Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cape Verde
Cape Verde: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 28.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cape Verde, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Cape Verde recorded 28.4% for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cape Verde peaked at 34.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 21.3%, in 2010.
Cape Verde ranks 23rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cape Verde, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 22.2% | — |
| 1992 | 22.3% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 22.3% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 22.0% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 22.1% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 22.3% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 22.7% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 22.9% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 23.0% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 23.1% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 23.6% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 24.0% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 24.5% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 24.5% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 24.7% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 24.8% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 24.9% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 25.2% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 25.8% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 21.3% | -17.4% |
| 2011 | 22.6% | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 23.9% | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 25.3% | +6.1% |
| 2014 | 26.9% | +6.4% |
| 2015 | 28.6% | +6.1% |
| 2016 | 30.2% | +5.7% |
| 2017 | 31.9% | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 27.6% | -13.5% |
| 2019 | 28.1% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 34.5% | +22.7% |
| 2021 | 31.7% | -8.2% |
| 2022 | 28.7% | -9.5% |
| 2023 | 28.0% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 28.1% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 28.4% | +1.1% |
Cape Verde compared with similar countries
- Cape Verde's 28.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.8%, 1.8× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Cape Verde's 28.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.8%, 3.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.4% | 22.0% | 23.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 24.5% | 23.1% | 25.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.6% | 21.3% | 31.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.9% | 28.0% | 34.5% | 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 unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cape Verde?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Cape Verde was 28.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Cape Verde?
- The highest recorded value was 34.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Cape Verde?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.3% in 2010.
- How does Cape Verde rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Cape Verde ranks 23rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Cape Verde?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cape Verde data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.