Cabo Verde
Republic of Cabo VerdeRepublica de Cabo Verde
parliamentary republicIndependence 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Cabo Verde as the 2021 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 165 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese 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 Krioulo language, music, and pano textiles. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, 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 one of its most stable economies, maintaining a currency formerly pegged to the Portuguese escudo and then 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 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, Spaniards, and Portuguese Jews. Among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable. 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.
Geography
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
17 fieldsLand useshare of 4,033 sq km
Population distribution
- among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable;
- islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled to exploit their extensive salt deposits;
- the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged the soil fertility and vegetation;
- 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
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;
- important communications station;
- important sea and air refueling site;
- one of four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia;
- the others are Azores (Portugal), Canary Islands (Spain), and Madeira (Portugal)
People and Society
36 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2020 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2021 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2010 est.)
Languages
Portuguese (official), Krioulo (a Portuguese-based Creole language with two main dialects spoken in Cabo Verde and in the Cabo Verdean diaspora worldwide)
Demographic profile
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, Spaniards, and Portuguese Jews. Over the centuries, the country’s overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration.
Labor migration historically reduced Cabo Verde’s population growth and still provides a key source of income through remittances. Expatriates probably outnumber Cabo Verde’s resident population, with most families having a member abroad. Cabo Verdeans have settled in the US, Europe, Africa, and South America.
The largest diaspora community in New Bedford, Massachusetts, dating to the early 1800s, is a byproduct of the transatlantic whaling industry. Cabo Verdean men fleeing poverty at home joined the crews of US whaling ships that stopped in the islands. Many settled in New Bedford and stayed in the whaling or shipping trade, worked in the textile or cranberry industries, or operated their own transatlantic packet ships that transported compatriots to the US. Increased Cabo Verdean emigration to the US coincided with the gradual and eventually complete abolition of slavery in the archipelago in 1878.
During the same period, Portuguese authorities coerced Cabo Verdeans to go to Sao Tome and Principe and other Portuguese colonies in Africa to work as indentured laborers on plantations. In the 1920s, when the US implemented immigration quotas, Cabo Verdean emigration shifted toward Portugal, West Africa (Senegal), and South America (Argentina). Growing numbers of Cabo Verdean labor migrants headed to Western Europe in the 1960s and 1970s.
They filled unskilled jobs in Portugal, as many Portuguese sought out work opportunities in the more prosperous economies of northwest Europe. Cabo Verdeans eventually expanded their emigration to the Netherlands, where they worked in the shipping industry. Migration to the US resumed under relaxed migration laws.
Cabo Verdean women also began migrating to southern Europe to become domestic workers, a trend that continues today and has shifted the gender balance of Cabo Verdean emigration.
Emigration has declined in more recent decades due to the adoption of more restrictive migration policies in destination countries. Reduced emigration along with a large youth population, decreased mortality rates, and increased life expectancies, has boosted population growth, putting further pressure on domestic employment and resources.
In addition, Cabo Verde has attracted increasing numbers of migrants in recent decades, consisting primarily of people from West Africa, Portuguese-speaking African countries, Portugal, and China. Since the 1990s, some West African migrants have used Cabo Verde as a stepping stone for illegal migration to Europe.
Population distribution
- among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable;
- islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled to exploit their extensive salt deposits;
- the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged the soil fertility and vegetation;
- 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
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.84 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.6 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Environment
11 fieldsLand use(2018 est.)
Environment - current issues
- deforestation due to demand for firewood;
- water shortages;
- prolonged droughts and improper use of land (overgrazing, crop cultivation on hillsides lead to desertification and erosion);
- environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles;
- illegal beach sand extraction;
- overfishing
Environment - international 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
Air pollutants
- particulate matter emissions:
- 31.99 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
- carbon dioxide emissions:
- 0.54 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions:
- 0.13 megatons (2020 est.)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 67.1% of total population (2021)
- rate of urbanization:
- 1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 1.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
- industrial:
- 400,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
- agricultural:
- 25 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Parliamentary republic; President Jose Maria NEVES (since 9 November 2021); Prime Minister Ulisses CORREIA E. SILVA (since 22 April 2016)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional, 72 seats, elected 18 April 2021one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Composition: men 44, women 28, percent of women 37.5%
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 Cap-Vert (Green Cape) on the Senegalese coast, the westernmost point of Africa and the nearest mainland to the islands
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 became just Praia in 1974 (prior to full independence in 1975)
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, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Lourenco dos Orgaos, Sao Miguel, Sao Salvador do Mundo, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal, Tarrafal de Sao Nicolau
Constitution
- history:
- previous 1981; latest effective 25 September 1992
- amendments:
- 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;
- revised 1995, 1999, 2010
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Jose Maria NEVES (since 9 November 2021)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Ulisses CORREIA E. SILVA (since 22 April 2016)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
- elections/appointments:
- president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
- election last held on 17 October 2021 (next to be held on 17 October 2026);
- prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president
- election results:
- Jose Maria NEVES elected president; percent of vote - Jose Maria NEVES (APICV) 51.73%, Carlos Veiga (MFD) 42.37%, Casimiro de Pina (Independent) 1.81%, Fernando Rocha Delgado (Independent) 1.36%, Helio Sanches (Independent) 1.14%, Gilson Alves (Independent) 0.84%, Joaquim Monteiro (Independent) 0.74%; Jorge Carlos FONSECA reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge Carlos FONSECA (MPD) 74%, Albertino GRACA (independent) 23%, other 3%; African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (APICV); Movement for Democracy (MFD)
Legislative branch
- description:
- unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 18 April 2021 (next to be held on 18 April 2026)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party Monument for Democracy 50.2%, African Party for Independence in Cape Verde 39.55%, Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union 9.0%;
- seats by party - MD 38, APICV 30, DICVU 4;
- composition - men 44, women 28, percent of women 37.5%
Judicial branch
- highest courts:
- 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
Political parties and leaders
rz African Party for Independence of Cabo Verde or PAICV [Janira Hopffer ALMADA]
Democratic and Independent Cabo Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]
Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]
Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]
Movement for Democracy or MPD [Ulisses CORREIA E SILVA]
Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]
Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Anibal MEDINA]
Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]
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
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:
- [email protected]; https://www.embcv-usa.gov.cv/
- consulate(s) general:
- Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador John "Jeff" DAIGLE (since 10 September 2019)
- 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:
- [email protected]; https://cv.usembassy.gov/
Flag description
- five unequal horizontal bands;
- the top-most band of blue - equal to one half the width of the flag - is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width;
- a circle of 10 yellow, five-pointed stars is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side;
- blue stands for the sea and the sky, the circle of stars represents the 10 major islands united into a nation, the stripes symbolize the road to formation of the country through peace (white) and effort (red)
National anthem
- name:
- "Cantico da Liberdade" (Song of Freedom)
- lyrics/music:
- Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA
note: adopted 1996
Economy
Cabo Verde’s economy depends on development aid, foreign investment, remittances, and tourism.
33 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2017 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2017 est.)
Budget(2017 est.)
Economic overview
Cabo Verde’s economy depends on development aid, foreign investment, remittances, and tourism. The economy is service-oriented with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. Tourism is the mainstay of the economy and depends on conditions in the euro-zone countries.
Cabo Verde annually runs a high trade deficit financed by foreign aid and remittances from its large pool of emigrants; remittances as a share of GDP are one of the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Although about 40% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. The island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages, exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought, and poor soil for growing food on several of the islands, requiring it to import most of what it consumes. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited.
Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy and mitigate high unemployment. The government’s elevated debt levels have limited its capacity to finance any shortfalls.
Agricultural products
sugar cane, tomatoes, bananas, cabbages, coconuts, cassava, pulses nes, vegetables, milk, goat milk
Exports
$420 million note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) · $1 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) · $960 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Imports
$1.02 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.) · $1.29 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) · $1.34 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$617.4 million (31 December 2017 est.) · $572.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
Cabo Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 101.8 (2017 est.) · 99.688 (2016 est.) · 99.688 (2015 est.) · 99.426 (2014 est.) · 83.114 (2013 est.)
Energy
23 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2019)
Installed generating capacity, 162,500 kW(2016 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2020–21 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- LTE reaches almost 40% of the population;
- regulator awards commercial 4G licenses and starts 5G pilot;
- govt. extends USD 25 million for submarine fiber-optic cable project linking Africa to Portugal and Brazil;
- major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT) (2020)
- domestic:
- 11 per 100 fixed-line and 108 per 100 mobile-cellular;
- fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services;
- cellular service introduced in 1998;
- broadband services launched early in the decade (2019)
- international:
- country code - 238;
- landing points for the Atlantis-2, EllaLink, Cabo Verde Telecom Domestic Submarine Cable Phase 1, 2, 3 and WACS fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Africa, and Europe;
- HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production;
many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes;
the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media
- state-run TV and radio broadcast 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)
Transportation
7 fieldsMerchant marine, 46 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2021)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
National air transport system
- number of registered air carriers:
- 2 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
- 140,429 (2018)
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
- 1,728,152 mt-km (2015)
Military and Security
Cabo Verdean Armed Forces (FACV): Army (also called the National Guard, GN; includes a small air component), Cabo Verde Coast Guard (Guardia Costeira de Cabo Verde, GCCV) (2021)
6 fieldsMilitary and security forces
Cabo Verdean Armed Forces (FACV): Army (also called the National Guard, GN; includes a small air component), Cabo Verde Coast Guard (Guardia Costeira de Cabo Verde, GCCV) (2021)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Cabo Verdean Armed Forces (FACV) consist of approximately 1,200 personnel including about 100 in the Coast Guard (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the FACV has a limited amount of mostly dated and second-hand equipment, largely from China, European countries, and the former Soviet Union;
- since 2010, it has received limited quantities of equipment (naval patrol craft and aircraft) from the Netherlands and Portugal (2020)
Military service age and obligation
- 18-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service;
- 2-years conscript service obligation;
- 17 years of age for voluntary service (with parental consent) (2019)
Military - note
- as of 2021, the FACV/National Guard was mostly a ground force with 2 infantry battalions and a small air component with a maritime patrol squadron;
- the Coast Guard had a few coastal patrol craft and patrol boats
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsIllicit drugs
- Cabo Verde is a transit hub for cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs trafficked from Latin America to Europe;
- marijuana, cocaine, hashish, heroin, and methamphetamine are the most frequently consumed drugs in Cabo Verde
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Cabo Verde.” The World Factbook 2021. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/cabo-verde/2021.