Cape Verde
Africa Β· Capital: Praia
How it is run: Cape Verde is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Cape Verde is home to 527,326 people in Western Africa, where people speak Portuguese.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
527,326 people
That is about 65 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
4,033 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 131 people per square kilometre β busy towns with countryside in between.
π Size in its region
52nd most people in Africa
51st largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
Portuguese
π° Money
Cape Verdean escudo (Esc)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
76.2 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$5,796
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
77.6% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
24.7% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+238
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.cv
π§ People here are called
Cape Verdian
π·οΈ Name at home
Cabo Verde
Also written: Republic of Cabo Verde, RepΓΊblica de Cabo Verde.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Cape Verde has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Cabo Verde
French
Γles du Cap-Vert
Arabic
ΩΨ§Ψ¨Ω ΩΩΨ±Ψ―Ω
Chinese
δ½εΎθ§
Japanese
γ«γΌγγγ«γ
Russian
ΠΠ°Π±ΠΎ-ΠΠ΅ΡΠ΄Π΅
Portuguese
Cabo Verde
German
Kap Verde
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 450.4Γ as many people as Cape Verde.
- Cape Verde covers roughly 38 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Cape Verde lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 264 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Cape Verde sits in Western Africa, in the northern and western half of the globe.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Cabo Verde
ποΈ Capital
Praia
π Region
Africa Β· Western Africa
π€ Country code
CV
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Cape Verde π
π§ Where on the map
16.0Β° N, 24.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-2 β when it is noon in London it is about 10:00 in Praia.
- Cape Verde shares its part of the world with Mauritania. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Cape Verde is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Cape Verde sits in Western Africa, in the northern and western half of the globe.
- Cape Verde lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Cape Verde is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Cape Verde has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Cape Verde can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Cape Verde spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Cape Verde?
Praia
Which money do people spend in Cape Verde?
Cape Verdean escudo (Esc)
How many countries share a land border with Cape Verde?
None β no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in Cape Verde?
527,326 people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.