MigrantoImmigrants in Cape Verde
14.8K foreign-born residents — the #190 largest immigrant population in the world
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 61% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Guinea-Bissau | 5576 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 1893 |
| Senegal | 1634 |
| Portugal | 1281 |
| Russia | 771 |
| Nigeria | 741 |
| Guinea | 456 |
| Italy | 450 |
| Angola | 408 |
| USA | 387 |
| Brazil | 315 |
| France | 221 |
| Spain | 157 |
| Cuba | 93 |
| US Virgin Islands | 76 |
| Germany | 72 |
| United Kingdom | 55 |
| Ghana | 45 |
| Netherlands | 39 |
| Mozambique | 27 |
| China | 24 |
| Ukraine | 23 |
| Sierra Leone | 15 |
| Switzerland | 13 |
| Belgium | 9 |
| Gabon | 7 |
| East Timor | 7 |
| Ivory Coast | 6 |
| Mali | 6 |
| Gambia | 4 |
| Luxembourg | 3 |
| Argentina | 3 |
| Mexico | 2 |
| Peru | 2 |
| Japan | 0 |
By region of origin
Africa is the leading region of origin at 73%
10.8K
3.1K
491
387
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in Cape Verde.
Guinea-Bissau is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
Guinea-Bissau accounts for 38% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 13%.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 7144 |
| 1995 | 8922 |
| 2000 | 10683 |
| 2005 | 11813 |
| 2010 | 12921 |
| 2015 | 13416 |
| 2020 | 14169 |
| 2024 | 14821 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | Guinea-Bissau | Sao Tome and Principe | Senegal | Portugal | Russia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 539 | 2475 | 141 | 1132 | 55 |
| 1995 | 839 | 3111 | 384 | 1031 | 74 |
| 2000 | 1138 | 3747 | 627 | 929 | 92 |
| 2005 | 2984 | 2698 | 1025 | 1023 | 382 |
| 2010 | 4829 | 1649 | 1423 | 1116 | 672 |
| 2015 | 5015 | 1712 | 1478 | 1159 | 698 |
| 2020 | 5330 | 1809 | 1562 | 1225 | 737 |
| 2024 | 5576 | 1893 | 1634 | 1281 | 771 |
Fastest-changing origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
Cape Verde as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in Cape Verde
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants live in Cape Verde?
Around 14.8K foreign-born residents live in Cape Verde, making it the #190-largest immigrant population in the world.
Where do most immigrants in Cape Verde come from?
Most immigrants in Cape Verde come from Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe and Senegal — these three countries account for about 61% of all foreign-born residents.
What share of the population of Cape Verde are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 3% of the population of Cape Verde — that's 14.8K out of a total population of 524.9K.
How has immigration to Cape Verde changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the immigrant population in Cape Verde has grown from 13.4K to 14.8K people, a growth of about 10%.
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