 3,015 2018 Sexual violence 31.0 159 2018 Kidnapping 2.7 14 2018 Burglary 951.9 4,887 2018 Theft 667.9 3,429 2018 Vehicle theft 15.6 80 2018 A low figure can also mean weak recording.
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Prison population2018
- 305.2 per 100,000 people
- Persons held
- 1,567
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Active humanitarian crisis:INFORM Severity Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Homicide rate, Crime rates, Prison population:UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Health
- Life expectancy2026
- 76.6 years
- Health expenditure2023
- 5.8% of GDP$290 per person
- Physicians2023
- 0.73 per 1,000 population
- Hospital beds2022
- 2.2 per 1,000 population
- Infant mortality2026
- 8.8 per 1,000 live births
- Maternal mortality2023
- 40 per 100,000 live births
- Alcohol consumption2022
- 3.8 litres of pure alcohol per adult per year
- Tobacco use2020
- 11.6% of adults
- Men
- 17.5%
- Women
- 5.7%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Road traffic deaths2019
- 26.8 per 100,000 population
- Life expectancy, Infant mortality:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Health expenditure, Physicians, Hospital beds, Road traffic deaths:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Maternal mortality:Maternal mortality estimates ↗ - UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group
- Alcohol consumption, Tobacco use:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
Environment
- CO₂ emissions2024
- 0.68 Mt per yearup 3.9 percent on the previous year3.9% from 2023
- CO₂ per capita
- 1.1 t per personWorld Rank146thof 207
- Share of global CO₂
- < 0.01%
- Methane (CH₄)
- 0.17 Mt CO₂-eq
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- 0.07 Mt CO₂-eq
- All greenhouse gases
- 0.91 Mt CO₂-eq
Source:- Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- 2024
- 4.9 µg/m³ of PM2.5Most polluted185thof 236
- WHO guideline
- 5 µg/m³
Source:- Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues
- deforestation due to demand for firewood
- water shortages
- droughts
- desertification
- soil erosion
- illegal beach sand extraction
- overfishing
Source:- The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- International agreements
- 18 of 20 landmark treaties in forceParty to 57 multilateral environmental agreements
Treaty Standing Joined Climate Paris Agreement in force 2017 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in force 1995 Kyoto Protocol in force 2006 Ozone layer Montreal Protocol in force 2001 Vienna Convention (Ozone Layer) in force 2001 Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity in force 1995 CITES in force 2005 Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn) in force 2006 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in force 2006 Nagoya Protocol signed 2011, not ratified Land and heritage Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in force 2005 World Heritage Convention in force 1988 UN Convention to Combat Desertification in force 1996 Chemicals and waste Basel Convention in force 1999 Rotterdam Convention (PIC) in force 2006 Stockholm Convention (POPs) in force 2006 Minamata Convention on Mercury not a party Oceans UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in force 1994 High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) in force 2026 MARPOL 73/78 in force 2003 Source:- International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
- CO₂ emissions:Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Air pollution:Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues:The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- International agreements:International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
Food & Water
- No access to safe drinking water2022
- 8.3% of the population
- Renewable water2022
- 0.3 billion m³ per year
- Per person
- 577 m³ per year
- Dependency ratio
- 0% originates outside the country
- Annual water withdrawal
- 0.3 billion m³ per year
- Withdrawn for agriculture
- 39%
- Water stress
- 60% of available freshwater withdrawn
Source:- AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Undernourishment2022
- 12.6% of the population100,000 people
- Obesity2024
- 16.7% of adults
- Men
- 8.8%
- Women
- 24.9%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children2018
- 2.2% of children under five
- No access to safe drinking water, Renewable water:AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Undernourishment:Food security indicators (FAOSTAT) ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Obesity:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
Energy
- Energy consumption2024
- Per capita
- 21.4 GJ per person
- Share of world total
- < 0.01%
- Supply
- Deficitproduces 5.2% of what it consumes, 2024
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Electricity2024
- No electricity trade0.5 TWh generated per year
- Generation
- 0.5 TWh per year
- Consumption
- 0.4 TWh per year
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal
- No domestic productionconsumes 4,791 b/d in 2024Consumption20244,791 b/d
Oil imports and exports count crude oil only.
- Energy consumption, Electricity, Oil, gas & coal:International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
Defense
- Military expenditure2024
- 0.6% of GDP$16.8 million, 2% of government spending
- Military personnel2025
- approximately 1,000–1,500FACV
- Military service2025
- Selective conscriptionages 18–35, 14 months; voluntary 17+ with parental consent
- Nuclear weapons2026
- None - no nuclear arsenal
- Military expenditure:SIPRI Military Expenditure Database ↗ - Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Military expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Military personnel, Military service:The World Factbook: Cabo Verde - CIA
- Nuclear weapons:Status of World Nuclear Forces ↗ - Federation of American Scientists
