Cape Verde
- Capital:
- Praia
- Continent:
- Africa
- Region(s):
- Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
- Largest Cities:
- Praia, Sao Vicente, Santa Catarina
- Abbreviation:
- CPV
529,630
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
529,630
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
Cape Verde's population is projected to be 429,649 by 2097.
Historical
Switch the toggle to see projected data.
| Year ↓ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 529,630 | 0.5% | 175 |
| 2025 | 527,326 | 0.49% | 175 |
| 2020 | 514,679 | 0.11% | 174 |
| 2019 | 514,104 | 0.13% | 173 |
| 2018 | 513,415 | 0.1% | 173 |
| 2017 | 512,893 | 0.07% | 172 |
| 2015 | 512,394 | 0.1% | 172 |
| 2010 | 509,784 | 1% | 171 |
| 2005 | 485,115 | 1.36% | 170 |
| 2000 | 453,317 | 1.63% | 169 |
| Year ↑ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 529,630 | 0.5% | 175 |
| 2032 | 542,795 | 0.41% | 175 |
| 2037 | 552,287 | 0.35% | 175 |
| 2042 | 560,137 | 0.28% | 174 |
| 2047 | 565,021 | 0.17% | 174 |
| 2052 | 566,144 | 0.04% | 174 |
| 2057 | 562,744 | -0.12% | 175 |
| 2062 | 554,681 | -0.29% | 175 |
| 2067 | 542,941 | -0.43% | 176 |
| 2072 | 528,562 | -0.53% | 176 |
49.6K
46.8K
93.5K
189.9K
Praia has a metropolitan area population of 189,897, comprising 35.85%% of Cape Verde's total population.
| Rank | City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | % of National Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Praia | 189,897 | 35.85% |
| 2 | Sao Vicente | 88,540 | 16.72% |
| 3 | Santa Catarina | 49,575 | 9.36% |
| 4 | Sal | 48,280 | 9.12% |
| 5 | Boa Vista | 25,638 | 4.84% |
| 6 | Santa Cruz | 25,282 | 4.77% |
| 7 | Sao Filipe | 19,555 | 3.69% |
| 8 | Tarrafal | 17,734 | 3.35% |
| 9 | Porto Novo | 16,122 | 3.04% |
| 10 | Sao Domingos | 14,336 | 2.71% |
As of 2026, Cape Verde has a total population of 529,630, ranking as the 175th most populous nation in the world.
Cape Verde has a net population change of approximately 5 people per day, driven by 17 births, 8 deaths, and net emigration of 4 people.
Cape Verde represents < 0.01% of the total global population and 0.03% of Africa's population.
Cape Verde has a population density of 131.4 people per km² (approximately 340.4 per mi²), making it the 94th most densely populated country in the world.
Currently, 100% of the population resides in urban areas.
*Rates last updated: June 16, 2026
As of 2026, the largest ethnicity in Cape Verde is Creole (Mulatto) (71%) , followed by African (28%) .
As of 2026, Roman Catholic is the largest religion in Cape Verde, comprising 77.3% of the population.