Page last updated on January 28, 2014
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. 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 exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. 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 is greater than its domestic one. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
total: 4,033 sq km
country comparison to the world: 176
land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km
slightly larger than Rhode Island
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum
arable land: 11.66%
permanent crops: 0.74%
other: 87.59% (2011)
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (6%/1%/93%)
per capita: 48.57 cu m/yr (2004)
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
volcanism: Fogo (elev. 2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano
soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site
noun: Cabo Verdean(s)
adjective: Cabo Verdean
Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%
Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)
531,046 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
0-14 years: 31.2% (male 83,355/female 82,503)
15-24 years: 21.8% (male 57,825/female 57,842)
25-54 years: 37.3% (male 95,970/female 102,217)
55-64 years: 4.5% (male 9,766/female 13,910)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 10,416/female 17,242) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 53.5 %
youth dependency ratio: 45.3 %
elderly dependency ratio: 8.2 %
potential support ratio: 12.2 (2013)
total: 23.5 years
male: 22.7 years
female: 24.4 years (2013 est.)
1.41% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
20.96 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
6.22 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
urban population: 62.6% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 2.12% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
PRAIA (capital) 132,000 (2011)
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: 0.93 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.71 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
19.5
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2005 est.)
79 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 84
total: 25.13 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 77
male: 28.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 71.28 years
country comparison to the world: 146
male: 69.05 years
female: 73.58 years (2013 est.)
2.39 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
4.8% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 146
0.3 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
2.1 beds/1,000 population (2010)
0.04% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
775 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 147
225 (as of 2001)
country comparison to the world: 100
10% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 131
5.6% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 54
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.9%
male: 89.7%
female: 80.3% (2011 est.)
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2011)
total number: 1,948
percentage: 3 %
note: data represents children ages 10-14 (2001 est.)
conventional long form: Republic of Cabo Verde
conventional short form: Cabo Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde
name: Praia
geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W
time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
previous 1981; latest effective 25 September 1992; revised 1995, 1999, 2010 (2010)
civil law system of Portugal
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Jorge Carlos FONSECA (since 9 September 2011)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 August 2011 with a second round runoff on 21 August 2011; prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote (second round) - Jorge Carlos FONSECA 53.4%, Manuel Inocencio SOUSA 46.6%
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 6 February 2011 (next to be held by 2016)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAICV 38, MPD 32, UCID 2
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief justice and at least 5 judges)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointments - 1 by the president of the republic, 1 elected by the National Assembly, and the remainder by the Supreme Council of Magistrates, a 9-member independent body presided over by the chief justice and includes the high judicial inspector, 2 presidential appointees, 3 elected by the National Assembly, and 2 by their court peers; chief justice appointed by the president of the republic from among peers of the Supreme Court and in consultation with the Supreme Council of the Magistrates; judge tenure NA
subordinate courts: first instance (municipal) courts; audit, military, and fiscal and customs courts
African Party for Independence of Cabo Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]
other: environmentalists; political pressure groups
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 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
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniel Leopoldina Soares OLIVEIRA (since 22 November 2013)
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general: Boston
chief of mission: Ambassador Adrienne O'NEAL (since 9 December 2011)
embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 6, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00
FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55
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)
name: "Cantico da Liberdade" (Song of Freedom)
lyrics/music: Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA
note: adopted 1996
The economy is service-oriented with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought and poor soil for agriculture on several of the islands. Although about 40% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cabo Verde annually runs a high trade deficit financed by foreign aid and remittances from its large pool of emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Despite the lack of resources, sound economic management has produced steadily improving incomes. Continued economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy and mitigate high unemployment. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. Cabo Verde became a member of the WTO in July 2008.
$2.16 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$1.798 billion (2012 est.)
2.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
$4,400 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
34.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
household consumption: 56%
government consumption: 18.4%
investment in fixed capital: 43.2%
investment in inventories: 2.5%
exports of goods and services: 34%
imports of goods and services: -54.1%
agriculture: 9.4%
industry: 18.9%
services: 71.7% (2012 est.)
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair
-3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
196,100 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 171
21% (2000 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
lowest 10%: 1.9%
highest 10%: 40.6% (2000)
revenues: $409 million
expenditures: $625.7 million (2012 est.)
22.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
-12.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
86.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
2.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
7.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
9.92% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$490.5 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
$1.362 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
$1.496 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
$-209.3 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
$173.1 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides
Spain 66.9%, Portugal 13.9%, US 5% (2012)
$878.7 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels
Portugal 38.1%, Netherlands 21.5%, China 7.9%, Spain 7% (2012)
$376 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
$1.18 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Cabo Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar -
287 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
266.9 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
89,800 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
96.9% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
3.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 119
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
2,608 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
2,646 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 127
430,000 Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
70,200 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 155
425,300 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 171
general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004
international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2 fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)
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 (2007)
38 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 216
150,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 148
9 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 157
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2013)
total: 1,350 km
country comparison to the world: 179
paved: 932 km
unpaved: 418 km (2000)
total: 13
country comparison to the world: 104
by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 3 (Greece 1, Spain 1, UK 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (unknown 1) (2010)
major seaport(s): Porto Grande
Armed Forces: Army (also called the National Guard, GN), Cabo Verde Coast Guard (Guardia Costeira de Cabo Verde, GCCV; includes naval infantry) (2013)
18-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years; 17 years of age for voluntary service (with parental consent) (2013)
males age 16-49: 132,087
females age 16-49: 136,956 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 106,864
females age 16-49: 117,518 (2010 est.)
male: 6,029
female: 6,026 (2010 est.)
NA% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 383
