Cape Verde
in Western Africa
Africa

National active POI
Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Escudo - CVE
Spoken languages:
Portuguese
Local electricity:
230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
CV
Internet top level domain:
.cv
Country phone prefix:
+238
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for Cape Verde in Western Africa

Safety Score: 2,5 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning we advice caution when travelling to Cape Verde.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning Cape Verde. Last Update: 2024-08-13 08:21:03

Explore Cape Verde

Cape Verde with its capital Praia is located in Africa (Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean). It covers some 4,034 square kilometers (slightly larger than Rhode Island) with 560,899 citizens. Portuguese is the language commonly spoken used in Cape Verde. This country shares no land borders with another country.

Cape Verde is a country in West Africa. It comprises a group of islands of the Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal. It is part of the region of Islands collectively known as Macaronesia. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Cape Verde’s climate is temperate, with a warm, dry summer. Precipitation is meager and very erratic. If you are arriving from a country with a Cape Verde embassy, you will be required to purchase a Visa in advance. Timetables in Cape Verde are not to be taken too seriously - don't be too surprised if that boat departs ahead of schedule or if that flight suddenly gets postponed until tomorrow. This is important to consider if you decide to do some island-hopping. The official language is Portuguese, used in all official publications and announcemnts as well as in business, media and schools, but the local language is Cape Verdean Creole.

Popular Destinations in Cape Verde

 

Vila do Maio
 

São Filipe
 

Praia
 

Porto Novo
 

Mindelo
 

Espargos

Administrative regions of Cape Verde

About the country

The landscape is steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic. The average density of population is about 139 per km². The climate in Cape Verde can be described as temperatewarm, dry summer, precipitation meager and erratic. Potential threats by nature are Fogo (elev. 2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano, prolonged droughts, seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust and volcanically and seismically active.

To reach someone Cape Verde dial +238 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".cv". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F). The sign for the locally used currency Escudo is CVE.

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).

Flag of Cape Verde

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. 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. 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 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 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

Area
Total (World Rank: 176) 4,033sq km
Land (World Rank: 173) 4,033sq km
Forest (World Rank: 147) 6.20%
Comparative slightly larger than Rhode Island
Coastline
965
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 81) 2,829m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 171) 18.60%
Arable (World Rank: 99) 11.70%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 138) 0.70%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 147) 6.20%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 157) 35sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues
  • - deforestation due to demand for firewood
  • - desertification
  • - environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles
  • - illegal beach sand extraction
  • - overfishing
  • - soil erosion
  • - water shortages
Agreement party
  • - 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
Hazzards
  • - Fogo (elev. 2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano
  • - prolonged droughts
  • - seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust
  • - volcanically and seismically active
Location
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Climate
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic
Terrain
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 172) 560,899
Deathrate (World Rank: 163) 0.60%
Birthrate (World Rank: 78) 2.00%
Growthrate (World Rank: 85) 1.30%
Migration rate (World Rank: 95) -0.06%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 95) 2.24%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 155) 24.10
Female (World Rank: 152) 25.70
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 168) 82,157
0 14 female (World Rank: 168) 81,227
15 24 male (World Rank: 168) 56,401
15 24 female (World Rank: 167) 56,391
25 54 male (World Rank: 171) 108,081
25 54 female (World Rank: 171) 114,234
55 64 male (World Rank: 175) 14,547
55 64 female (World Rank: 172) 18,761
65 x male (World Rank: 176) 11,012
65 x female (World Rank: 169) 18,088
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 71) 2.27%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 147) 72years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 150) 75years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 144) 70years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 140) 0.31
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 104) 2.10
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 140) 72.20%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 134) 11.70%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 128) 91.70%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 170) 400,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 183) 300,000,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 95) 76.50%
Source renew (World Rank: 25) 23.50%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 170) 6,000bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 162) 5,328bbl / day
Carbon footprint
400000

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 67) 5% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 137) 1% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 147) 5% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 93) -2% of GDP
National symbol
ten, five-pointed, yellow stars
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Cabo Verdean
Noun
Cabo Verdean(s)
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. 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. 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 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 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.
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)

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 180) 3,540,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 63) 4.00%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 156) 6,700USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 104) 8.10%
Source industry (World Rank: 163) 18.20%
Source service (World Rank: 51) 73.70%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 172) 196,100
In poverty (World Rank: 60) 30.00%
Products
Industries
  • - beverages
  • - fish processing
  • - food
  • - garments
  • - salt mining
  • - ship repair
  • - shoes
Agriculture
  • - bananas
  • - beans
  • - coffee
  • - corn
  • - fish
  • - peanuts
  • - sugarcane
  • - sweet potatoes
Exports
  • - fish
  • - fuel (re-exports)
  • - garments
  • - hides
  • - shoes
Imports
  • - foodstuffs
  • - fuels
  • - industrial products
  • - transport equipment

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 152) 59,730
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 129) 11.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 98) 113.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 160) 266,562
Population (World Rank: 124) 48.20%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 122) 9.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 179) 1,350
Paved length (World Rank: 145) 932
Unpaved length (World Rank: 134) 418
Popular places in this country

This is a list of famous places in this country in alphabetical order.