Labor force participation rate in Cape Verde
Cape Verde: Labor force participation rate was 57.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Cape Verde, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Cape Verde is 57.0%, measured in 2025.
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.
Labor force participation rate in Cape Verde, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 60.9% | — |
| 1991 | 60.6% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 60.4% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 60.1% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 59.8% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 59.6% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 59.3% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 59.1% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 58.8% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 58.5% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 58.3% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 58.0% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 57.7% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 57.5% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 57.2% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 56.9% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 56.6% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 56.4% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 56.1% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 55.8% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 59.1% | +5.9% |
| 2011 | 59.1% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 59.1% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 59.1% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 59.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 59.2% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 59.2% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 59.2% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 55.6% | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 57.4% | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 53.4% | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 54.2% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 57.2% | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 57.1% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 57.0% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 57.0% | -0.0% |
Cape Verde compared with similar countries
- Cape Verde's 57.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 94% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Cape Verde's 57.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 89% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
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 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
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).