Employment rate in Cape Verde
Cape Verde: Employment rate was 50.2% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
50.2%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
138th
of 186 countries
All-time high
52.8%
in 2010
All-time low
45.6%
in 2020
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Employment rate in Cape Verde, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Cape Verde recorded 50.2% for employment rate in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Cape Verde peaked at 52.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 45.6%, in 2020.
That places Cape Verde 138th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Employment rate in Cape Verde, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 52.4% | — |
| 1992 | 52.3% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 52.1% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 52.1% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 51.9% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 51.7% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 51.4% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 51.1% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 50.9% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 50.7% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 50.3% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 50.0% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 49.6% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 49.5% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 49.3% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 49.1% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 48.9% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 48.6% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 52.8% | +9.4% |
| 2011 | 52.7% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 52.5% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 52.4% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 52.2% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 52.1% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 52.0% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 51.9% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 48.8% | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 50.5% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 45.6% | -9.7% |
| 2021 | 46.6% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 50.2% | +7.6% |
| 2023 | 50.3% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 50.3% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 50.2% | -0.1% |
Cape Verde compared with similar countries
- Cape Verde's 50.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.7%, 90% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Cape Verde's 50.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.8%, 85% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.8% | 50.9% | 52.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 49.4% | 48.3% | 50.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.8% | 48.8% | 52.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.9% | 45.6% | 50.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cape Verde
- 135 Belgium 51.1% compare
- 136 Papua New Guinea 50.7% compare
- 137 Senegal 50.6% compare
- 139 New Caledonia 50.1% compare
- 140 Montenegro 50.1% compare
- 141 Guinea 49.9% compare
More work & labour data for Cape Verde
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 176.12 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 57.01 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 233.52 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 12.15 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.59 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 29,137 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 13,162 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 50.08 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.57 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Cape Verde?
- Employment rate in Cape Verde was 50.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Cape Verde?
- The highest recorded value was 52.8% in 2010.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Cape Verde?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.6% in 2020.
- How does Cape Verde rank for employment rate?
- Cape Verde ranks 138th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Cape Verde?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Cape Verde data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.