Migration trends in Cape Verde

Africa

146.4K people from Cape Verde have built lives abroad. That's 27.9% of the country population, spread across 25 different countries

524.9K

Population

14.8K

Immigrants

146.4K

Emigrants

−131.6K

Outflow

Every 5th person born in Cape Verde now lives abroad

The #142 largest source of emigrants worldwide

Top corridors

The largest migration routes in Cape Verde

Where people move to

76.8K52.5%

34.8K23.8%

9.5K6.5%

Where people come from

1Guinea-Bissau

5.6K37.6%

2Sao Tome and Principe

1.9K12.8%

3Senegal

1.6K11.0%

See all origins

Key moments

How migration has changed since 1990

1990

7.1K immigrants · 51.8K emigrants

2015

The diaspora abroad passed 100K people

Today

Since 1990: roughly the same number of foreign-born residents and 94.6K more citizens living abroad

Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)

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Cape Verdean Diaspora

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Living in Cape Verde

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Diaspora Immigrants