Cabo Verde

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 38,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run TV and radio network, plus a growing number of private broadcasters; Portuguese public TV and radio services for Africa are available; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available (2019)

Internet country code

.cv

Internet users

percent of population: 74% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 60,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 590,354 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sugarcane, tomatoes, coconuts, pulses, goat milk, milk, vegetables, bananas, cabbages, onions (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

revenues: $453.182 million (2020 est.) expenditures: $623.816 million (2020 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

$101.072 million (2024 est.) -$64.439 million (2023 est.) -$78.271 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$1.385 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

stable, middle-income, developing island economy; strong GDP growth led by tourism sector recovery; sustained poverty reduction through PEDS II development plan; high reliance on foreign remittances and aid to finance external debt

Exchange rates

Cabo Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 101.922 (2024 est.) 101.805 (2023 est.) 104.863 (2022 est.) 93.218 (2021 est.) 96.796 (2020 est.)

Exports

$1.158 billion (2024 est.) $972.636 million (2023 est.) $851.907 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

fish, refined petroleum, railway cargo containers, shellfish, garments (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Spain 46%, Portugal 9%, Togo 7%, Italy 7%, India 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.768 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 74.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 20.7% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 16% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 41.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -53.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 4.7% (2024 est.) industry: 10.5% (2024 est.) services: 69.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

42.4 (2015 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.2% (2015 est.) highest 10%: 32.3% (2015 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$1.473 billion (2024 est.) $1.428 billion (2023 est.) $1.31 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, aircraft, cars, fish, railway cargo containers (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Portugal 29%, Saudi Arabia 11%, Netherlands 9%, Spain 8%, China 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

4.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2024 est.) 3.7% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

224,500 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

35.2% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

127.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$5.2 billion (2024 est.) $4.848 billion (2023 est.) $4.6 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

7.3% (2024 est.) 5.4% (2023 est.) 15.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$9,900 (2024 est.) $9,300 (2023 est.) $8,900 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

12.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 12.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 14% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$783.106 million (2024 est.) $837.881 million (2023 est.) $729.566 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

18.4% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

11.9% (2024 est.) 12% (2023 est.) 12.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 28.2% (2024 est.) male: 24.6% (2024 est.) female: 33.8% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 200,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 400 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 106 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 97.1% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 95.3% electrification - rural areas: 96.9%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 71.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 14.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 14.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

19.999 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

714,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 714,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic

Environmental issues

deforestation due to demand for firewood; water shortages; droughts; desertification; soil erosion; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

International environmental agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.2% (2023 est.) forest: 12.4% (2023 est.) other: 68% (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

27.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

300 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 155.895 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 5.614 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 103.217 million cubic meters (2022)

Urbanization

urban population: 68% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 132,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.4% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Climate

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic

Coastline

965 km

Elevation

highest point: Mt. Fogo (a volcano on Fogo Island) 2,829 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

16 00 N, 24 00 W

Geography - note

strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; one of four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are Azores (Portugal), Canary Islands (Spain), and Madeira (Portugal)

Irrigated land

35 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 12.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.2% (2023 est.) forest: 12.4% (2023 est.) other: 68% (2023 est.)

Location

Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

Natural hazards

prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active volcanism: Fogo (2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano

Natural resources

salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

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, as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Administrative divisions

22 municipalities ( concelhos , singular - concelho ); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Porto Novo, Praia, Ribeira Brava, Ribeira Grande, Ribeira Grande de Santiago, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina do Fogo, Santa Cruz, S o Domingos, S o Filipe, S o Lourenco dos Orgaos, S o Miguel, S o Salvador do Mundo, S o Vicente, Tarrafal, Tarrafal de S o Nicolau

Capital

name: Praia geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the earlier Portuguese name was Villa de Praia ("Village of the Beach"); it was shortened to Praia in 1974

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cabo Verde dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

history: previous 1981; latest effective 25 September 1992 amendment process: proposals require support of at least four fifths of the active National Assembly membership; amendment drafts require sponsorship of at least one third of the active Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership; constitutional sections, including those on national independence, form of government, political pluralism, suffrage, and human rights and liberties, cannot be amended

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Cabo Verde conventional short form: Cabo Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jennifer ADAMS (since 10 September 2024) embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 6, Praia mailing address: 2460 Praia Place, Washington DC 20521-2460 telephone: [238] 260-8900 FAX: [238] 261-1355 email address and website: PraiaConsular@state.gov https://cv.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis do Livramento MONTEIRO ALVES DE BRITO (since 23 December 2020) chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 email address and website: embassy.wdc@mnec.gov.cv https://www.embcv-usa.gov.cv/ consulate(s) general: Boston

Executive branch

chief of state: President Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 9 November 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Jose Ulisses CORREIA e SILVA (since 22 April 2016) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president most recent election date: 17 October 2021 election results: 2020: Jose Maria Pereira NEVES elected president; percent of vote - Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (PAICV) 51.7%, Carlos VEIGA (MPD) 42.4%, Casimiro DE PINA (independent) 1.8%, Fernando Rocha DELGADO (independent) 1.4%, Helio SANCHES (independent) 1.14%, Gilson ALVES (independent) 0.8%, Joaquim MONTEIRO (independent) 3.4% 2016: Jorge Carlos FONSECA reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge Carlos FONSECA (MPD) 74.1%, Albertino GRACA (independent) 22.5%, other 3.4% expected date of next election: October 2026

Flag

description: five unequal horizontal bands; the top band of blue is half the height of the flag; under it are three narrow bands of white, red, and white, and a bottom stripe of blue; a circle of 10 five-pointed yellow stars is centered on the red stripe and sits toward the left side of the flag meaning: blue stands for the sea and sky; the stripes symbolize the country's formation through peace (white) and effort (red); the stars represent the 10 major islands

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief justice and at least 7 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and administrative sections) judge selection and term of office: judge appointments - 1 by the president of the republic, 1 elected by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Superior Judicial Council (SJC), a 16-member independent body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general, 8 private citizens, 2 judges, 2 prosecutors, the senior legal inspector of the Attorney General's office, and a representative of the Ministry of Justice; chief justice appointed by the president of the republic from among peers of the Supreme Court of Justice and in consultation with the SJC; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: appeals courts, first instance (municipal) courts; audit, military, and fiscal and customs courts

Legal system

civil law system of Portugal

Legislative branch

legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 72 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 4/18/2021 parties elected and seats per party: Movement for Democracy (MpD) (38); African Party for the Independence of Cabo Verde (PAICV) (30); Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID) (4) percentage of women in chamber: 44.4% expected date of next election: April 2026

National anthem(s)

title: "Cantico da Liberdade" (Song of Freedom) lyrics/music: Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA history: adopted 1996

National coat of arms

adopted in 1992, the coat of arms features the national symbol of ten stars that represent the country s islands; the stylized torch and triangle at the center of the circle symbolize freedom and national unity, and the three blue lines represent the ocean and sky; the name of the country is written in Portuguese, the official language; the plumbob at the top of the circle -- used in construction to make accurate vertical lines -- represents justice, righteousness, and truth; the chain links symbolize a commitment to the people and their well-being

National color(s)

blue, white, red, yellow

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Cidade Velha; Historic Center of Ribeira Grande

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

National symbol(s)

ten five-pointed yellow stars

Political parties

African Party for Independence of Cabo Verde or PAICV Democratic and Independent Cabo Verdean Union or UCID Democratic Christian Party or PDC Democratic Renewal Party or PRD Movement for Democracy or MPD Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS Social Democratic Party or PSD

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

The Portuguese discovered and colonized the uninhabited islands of Cabo Verde in the 15th century; Cabo Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. The fusing of European and various African cultural traditions is reflected in Cabo Verde s Crioulo language, music, and pano textiles. After gaining independence in 1975, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cabo Verde continues to sustain one of Africa's most stable democratic governments and relatively stable economies, maintaining a currency pegged first to the Portuguese escudo and then to the euro since 1998. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cabo Verde's expatriate population -- concentrated in Boston, Massachusetts and Western Europe -- is greater than its domestic one. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Cabo Verde s population descends from its first permanent inhabitants in the late 15th-century -- a preponderance of West African slaves, a small share of Portuguese colonists, and even fewer Italians and Spaniards. Among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is varied. The islands in the east are very dry and are home to the country's growing tourism industry. The more western islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged their soil fertility and vegetation. For centuries, the country s overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration.

Military - note

the FACV is responsible for external defense; it also has an internal security role in collaboration with the police if required; its duties include monitoring and patrolling the country's air and maritime spaces, participating in training exercises, conducting search and rescue, countering narcotics and other forms of illicit trafficking, and supporting the police and civil society (2025)

Military and security forces

Cabo Verdean Armed Forces (FACV): National Guard (GN), Cabo Verde Coast Guard (Guardia Costeira de Cabo Verde, GCCV) (2025) note: the National Police are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Military and security service personnel strengths

the FACV has approximately 1,000-1,500 active personnel (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FACV has a limited amount of mostly dated or secondhand equipment, largely from China, some European countries, and the former Soviet Union (2025)

Military expenditures

0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary service (with parental consent); 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory service (14-month service obligation) (2025)

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.4% (male 80,973/female 80,129) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 201,084/female 209,676) 65 years and over: 6.4% (2024 est.) (male 15,049/female 24,103)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 4.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

17.51 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 1.8% (2018) women married by age 18: 8.4% (2018) men married by age 18: 1.5% (2018)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.2% (2018 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

45% (2021 est.)

Death rate

5.73 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 48.8 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 39.2 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 9.5 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 10.5 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 93.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 82.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 89.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 6.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 17.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 10.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

4.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.4% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Creole (Mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Gross reproduction rate

1.02 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

6.9% of GDP (2021) 16.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 21.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 26.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a Portuguese-based creole language with two main dialects)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.3 years (2024 est.) male: 72 years female: 76.7 years

Literacy

total population: 88.5% (2024 est.) male: 92.9% (2024 est.) female: 84.1% (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

168,000 PRAIA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

40 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 29.3 years (2025 est.) male: 27.9 years female: 29.6 years

Nationality

noun: Cabo Verdean(s) adjective: Cabo Verdean

Net migration rate

-0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

11.8% (2016)

Physician density

0.73 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

total: 611,014 (2024 est.) male: 297,106 female: 313,908

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, as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

1.12% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 72.5%, Protestant 4% (includes Adventist 1.9%, Nazarene 1.8%, Assembly of God 0.2%, God is Love 0.1%), Christian Rationalism 1.7%, Muslim 1.3%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Church of Jesus Christ 1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 1.2%, none 15.6%, no response 0.4% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 95.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 77.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 89.8% of population (2022 est.) urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 22.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 10.2% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years (2018 est.) male: 13 years (2018 est.) female: 14 years (2018 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 9.8% (2025 est.) male: 15.3% (2025 est.) female: 4.5% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.08 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 68% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 115 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List Cabo Verde did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/cabo-verde/

Airports

10 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

D4

Merchant marine

total: 44 (2023) by type: general cargo 14, oil tanker 2, other 28

Ports

total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Porto da Praia, Porto Grande