Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde (Portuguese: República de Cabo Verde), is an island country in the central Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of Africa. The country consists of ten main volcanic islands and several smaller islets, with nine of the principal islands inhabited. Its capital and largest city is Praia, on the island of Santiago. Cabo Verde has a land area of about 4,033 square kilometres and an extensive maritime zone.[1]
The islands were uninhabited before Portuguese settlement began in the fifteenth century. Their position between Africa, Europe and the Americas made the archipelago an important centre in Atlantic maritime trade, including the transatlantic slave trade. Cabo Verde became independent from Portugal on 5 July 1975 and later developed a multiparty parliamentary political system.[2]
Portuguese is the country's official language, while Cape Verdean Creole is widely used in everyday life.[3] Cabo Verde's society and culture combine influences that developed through centuries of interaction between African and European peoples. Music is particularly prominent in the country's cultural identity; morna, a traditional musical and choreographic practice, was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019.[4]
In 2013, the government requested that the country's short name be written as "Cabo Verde" in all official United Nations languages rather than translated as "Cape Verde".[5]
Name
The Portuguese name Cabo Verde literally refers to "Green Cape". The islands took their name from Cap-Vert, the peninsula on the West African mainland near present-day Dakar, Senegal.
The English form "Cape Verde" was historically widely used. On 24 October 2013, however, the country's Permanent Mission informed the United Nations that the official short form should be "Cabo Verde" in all UN languages and should not be translated.[5][6]
History
Early settlement and Portuguese rule
The islands were uninhabited before European arrival in the fifteenth century. Portuguese and Italian navigators in Portuguese service reached parts of the archipelago around 1460, and permanent settlement began on Santiago in 1462.[2]
The location of the islands on Atlantic routes linking Europe, western Africa and the Americas gave them considerable strategic and commercial importance. Santiago developed as a centre for trade, including the trafficking of enslaved Africans. People of European and African origin formed the basis of the emerging Cabo Verdean population and culture.[2]
The islands experienced periods of economic decline as Atlantic trading patterns changed and the slave trade was abolished. Recurrent drought and limited natural resources also affected agriculture and living conditions.[2]
Independence movement
In 1956, Amílcar Cabral and other activists established the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which sought independence for Portuguese Guinea and Cabo Verde.[2]
Following Portugal's Carnation Revolution in 1974, Portugal and the PAIGC reached an agreement providing for a transitional government. Elections for an assembly were held in June 1975, and independence was proclaimed in Praia on 5 July 1975.[2][7]
Multiparty era
After independence, the country was governed under a one-party system. Political reforms led to the introduction of multiparty politics, and the first multiparty parliamentary elections were held in 1991.[2]
Subsequent governments have operated within a constitutional parliamentary system with regularly elected national institutions. The present constitutional framework is based on the Constitution adopted in 1992 and subsequently amended.[8]
Geography
Cabo Verde lies in the Atlantic Ocean several hundred kilometres west of continental Africa. The archipelago consists of ten principal islands and a number of islets. Nine of the main islands are inhabited; Santa Luzia is uninhabited.[1]
The islands are commonly divided into two geographical groups. The northern Barlavento Islands include Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Sal and Boa Vista. The southern Sotavento Islands comprise Maio, Santiago, Fogo and Brava.[1]
The country has a total land area of approximately 4,033 square kilometres. Its maritime territory is far larger than its land area; a United Nations country assessment estimated its exclusive economic zone at about 734,265 square kilometres.[1]
Terrain and geology
The islands are volcanic in origin, but their terrain differs considerably. Santo Antão, São Nicolau, Santiago, Fogo and Brava are generally mountainous, while islands such as Sal, Boa Vista and Maio have flatter and more arid landscapes.[1]
Pico do Fogo, on Fogo island, rises to 2,829 metres and is the highest point in Cabo Verde. Fogo remains volcanically active; its most recent major eruption occurred in 2014–2015.[9]
Climate
Cabo Verde has a generally dry climate with limited and irregular rainfall. Rainfall varies considerably between islands and elevations. Mountainous areas can receive more moisture than the low-lying eastern islands.[1]
Water scarcity and recurrent drought have shaped settlement, agriculture and economic development. The country's exposure to drought, volcanic activity and other climate-related hazards also influences environmental and development policy.[1]
Government and politics
Cabo Verde is a parliamentary republic under its constitution. The president serves as head of state and is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The prime minister is head of government. The national legislature is the National Assembly, whose members are elected for five-year terms.[10]
As of September 2026, José Maria Neves is president of the republic.[11] Francisco Carvalho became prime minister in 2026 and heads the government formed for the XI Legislature.[12]
The constitution names Praia, on Santiago, as the national capital.[3] Political authority is also exercised through municipalities, which have elected local bodies.[13]
Cabo Verde is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).
Economy
Cabo Verde has a small, open economy with limited domestic natural resources and a high dependence on external trade. Services account for a major part of economic activity, with tourism playing a particularly important role.[14]
According to the World Bank, Cabo Verde had a population of 527,326 in 2025 and a gross domestic product of about US$3.06 billion. GDP per capita was approximately US$5,796 in the same year.[15]
Real GDP grew by 6.3 per cent in 2025, driven substantially by tourism, according to the World Bank's 2026 economic update. The institution projected slower growth in 2026 and identified weak inter-island connectivity as a constraint on economic diversification and domestic value chains.[16]
Tourism receipts, remittances and exports are important sources of external income. The IMF reported continued economic growth during 2025, supported by tourism, export performance and private consumption.[14]
Currency
The national currency is the Cape Verdean escudo (CVE). Cabo Verde operates a fixed exchange-rate regime tied to the euro. The arrangement dates from 1998 and is used by the Bank of Cabo Verde as an anchor for monetary and price stability.[17]
The established parity is 110.265 Cabo Verdean escudos to one euro.[18]
Demographics
The population of Cabo Verde was estimated by the World Bank at 527,326 in 2025.[15] Population is unevenly distributed among the islands, with Santiago containing the national capital and a substantial share of the country's inhabitants.
Migration has long played a major role in Cabo Verdean society. Large Cabo Verdean communities developed abroad, particularly in Europe, the Americas and other parts of Africa. Remittances from emigrants remain economically significant; the World Bank reported personal remittances equivalent to 11.7 per cent of GDP in 2025.[15]
Languages
Portuguese is the official language under Article 9 of the constitution. The constitution also directs the state to create conditions for the official recognition of the Cabo Verdean mother tongue alongside Portuguese.[3]
Cape Verdean Creole, often known locally as Kriolu or Crioulo, is used widely in daily communication. It developed from contact between Portuguese and African languages during the formation of Cabo Verdean society.[19]
Culture
Cabo Verdean culture developed from the interaction of African and European traditions over several centuries. Music, oral traditions, language, dance and migration experiences are prominent components of national cultural life.
Music
One of the country's best-known musical traditions is morna, which combines singing, instrumental music, poetry and, in some forms, dance. Themes commonly include love, separation, migration, reunion, the sea and attachment to the homeland.[4]
UNESCO inscribed "Morna, musical practice of Cabo Verde" on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019. UNESCO describes the tradition as an important part of Cabo Verdean social and cultural life.[4]
The singer Cesária Évora helped bring Cabo Verdean music, particularly morna, to wider international audiences.
Heritage
Cidade Velha, the historic centre of Ribeira Grande on Santiago island, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009. It is Cabo Verde's first property on the World Heritage List.[20]
UNESCO also lists several additional Cabo Verdean places on the country's World Heritage Tentative List, including the historic centre of Nova Sintra and the Fogo natural park area.[20]
Education
Education expanded substantially after independence and remains an important part of national development policy. Cabo Verde has primary and secondary schools as well as higher-education institutions, including the University of Cabo Verde.
Improvements in education and health have contributed to broader gains in human development, although differences in economic opportunity remain between population groups and islands.[21]
Transport and infrastructure
Because Cabo Verde is an archipelago, maritime and air transport are essential to domestic mobility and international trade. Ports and airports connect the individual islands with one another and link the country to international destinations.
Inter-island connectivity remains an important economic and infrastructure issue. The World Bank's 2026 economic assessment identified weak connections between islands as a constraint on private-sector development, tourism diversification and domestic supply chains.[22]
Digital connectivity has also expanded. World Bank data indicate that about 75 per cent of Cabo Verde's population used the internet in 2024.[15]
International relations
Cabo Verde became a member of the United Nations following independence. Its foreign relations reflect its geographical position between Africa, Europe and the Americas and its historical connections with the Portuguese-speaking world.
The constitution states that Cabo Verde supports international cooperation, peaceful resolution of conflicts, human rights and stronger African integration. It also provides for special relations of friendship and cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries and countries hosting Cabo Verdean emigrant communities.[3]
The country participates in regional and international organizations including the African Union, ECOWAS and the CPLP. Cabo Verde became a member of UNESCO in 1978.[23]
Did you know about Cabo Verde?
- Cabo Verde consists of ten main islands, but only nine are inhabited.[1]
- The country's land area is only about 4,033 km², while its exclusive economic zone covers roughly 734,000 km².[1]
- Cabo Verde formally asked the United Nations in 2013 to use the name "Cabo Verde" instead of translating it as "Cape Verde".[5]
- Pico do Fogo reaches 2,829 metres and is the country's highest point.[24]
- Cabo Verde's escudo has a fixed exchange-rate relationship with the euro.[17]
- Morna was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019.[4]
- Cidade Velha is Cabo Verde's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.[20]
- The country's capital, Praia, is located on Santiago island and is specifically designated as the national capital by the constitution.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Cabo Verde country profile. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 História. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Constituição da Republica. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Morna, musical practice of Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ CABO VERDE. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Agreement between Portugal and the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Constituição da Republica. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ VNR Report Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ United Nations human rights report on Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Notas de Imprensa. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Governo entrega Programa para a XI Legislatura e reafirma compromisso com um "Cabo Verde para Todos". 3 July 2026. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Core document forming part of the reports of States parties: Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 IMF Executive Board Concludes the 2025 Article IV Consultation, Seventh Review under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement, and Third Review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility Arrangement with Cabo Verde. 7 February 2026. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Cabo Verde — Data. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Cabo Verde 2026 Economic Update: Inter-Island Connectivity for Inclusive Growth. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Monetary Policy Objectives. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Exchange Rate Metadata — Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Core document forming part of the reports of States parties — Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Cabo Verde Economic Update 2025: Unlocking Inclusive Growth through Increased Resilience and Equal Opportunities. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Cabo Verde 2026 Economic Update: Inter-Island Connectivity for Inclusive Growth. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ VNR Report Cabo Verde. Retrieved 28 September 2026.