Rural population growth (annual %) in Cape Verde
Cape Verde: Rural population growth (annual %) was -3.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Cape Verde, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Cape Verde recorded -3.3% for rural population growth in 2025.
That represents a change of down 4.0% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Cape Verde peaked at 2.5% in 1962 and was at its lowest, -4.4%, in 2021.
That places Cape Verde 202nd out of 210 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth (annual %) in Cape Verde, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.3% | — |
| 1962 | 2.5% | +7.6% |
| 1963 | 2.1% | -14.4% |
| 1964 | 1.7% | -21.2% |
| 1965 | 1.3% | -18.8% |
| 1966 | 1.2% | -12.5% |
| 1967 | 1.2% | -1.9% |
| 1968 | 1.3% | +11.1% |
| 1969 | 1.6% | +21.6% |
| 1970 | 1.8% | +13.3% |
| 1971 | 1.3% | -26.9% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -58.0% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | -32.8% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | +37.5% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | +44.7% |
| 1976 | 0.8% | +13.1% |
| 1977 | 0.7% | -15.6% |
| 1978 | 0.6% | -16.7% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | -22.4% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -8.5% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -89.2% |
| 1982 | -0.7% | -1612.0% |
| 1983 | -1.3% | +99.7% |
| 1984 | -1.9% | +43.3% |
| 1985 | -2.3% | +21.6% |
| 1986 | -2.6% | +10.1% |
| 1987 | -2.6% | +2.6% |
| 1988 | -2.5% | -5.6% |
| 1989 | -2.0% | -20.3% |
| 1990 | -0.7% | -62.2% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | -115.2% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | -12.7% |
| 1995 | 0.0% | -55.8% |
| 1996 | -0.0% | -171.9% |
| 1997 | -0.1% | +200.2% |
| 1998 | -0.2% | +85.7% |
| 1999 | -0.3% | +63.8% |
| 2000 | -0.3% | +24.1% |
| 2001 | -0.3% | -7.1% |
| 2002 | -0.3% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | -0.4% | +19.3% |
| 2004 | -0.4% | +19.1% |
| 2005 | -0.5% | +16.9% |
| 2006 | -0.6% | +16.0% |
| 2007 | -0.7% | +20.0% |
| 2008 | -0.9% | +25.6% |
| 2009 | -1.2% | +26.3% |
| 2010 | -1.6% | +37.4% |
| 2011 | -2.2% | +37.1% |
| 2012 | -2.6% | +18.3% |
| 2013 | -2.8% | +8.9% |
| 2014 | -3.0% | +8.1% |
| 2015 | -3.2% | +7.0% |
| 2016 | -3.4% | +6.2% |
| 2017 | -3.6% | +5.8% |
| 2018 | -3.9% | +5.9% |
| 2019 | -4.1% | +6.3% |
| 2020 | -4.4% | +7.8% |
| 2021 | -4.4% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | -2.8% | -36.1% |
| 2023 | -3.1% | +7.8% |
| 2024 | -3.2% | +3.6% |
| 2025 | -3.3% | +4.0% |
Cape Verde compared with similar countries
- Cape Verde's -3.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.6%, 5.5× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Cape Verde's -3.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.2%. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in Cape Verde changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | -1612.0% | 0.0% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | -200.2% | -0.0% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | -171.9% | 0.0% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | +115.2% | -0.7% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.7% | 1.2% | 2.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.8% | 0.4% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.5% | -2.6% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1% | -0.7% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.6% | -1.2% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | -3.0% | -4.1% | -1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | -3.5% | -4.4% | -2.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cape Verde
- 199 Thailand -2.5% compare
- 200 Northern Mariana Islands -3.0% compare
- 201 Turks and Caicos Islands -3.3% compare
- 203 Tuvalu -3.7% compare
- 204 Jordan -4.0% compare
- 205 Marshall Islands -5.2% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Cape Verde
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 14.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0504 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 291.98 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -3.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2237 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 5.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 5.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Cape Verde?
- Rural population growth in Cape Verde was -3.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Cape Verde?
- The highest recorded value was 2.5% in 1962.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Cape Verde?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.4% in 2021.
- How does Cape Verde rank for rural population growth?
- Cape Verde ranks 202nd out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Cape Verde?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cape Verde data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.