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.

Area
Total: 4,033 km²
Land: 4,033 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 965 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Note: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

Climate: temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic

Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation
Highest point: Mt. Fogo (a volcano on Fogo Island) 2,829 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

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.)

Irrigated land: 35 km² (2012)

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

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)

Population
Total: 611,014 (2024 est.)
Male: 297,106
Female: 313,908
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
Growth rate: 1.16% (2024 est.)

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

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.)

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)

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.)

Median age
Total: 28.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 27.9 years
Female: 29.6 years

Population growth rate: 1.16% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 17.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

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

Major urban areas
Population: 168,000 PRAIA (capital) (2018)

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.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 40 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 22.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 26.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 18.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 72 years
Female: 76.7 years

Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 6.8% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 17.1% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 10.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 22.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 10.2% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.2% (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 11.9% (2024 est.); 12% (2023 est.); 12.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

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, São Domingos, São Filipe, São Lourenco dos Orgaos, São Miguel, São Salvador do Mundo, São Vicente, Tarrafal, Tarrafal de São Nicolau

Legal system: civil law system of Portugal

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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
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

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

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

National anthem
Title: 'Cantico da Liberdade' (Song of Freedom)
Lyrics/music: Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA
History: adopted 1996

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

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): 11.9% (2024 est.); 12% (2023 est.); 12.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

Taxes and other revenues: 18.4% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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

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

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 200,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 400 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 106 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 97.1% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 95.3%
Access electrification - rural areas: 96.9%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 71.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 14.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 14.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

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

Carbon dioxide emissions: 714,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 714,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 19.999 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 60,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 590,000 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 74% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 38,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)

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.)

Airports: 10 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 44 (2023)
By type: general cargo 14, oil tanker 2, other 28