Cabo Verde’s population rose to 0.53 m people in 2025.

Neither way is good in itself. Population is a size measure, and a bigger or smaller total changes what a country needs. More people means more workers, customers and taxpayers, along with more demand for homes, water, schools and clinics. A shrinking population eases that pressure and leaves fewer people to support the economy. The latest figure is 0.53 million people in January 2025, up from 0.52 million a year earlier, a rise of 0.47%. Since 2016 the low was 0.51 million, in January 2016, so the current figure is also the highest in that span.

Why it matters. A population of 0.53 million is a small domestic market, so many Cabo Verdean firms rely on visitors and exports to reach scale. Growth of 0.47% a year adds people slowly, which gives the state time to plan housing, schooling and health services. Because the total has risen only a little since 2016, spending per head changes more through the economy's output than through the number of residents.