Introduction
Background
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 Crioulo 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 relatively 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 and Spaniards. 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. In November 2021, Jose Maria Pereira NEVES was sworn in as Cabo Verde's latest president.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Geographic coordinates
16 00 N, 24 00 W
Map references
Africa
Area - 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
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
Natural resources
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum
Land use
agricultural land: 18.6% (2018 est.)
arable land: 11.7% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.7% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)
forest: 21% (2018 est.)
other: 60.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
35 sq km (2012)
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
Nationality
noun: Cabo Verdean(s)
adjective: Cabo Verdean
Ethnic groups
Creole (Mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Languages
Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a Portuguese-based Creole language with two main dialects spoken in Cabo Verde and in the Cabo Verdean diaspora worldwide)
Religions
Roman Catholic 77.3%, Protestant 4.6% (includes Church of the Nazarene 1.7%, Adventist 1.5%, Assembly of God 0.9%, Universal Kingdom of God 0.4%, and God and Love 0.1%), other Christian 3.4% (includes Christian Rationalism 1.9%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, and New Apostolic 0.5%), Muslim 1.8%, other 1.3%, none 10.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.)
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.
Age structure
0-14 years: 26.68% (male 80,974/female 80,143)
15-64 years: 67.18% (male 198,503/female 207,205)
65 years and over: 6.14% (2023 est.) (male 14,099/female 22,977)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 47.2
youth dependency ratio: 39.2
elderly dependency ratio: 8
potential support ratio: 12.5 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 28.3 years (2023 est.)
male: 27.5 years
female: 29.2 years
comparison ranking: total 147
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
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: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.8 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 69
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74 years (2023 est.)
male: 71.7 years
female: 76.4 years
comparison ranking: total population 143
Gross reproduction rate
1.04 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
55.8% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 90% of population
total: 96.7% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 10% of population
total: 3.3% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
6% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
0.83 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
2.1 beds/1,000 population
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 91.7% of population
rural: 73.3% of population
total: 85.6% of population
unimproved: urban: 8.3% of population
rural: 26.7% of population
total: 14.4% of population (2020 est.)
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.)
comparison ranking: total 86
Tobacco use
total: 11.4% (2020 est.)
male: 17.3% (2020 est.)
female: 5.4% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 127
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
46.9% (2023 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.8%
male: 94.2%
female: 87.4% (2021)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2018)
Environment
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
Climate
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic
Land use
agricultural land: 18.6% (2018 est.)
arable land: 11.7% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.7% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)
forest: 21% (2018 est.)
other: 60.4% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 68% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 31.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.54 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 0.13 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 132,555 tons (2012 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 1.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 400,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
300 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
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
Government type
parliamentary republic
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
Independence
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
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
Legal system
civil law system of Portugal
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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
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 in October 2026); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president
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%
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 in April 2026)
election results: percent of vote by party MPD 50.2%, PAICV 39.6%, UCID 9.0%, other 1.2%; seats by party - MPD 38, PAICV 30, UCID 4; composition as of October 2023 - men 42, women 30, percent of women 41.7%
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
Political parties and leaders
African Party for Independence of Cabo Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES]
Democratic and Independent Cabo Verdean Union or UCID [João DOS SANTOS LUIS]
Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]
Democratic Renewal 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:
embassy.wdc@mnec.gov.cv
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:
PraiaConsular@state.gov
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 symbol(s)
ten, five-pointed, yellow stars; national colors: blue, white, red, yellow
National anthem
name: "Cantico da Liberdade" (Song of Freedom)
lyrics/music: Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA
note: adopted 1996
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Cidade Velha; Historic Center of Ribeira Grande
Economy
Economic overview
tourism-dominated economy benefits from the country’s relative close proximity to Europe; 2009 Financial Crisis halted economic growth for seven years; leveraging export-based growth; COVID-19 decimated economic growth and recovery; high external debt
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$3.595 billion (2021 est.)
$3.361 billion (2020 est.)
$3.944 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 187
Real GDP per capita
$6,100 (2021 est.)
$5,800 (2020 est.)
$6,800 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 162
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.971 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.86% (2021 est.)
0.61% (2020 est.)
1.11% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 162
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: B- (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: B (2013)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 8.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 17.5% (2017 est.)
services: 73.7% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 56; industry 167; agriculture 96
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 50.1% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 18.3% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 32.2% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.9% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 48.6% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -51.1% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
sugar cane, tomatoes, bananas, cabbages, coconuts, cassava, pulses, vegetables, milk, goat milk
Industries
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 34.3% (2021 est.)
male: 29.9%
female: 40.7%
comparison ranking: total 27
Population below poverty line
35% (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.9%
highest 10%: 40.6% (2000)
Budget
revenues: $583 million (2019 est.)
expenditures: $619 million (2019 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$256.181 million (2021 est.)
-$284.109 million (2020 est.)
$6.477 million (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 103
Exports
$459.923 million (2021 est.)
$415.242 million (2020 est.)
$1.006 billion (2019 est.)
note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
comparison ranking: 189
Exports - partners
Spain 65%, Portugal 14%, Italy 8% (2019)
Exports - commodities
tuna, mackerel, aircraft, other processed and frozen fish, postage stamps and title bond paper documents, mollusks (2021)
Imports
$1.117 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$1.008 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$1.287 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
comparison ranking: 186
Imports - partners
Portugal 36%, Netherlands 16%, Spain 11%, China 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, delivery trucks, coal tar oil, cars, rice (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$769.65 million (31 December 2021 est.)
$735.085 million (31 December 2020 est.)
$737.991 million (31 December 2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 157
Debt - external
$1.713 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.688 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 155
Exchange rates
Cabo Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
93.218 (2021 est.)
96.796 (2020 est.)
98.495 (2019 est.)
93.414 (2018 est.)
97.807 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 95.2% (2021)
electrification - urban areas: 94.8% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 96.8% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 205,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 436.854 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 32.146 million kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 170; transmission/distribution losses 177; imports 171; exports 163; consumption 175
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 80.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 17.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 6,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
1.002 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 1.002 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 173
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 53,586 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 154
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 590,171 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 173
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 (2020)
domestic: 9 per 100 fixed-line teledensity and nearly 100 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)
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)
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)
Internet users
total: 413,000 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 70% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 171
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 24,839 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 160
Transportation
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 (2015) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
9
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Roadways
total: 1,350 km (2013)
paved: 932 km (2013)
unpaved: 418 km (2013)
comparison ranking: total 176
Merchant marine
total: 47 (2022)
by type: general cargo 16, oil tanker 3, other 28
comparison ranking: total 120
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Porto Grande
Military and Security
Military 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) (2023)
note: the National Police are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Military expenditures
0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2019 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 161
Military and security service personnel strengths
the military has approximately 1,000-1,200 personnel (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FACV has a limited amount of mostly dated and second-hand equipment, largely from China, some European countries, and the former Soviet Union (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; 24-month conscript service obligation; 17 years of age for voluntary service (with parental consent) (2023)
Military - note
the FACV/National Guard is 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 (2023)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons
stateless persons: 115 (2022)
Illicit drugs
narcotraffickers transit cocaine, cannabis, and other drugs to Africa and Europe; domestic trafficking contributes to increased consumption of illicit substances;