Map of Cape Verde
Cape Verde is a country in Africa with its capital at Praia, home to about 527,326 people across 4,033 km². The interactive map below plots 2 cities and towns and 1 mountain summits recorded for Cape Verde in YearMaps.
- Population
- 527,326
- Area
- 4,033 km²
- Capital
- Praia
- Continent
- Africa
Interactive Map of Cape Verde
Centred on Praia at 14.9167° N, 23.5167° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Cape Verde
Cape Verde, also referred to in English by its Portuguese name Cabo Verde, and known officially as the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an archipelagic country in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa. It consists of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about 4,033 square kilometres (1,557 sq mi). These islands lie between 600 and 850 kilometres (370 and 530 miles) west of Cap-Vert (i.e., Dakar), the westernmost point of continental Africa, after which they are named. Cape Verde forms part of the Macaronesia ecoregion, along with the Azores, the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Savage Islands.
The archipelago was uninhabited until the 15th century, when Portuguese explorers settled the islands, establishing one of the first European settlements in the tropics. Its strategic position gave it a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade during the 16th and 17th centuries; the islands saw rapid economic growth driven by the trade of manufactured goods, rum, cloth for African slaves, ivory, and gold. By the mid 19th century, increased foreign competition, persistent drought, and the decline of the slave trade led to economic decline and emigration; Cape Verde gradually recovered as an important commercial centre and stopping point for major shipping routes.
Cape Verde became independent in 1975. Since the early 1990s, it has been a stable representative democracy and has remained one of the most developed and democratic countries in Africa. Lacking natural resources, its developing economy is mostly service-oriented, with a growing focus on tourism and foreign investment. With a population of around 530,000 (as of 2026), Cape Verde is among the least populous countries in Africa. The Cape Verdean people trace their ancestry primarily to West African populations, with additional contributions from early Portuguese settlers and other groups who came to the islands. A sizeable diaspora exists across the world, especially in the United States and Portugal, considerably outnumbering the inhabitants on the islands. Cape Verde is a member state of the African Union.
The official language is Portuguese, while the recognized national language is Cape Verdean Creole (Crioulo), which is spoken by the vast majority of the population. As of the 2021 census, the most populous islands were Santiago (269,370) – which hosts the country's capital and largest city, Praia – São Vicente (74,016), Santo Antão (36,632), Fogo (33,519) and Sal (33,347). The largest cities are Praia (137,868), Mindelo (69,013), Espargos (24,500) and Assomada (21,297).
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Cape Verde (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Cape Verde
The Portuguese discovered and colonized the uninhabited islands of Cabo Verde in the 15th century; Cabo Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. The fusing of European and various African cultural traditions is reflected in Cabo Verde’s Crioulo language, music, and pano textiles. After gaining independence in 1975, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cabo Verde continues to sustain one of Africa's most stable democratic governments and relatively stable economies, maintaining a currency pegged first to the Portuguese escudo and then to the euro since 1998. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cabo Verde's expatriate population -- concentrated in Boston, Massachusetts and Western Europe -- is greater than its domestic one. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Cabo Verde’s population descends from its first permanent inhabitants in the late 15th-century -- a preponderance of West African slaves, a small share of Portuguese colonists, and even fewer Italians and Spaniards. Among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is varied. The islands in the east are very dry and are home to the country's growing tourism industry. The more western islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged their soil fertility and vegetation. For centuries, the country’s overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration.
- Location
- Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal.
- Climate
- Temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and erratic.
- Terrain
- Steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic.
- Highest point
- Mt. Fogo (a volcano on Fogo Island) 2,829 m.
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 965 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.); arable land: 12.4% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 6.2% (2023 est.); forest: 12.4% (2023 est.); other: 68% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active volcanism: Fogo (2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano.
- Geographic note
- Strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; one of four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are Azores (Portugal), Canary Islands (Spain), and Madeira (Portugal)
- Languages
- Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a Portuguese-based creole language with two main dialects)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 72.5%, Protestant 4% (includes Adventist 1.9%, Nazarene 1.8%, Assembly of God 0.2%, God is Love 0.1%), Christian Rationalism 1.7%, Muslim 1.3%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Church of Jesus Christ 1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 1.2%, none 15.6%, no response 0.4% (2021 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Creole (Mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%.
- Economy
- Stable, middle-income, developing island economy; strong GDP growth led by tourism sector recovery; sustained poverty reduction through PEDS II development plan; high reliance on foreign remittances and aid to finance external debt.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Cape Verde in Numbers
- Population
- 527,326
- GDP
- US$3.1 billion
- GDP per person
- US$5,796
- Life expectancy
- 76.2 years
- Population growth
- 0.47% a year
- Population density
- 130 per km²
- Urban population
- 77.6%
- Surface area
- 4,030 km²
- Forest cover
- 12.5%
- Arable land
- 18.0%
- Access to electricity
- 98.4%
- Internet users
- 74.7%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Cape Verde in Depth
History
The archipelago was formed approximately 40–50 million years ago during the Eocene epoch. Before the arrival of Europeans, the Cape Verde Islands were uninhabited. They were discovered by Genoese and Portuguese navigators around 1456. According to Portuguese official records, the first discoveries were made by Genoa-born António de Noli, who was afterwards appointed governor of Cape Verde by Portuguese King Afonso V. Other navigators mentioned as contributing to discoveries on the Cape Verde archipelago are Diogo Dias, Diogo Afonso, Alvise Cadamosto and Diogo Gomes (who had accompanied António de Noli on his voyage of discovery, and who claimed to have been the first to land on Santiago and the first to name that island).
Geography
The Cape Verde archipelago is in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 570 kilometres (350 mi) off the western coast of the African continent, near Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania as well as part of the Macaronesia ecoregion. It lies between latitudes 14° and 18°N, and longitudes 22° and 26°W. The country is a horseshoe-shaped cluster of ten islands (nine inhabited) and eight islets, that constitute an area of 4033 km2 (1557 sq mi).
The largest island, both in size and population, is Santiago, which hosts the nation's capital, Praia, the principal urban agglomeration in the archipelago. Sal, Boa Vista, and Maio, are fairly flat, sandy, and dry; the other islands are generally rockier with more vegetation.
Economy
Cape Verde's notable economic growth and improvement in living conditions despite a lack of natural resources have garnered international recognition, with other countries and international organisations often providing development aid. Since 2007, the UN has classified it as a developing nation rather than a least developed country.
Cape Verde has few natural resources. Only five of the ten main islands (Santiago, Santo Antão, São Nicolau, Fogo, and Brava) normally support significant agricultural production, and over 90% of all food consumed is imported. Mineral resources include salt, pozzolana (a volcanic rock used in cement production), and limestone.
Demographics
Cape Verde had a population of 491,233 in 2021. A large proportion (236,000) of Cape Verdeans live on Santiago. Cape Verdeans are descendants of Africans (free or enslaved) and Europeans of various origins. There are also Cape Verdeans who have Jewish ancestors from North Africa, mainly on Boa Vista, Santiago, and Santo Antão. The history of the Jews in Cape Verde dates back to the expulsion from Portugal.
The country's historical trajectory included, from the beginning, a process of social class formation. At this moment, the absence of a "bourgeoisie" can be seen, but the existence of several types of "petty bourgeoisie" is numerically significant.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Cape Verde (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Cape Verde: Key Facts
| Currency | Cape Verdean escudo |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole |
| Head of state | José Maria Neves |
| Head of government | Francisco Carvalho |
| Form of government | parliamentary republic |
| Calling code | +238 |
| Internet domain | .cv |
| Highest point | Pico do Fogo |
| Lowest point | Pedra de Lume salt ponds |
| Established | 5 July 1975 |
Facts from Wikidata Q1011 (CC0).
History of Cape Verde: Empires and States
The atlas records 7 polities whose mapped territory included part of Cape Verde, from Kingdom of Portugal in 1463 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of Portugal | 1463–1910 CE | Nearly all |
| The Portuguese Empire | 1463–1910 CE | Nearly all |
| Portuguese Africa | 1507–1581 CE | Nearly all |
| The Spanish Empire | 1582–1639 CE | Nearly all |
| Portuguese Republic | 1911–1925 CE | Nearly all |
| Estado Novo | 1926–1975 CE | Nearly all |
| Republic of Cabo Verde | 1976–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Cape Verde
Cape Verde on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Cape Verde
Cape Verde or CV, officially Cabo Verde (Portuguese: Cabo Verde, Kriolu: Kabu Verdi) is a country off the coast of West Africa. It is in a cluster of islands of the Atlantic Ocean, 570 km (350 mi) off the western coast of Senegal.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Cape Verde (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Cape Verde
2 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Praia | 113,364 | — | National capital |
| 2 | Mindelo | 70,611 | — | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Cape Verde
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pico de Cano | 2,829 m | 9,281 ft | Africa |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cape Verde
1 World Heritage Site recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cidade Velha | 2009 | Cultural | (ii) (iii) (vi) |
Largest Islands of Cape Verde
7 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ilhas de Cabo Verde | 122,980 km² | Island group |
| 2 | Santiago | 965 km² | Island |
| 3 | Santo Antão | 744 km² | Island |
| 4 | Boa Vista | 638 km² | Island |
| 5 | Fogo | 462 km² | Island |
| 6 | São Nicolau | 337 km² | Island |
| 7 | Sal | 200 km² | Island |
More Maps in Africa
Cape Verde: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Cape Verde?
- The capital of Cape Verde is Praia.
- What is the population of Cape Verde?
- Cape Verde has a population of about 527,326, the #174 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Cape Verde?
- Cape Verde covers 4,033 km², ranking #177 by area, with about 131 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Cape Verde in?
- Cape Verde is in Africa.
- What is the largest city in Cape Verde?
- Praia is the largest city in Cape Verde, with a metropolitan population of about 113,364.
- What is the highest mountain in Cape Verde?
- The highest summit recorded for Cape Verde in YearMaps is Pico de Cano at 2,829 m (9,281 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.