Unemployment rate in Cape Verde
Cape Verde: Unemployment rate was 11.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment 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 11.9% for unemployment rate in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Cape Verde peaked at 14.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 10.7%, in 2010.
That places Cape Verde 27th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Cape Verde, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 13.5% | — |
| 1992 | 13.4% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 13.3% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 12.9% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 12.8% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 13.0% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 13.1% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 13.1% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 13.0% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 13.2% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 13.4% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 13.6% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 13.5% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 13.4% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 13.4% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 13.3% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 13.3% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 13.5% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 10.7% | -21.1% |
| 2011 | 11.0% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 11.1% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 11.4% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 11.7% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 11.9% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 12.1% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 12.2% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 12.2% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 12.1% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 14.7% | +20.8% |
| 2021 | 13.9% | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 12.2% | -12.2% |
| 2023 | 11.9% | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 11.9% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 11.9% | +0.5% |
Cape Verde compared with similar countries
- Cape Verde's 11.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.6%, 2.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Cape Verde's 11.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.4%, 2.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.1% | 12.8% | 13.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 13.4% | 13.0% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.6% | 10.7% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.8% | 11.9% | 14.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cape Verde
- 24 North Macedonia 12.3% compare
- 25 Georgia 12.1% compare
- 26 Guyana 12.0% compare
- 28 French Polynesia 11.7% compare
- 29 Algeria 11.6% compare
- 30 United States Virgin Islands 11.4% 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 unemployment rate in Cape Verde?
- Unemployment rate in Cape Verde was 11.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Cape Verde?
- The highest recorded value was 14.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Cape Verde?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.7% in 2010.
- How does Cape Verde rank for unemployment rate?
- Cape Verde ranks 27th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Cape Verde?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. 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 Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.