Labor force participation rate in Cape Verde

Cape Verde: Labor force participation rate was 57.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
57.0%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
129th
of 186 countries
All-time high
60.9%
in 1990
All-time low
53.4%
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Labor force participation rate in Cape Verde, 1990–2025

02040601990200720251990: 60.9 %1991: 60.6 %1992: 60.4 %1993: 60.1 %1994: 59.8 %1995: 59.6 %1996: 59.3 %1997: 59.1 %1998: 58.8 %1999: 58.5 %2000: 58.3 %2001: 58 %2002: 57.7 %2003: 57.5 %2004: 57.2 %2005: 56.9 %2006: 56.6 %2007: 56.4 %2008: 56.1 %2009: 55.8 %2010: 59.1 %2011: 59.1 %2012: 59.1 %2013: 59.1 %2014: 59.2 %2015: 59.2 %2016: 59.2 %2017: 59.2 %2018: 55.6 %2019: 57.4 %2020: 53.4 %2021: 54.2 %2022: 57.2 %2023: 57.1 %2024: 57 %2025: 57 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2025, labor force participation rate in Cape Verde stood at 57.0%.

The figure is down 3.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Cape Verde peaked at 60.9% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 53.4%, in 2020.

That places Cape Verde 129th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 59.7% 58.5% 60.9% 10
2000s 57.1% 55.8% 58.3% 10
2010s 58.6% 55.6% 59.2% 10
2020s 56.0% 53.4% 57.2% 6

Countries ranked near Cape Verde

  1. 126 Kyrgyzstan 57.4% compare
  2. 127 Fiji 57.2% compare
  3. 128 Lesotho 57.1% compare
  4. 130 Honduras 56.6% compare
  5. 131 New Caledonia 56.4% compare
  6. 132 Hong Kong 56.4% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More work & labour data for Cape Verde

All data for Cape Verde →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force participation rate in Cape Verde?
Labor force participation rate in Cape Verde was 57.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Cape Verde?
The highest recorded value was 60.9% in 1990.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Cape Verde?
The lowest recorded value was 53.4% in 2020.
How does Cape Verde rank for labor force participation rate?
Cape Verde ranks 129th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is labor force participation 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 falling.
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 Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,682 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).