
Population growth in Cape Verde
From 1960 to 2020 the population of Cape Verde increased from 201,770.00 to 555,988.00 people. This is a growth by 175.6 percent in 60 years. The highest increase in Cape Verde was recorded in 1967 with 3.72%. The biggest decrease in 1974 with -0.31%.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 156.0 percent.
The average age in Cape Verde rose by 3.09 years from 2012 to 2020 from 23.71 to 26.80 years (median value).
Around 67% of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.8% 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 | Birthrate | Deathrate | Population World | Change | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 % | 21.1 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 525,000 | 1.25 % | 20.8 ‰ | 5.8 ‰ | 7,348 M | 1.18 % | |
2016 | 531,000 | 1.22 % | 20.3 ‰ | 5.7 ‰ | 7,434 M | 1.17 % | |
2017 | 537,000 | 1.20 % | 19.9 ‰ | 5.7 ‰ | 7,519 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 544,000 | 1.17 % | 19.5 ‰ | 5.6 ‰ | 7,602 M | 1.11 % | |
2019 | 550,000 | 1.14 % | 19.1 ‰ | 5.6 ‰ | 7,683 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 556,000 | 1.10 % | 7,762 M | 1.02 % |

Birth- and deathrate in Cape Verde
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. The example of the year 2019 in the graph: The population in Cape Verde increased by about 6,170 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 5.6 per 1000 people (~ 3,030 deaths) and the birth rate was 19.1 per 1000 people (~ 10,400 births). As a result, around 1,200 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 3,030 in Cape Verde. The number of births was 10,847 annually.
The development of births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1000 inhabitants.
Birthrate Deathrate