CAPE VERDE
Population

Population

Before the Portuguese occupation, the Cape Verdean archipelago was uninhabited. The white settlers brought in slaves from Portuguese Guinea and Senegal to work on plantations. The slaves, from various Negro tribes, mingled greatly, both among themselves and with the whites. Of the nine inhabited islands, Sao Vicente and Sao Tiago are the most densely populated.

There are 611,000 people living on the Cape Verde Islands (2024). Approximately 71% of the population are mulattos (half-blood white-black); 28% are blacks and 1% are white, who live mainly in Praia and Mindelo. The population growth rate in 2024 was 1.16%. From the dry coastal areas there is a strong migration to the cities. Because of the low employment rate, many Cape Verdeans left for abroad, especially the United States, Portugal, Angola and Senegal. At present, more Cape Verdeans (about 800,000) live abroad than on the islands themselves.

Demographics (2024)

• Birth rate per 1000 inhabitants is 17.9
• Death rate per 1000 inhabitants is 5.7
• Life expectancy is 72 years for men and 76,7 years for women

Age structure

• 0-14 years 26.4%
• 15-64 years 67.2%
• 65+ 6.4%

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Sources

Grote Lekturama wereldatlas
Lekturama

Irwin, A. / Cape Verde Islands
The Globe Pequot Press

Osang, R. / Kapverdische Inseln
DuMont

Schleich, H.H. / Cabo Verde
Naglschmid

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated February 2025
Copyright: Team The World of Info