Cape Verde 🇨🇻

Cape Verde is an independent state in Western Africa, and a member of the United Nations. Its full official name is Republic of Cabo Verde. Government sits in Praia.

It is home to roughly 524,877 people, placing it 175th of 250 by population — between the Maldives above it and Brunei below. Measured only against its own subregion, it is 16th of 17 in size and 16th in population.

It covers 4,033 km², which ranks it 178th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind French Polynesia and just ahead of South Georgia. That makes it about half again the size of Luxembourg.

Cape Verde on the map

Plotted on a globe it falls at 16.0° north, 24.0° west, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 1,781 km from the equator, in what geographers would call tropical latitudes.

Follow that same latitude east or west and you reach Sudan, Chad and Yemen — places that share its distance from the equator but little else.

No land border connects it to another country. That puts it among the 85 entries of 250 here with no land neighbours, a group made up mostly of islands and island groups.

The people of Cape Verde

Density comes out at around 130 people per square kilometre, which makes it more crowded than the typical entry on this list. Half the entries in this dataset fall below roughly 90 per square kilometre.

The demonym is Cape Verdian, so residents are Cape Verdians.

The one official language is Portuguese. Another 9 entries list Portuguese too — among them Angola, Brazil, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

Against Africa as a whole it is the 54th most populous of 59 entries, and it accounts for under 1% of everyone living in Western Africa.

Useful reference details

The currency is the Cape Verdean escudo (Esc, CVE). No other entry in this dataset uses it, so the currency is specific to Cape Verde.

Praia is the city to remember for this country.

Its internet country code is .cv. The international dialling code is +238. In ISO terms it is cv in two letters and CPV in three.

As a sovereign state it is among the 193 UN members listed here. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.

Fun facts about Cape Verde

• Portuguese is official here and in 9 other entries worldwide.
• Ranked by land area, Cape Verde is 178th out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
• It has no land border with any other country — one of 85 such entries in this dataset.
• Population density works out at roughly 130 people per square kilometre.
• Its full official name is Republic of Cabo Verde.
• The Cape Verdean escudo is used here and nowhere else on this list.

Cape Verde — frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Cape Verde?

The capital of Cape Verde is Praia.

How big is Cape Verde?

Cape Verde covers 4,033 km², ranking 178th of 250 by land area. That makes it about half again the size of Luxembourg.

What is the population of Cape Verde?

Cape Verde has a population of about 524,877, which makes it the 175th most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. The Maldives sits just above it and Brunei just below.

What language is spoken in Cape Verde?

The official language of Cape Verde is Portuguese. It is also official in 9 other entries on this list.

Is Cape Verde a country?

Yes. Cape Verde is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.

What currency does Cape Verde use?

Cape Verde uses the Cape Verdean escudo, written Esc (currency code CVE). No other entry in this dataset uses it.

Does Cape Verde border any other country?

No. Cape Verde has no land border with any other country, so every route in or out is by sea or air. 85 of the 250 entries on this site are in the same position.

Where is Cape Verde located?

Cape Verde is in Western Africa, part of Africa. Its reference coordinates are 16.0° north and 24.0° west, roughly 1,781 km from the equator in tropical latitudes.