2023 Edition

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.

Area

land

4,033 sq km

total

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; 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)

Irrigated land

35 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

18.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)

forest

21% (2018 est.)

other

60.4% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

note

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically activevolcanism: 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 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

Terrain

steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

4.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

1.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

18.2 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

55.8% (2018)

Current health expenditure

6% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

46.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 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.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8

potential support ratio

12.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.2

youth dependency ratio

39.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 90% of population

improved: total

total: 96.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 10% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

7.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.04 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.1 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

18.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

27 deaths/1,000 live births

total

23 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a Portuguese-based Creole language with two main dialects spoken in Cabo Verde and in the Cabo Verdean diaspora worldwide)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.4 years

male

71.7 years

total population

74 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

87.4% (2021)

male

94.2%

total population

90.8%

Major urban areas - population

168,000 PRAIA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

42 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

29.2 years

male

27.5 years

total

28.3 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Cabo Verdean

noun

Cabo Verdean(s)

Net migration rate

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

11.8% (2016)

Physicians density

0.83 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

603,901 (2023 est.)

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

Population growth rate

1.19% (2023 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 73.3% of population

improved: total

total: 85.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 91.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 26.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 14.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 8.3% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2018)

male

12 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

5.4% (2020 est.)

male

17.3% (2020 est.)

total

11.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.11 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

68% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

40.7%

male

29.9%

total

34.3% (2021 est.)

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

Capital

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)

geographic coordinates

14 55 N, 23 31 W

name

Praia

time difference

UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

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

history

previous 1981; latest effective 25 September 1992

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Cabo Verde

conventional 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

local long form

Republica de Cabo Verde

local short form

Cabo Verde

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador John "Jeff" DAIGLE (since 10 September 2019)

email address and website

PraiaConsular@state.govhttps://cv.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Rua Abilio Macedo 6, Praia

FAX

[238] 261-1355

mailing address

2460 Praia Place, Washington DC  20521-2460

telephone

[238] 260-8900

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Jose Luis do Livramento MONTEIRO ALVES DE BRITO (since 23 December 2020)

consulate(s) general

Boston

email address and website

embassy.wdc@mnec.gov.cvhttps://www.embcv-usa.gov.cv/

FAX

[1] (202) 965-1207

telephone

[1] (202) 965-6820

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 9 November 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%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Jose Ulisses CORREIA e SILVA (since 22 April 2016)

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)

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

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)

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%

elections

last held on 18 April 2021 (next to be held in April 2026)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA

name

"Cantico da Liberdade" (Song of Freedom)

note

note: adopted 1996

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Cidade Velha; Historic Center of Ribeira Grande

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

National symbol(s)

ten, five-pointed, yellow stars; national colors: blue, white, red, yellow

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugar cane, tomatoes, bananas, cabbages, coconuts, cassava, pulses, vegetables, milk, goat milk

Budget

expenditures

$619 million (2019 est.)

revenues

$583 million (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B- (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B (2013)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$6.477 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$284.109 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$256.181 million (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$1.688 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$1.713 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Cabo Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

97.807 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

93.414 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

98.495 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

96.796 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

93.218 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$1.006 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$415.242 million (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$459.923 million (2021 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

tuna, mackerel, aircraft, other processed and frozen fish, postage stamps and title bond paper documents, mollusks (2021)

Exports - partners

Spain 65%, Portugal 14%, Italy 8% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

48.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption

18.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

50.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-51.1% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

32.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1.9% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8.9% (2017 est.)

industry

17.5% (2017 est.)

services

73.7% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.971 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

42.4 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

40.6% (2000)

lowest 10%

1.9%

Imports

Imports 2019

$1.287 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$1.008 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$1.117 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, delivery trucks, coal tar oil, cars, rice (2019)

Imports - partners

Portugal 36%, Netherlands 16%, Spain 11%, China 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

11.76% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1.11% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

0.61% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.86% (2021 est.)

Labor force

234,300 (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

35% (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

127.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

125.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$3.944 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$3.361 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$3.595 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

5.67% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-14.78% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.95% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$6,800 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$5,800 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$6,100 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$737.991 million (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$735.085 million (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$769.65 million (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.09% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

12.22% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

15.31% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

15.42% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

40.7%

male

29.9%

total

34.3% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.002 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

1.002 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

436.854 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

205,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

32.146 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

96.8% (2021)

electrification - total population

95.2% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

94.8% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

80.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

17.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

26.539 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

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.)

refined petroleum consumption

6,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

5,607 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2020 est.)

total

24,839 (2020 est.)

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 country code

.cv

Internet users

percent of population

70% (2021 est.)

total

413,000 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

9 per 100 fixed-line teledensity and nearly 100 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)

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)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

9 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

53,586 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

100 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

590,171 (2021 est.)

Airports

9 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

9

note

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.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

D4

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 16, oil tanker 3, other 28

total

47 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,728,152 (2015) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

140,429 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

5

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Porto Grande

Roadways

paved

932 km (2013)

total

1,350 km (2013)

unpaved

418 km (2013)

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)

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

note:  the National Police are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs

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 expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

0.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

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)

Disputes - international

none identified

Illicit drugs

narcotraffickers transit cocaine, cannabis, and other drugs to Africa and Europe; domestic trafficking contributes to increased consumption of illicit substances;

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

115 (2022)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.54 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.13 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

31.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic

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

Land use

agricultural land

18.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)

forest

21% (2018 est.)

other

60.4% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.38% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

300 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

400,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

1.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.83% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

68% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

132,555 tons (2012 est.)