
Population growth in Cape Verde
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Cape Verde increased from 201,770.00 to 587,925.00 people. This is a growth of 191.4 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Cape Verde was recorded in 2015 with 6.54 percent. The biggest decrease in 1974 with -0.31 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Cape Verde rose by 3.09 years from 2012 to 2021 from 23.71 to 26.80 years (median value).
Around 67 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.6 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Cape Verde
Population development in Cape Verde since 1960
(Data given in 1000 inhabitants)Year | Population Cape Verde | Change Cape Verde | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | 205,000 | 1.76 % | 47.6 ‰ | 20.0 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
1962 | 210,000 | 2.35 % | 47.1 ‰ | 19.5 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
1963 | 216,000 | 2.83 % | 46.6 ‰ | 19.0 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
1964 | 223,000 | 3.18 % | 45.9 ‰ | 18.4 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
1965 | 230,000 | 3.35 % | 45.1 ‰ | 17.7 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
1966 | 239,000 | 3.57 % | 44.4 ‰ | 17.0 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
1967 | 248,000 | 3.72 % | 43.6 ‰ | 16.4 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
1968 | 256,000 | 3.49 % | 42.8 ‰ | 15.8 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
1969 | 263,000 | 2.85 % | 42.2 ‰ | 15.2 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
1970 | 269,000 | 1.96 % | 41.6 ‰ | 14.7 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
1971 | 271,000 | 1.00 % | 41.1 ‰ | 14.2 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
1972 | 272,000 | 0.19 % | 40.8 ‰ | 13.6 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
1973 | 271,000 | -0.28 % | 40.5 ‰ | 13.1 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
1974 | 270,000 | -0.31 % | 40.3 ‰ | 12.5 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
1975 | 270,000 | 0.00 % | 40.3 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
1976 | 271,000 | 0.41 % | 40.4 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
1977 | 273,000 | 0.73 % | 40.5 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
1978 | 276,000 | 1.04 % | 40.7 ‰ | 10.5 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
1979 | 280,000 | 1.28 % | 41.0 ‰ | 10.2 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
1980 | 284,000 | 1.47 % | 41.3 ‰ | 10.0 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
1981 | 289,000 | 1.70 % | 41.7 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
1982 | 294,000 | 1.93 % | 42.0 ‰ | 9.7 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
1983 | 300,000 | 2.03 % | 42.3 ‰ | 9.6 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
1984 | 306,000 | 1.97 % | 42.5 ‰ | 9.5 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
1985 | 312,000 | 1.81 % | 42.6 ‰ | 9.4 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
1986 | 317,000 | 1.59 % | 42.6 ‰ | 9.2 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
1987 | 321,000 | 1.43 % | 42.4 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
1988 | 326,000 | 1.43 % | 42.1 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
1989 | 331,000 | 1.67 % | 41.6 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
1990 | 338,000 | 2.05 % | 40.8 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
1991 | 346,000 | 2.45 % | 39.8 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
1992 | 356,000 | 2.75 % | 38.6 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
1993 | 366,000 | 2.89 % | 37.2 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
1994 | 376,000 | 2.83 % | 35.7 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
1995 | 386,000 | 2.62 % | 34.1 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
1996 | 396,000 | 2.39 % | 32.6 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
1997 | 404,000 | 2.20 % | 31.1 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
1998 | 413,000 | 2.04 % | 29.7 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
1999 | 420,000 | 1.93 % | 28.6 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
2000 | 428,000 | 1.84 % | 27.6 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
2001 | 436,000 | 1.76 % | 26.8 ‰ | 6.1 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
2002 | 443,000 | 1.66 % | 26.1 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
2003 | 450,000 | 1.57 % | 25.5 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
2004 | 457,000 | 1.49 % | 24.9 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
2005 | 463,000 | 1.40 % | 24.3 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
2006 | 469,000 | 1.33 % | 23.8 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
2007 | 475,000 | 1.26 % | 23.4 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
2008 | 481,000 | 1.22 % | 23.0 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
2009 | 487,000 | 1.21 % | 22.7 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
2010 | 493,000 | 1.23 % | 22.4 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
2011 | 499,000 | 1.26 % | 22.1 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
2012 | 505,000 | 1.28 % | 21.8 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
2013 | 512,000 | 1.29 % | 21.5 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
2014 | 518,000 | 1.28 % | 19.5 ‰ | 5.4 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 552,000 | 6.54 % | 19.2 ‰ | 5.7 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
2016 | 558,000 | 1.13 % | 19.3 ‰ | 5.2 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
2017 | 565,000 | 1.17 % | 19.0 ‰ | 4.9 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 571,000 | 1.11 % | 17.8 ‰ | 5.3 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
2019 | 577,000 | 1.02 % | 17.5 ‰ | 5.2 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 583,000 | 0.97 % | 17.2 ‰ | 5.7 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
2021 | 588,000 | 0.91 % | 17.0 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |

Birth and death rate in Cape Verde
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2021 in the graph: The population in Cape Verde increased by about 5,290 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 6.0 per 1,000 people (~ 3,510 deaths) and the birth rate was 17.0 per 1,000 people (~ 9,880 births). As a result, around 1,080 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 3,049 in Cape Verde. The number of births was 10,445 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate