GDP growth
6.3%
2025 annual growth indicated by INE; comparable series also available from the World Bank.
Economy
GDP per capita (nominal)
US$ 6.67k
Cabo Verde is an upper-middle-income economy, with GDP per capita among the higher levels in Africa. According to the IMF, nominal GDP per capita is projected to reach US$ 6.67 thousand in 2026, placing the country 8th in Africa and 1st in West Africa by this indicator.
Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, April 2026; INE/World Bank for growth
Data reviewed in July 2026
US$ 6.67k
GDP per capita (nominal)
Nominal GDP
US$ 3.45bn
IMF, World Economic Outlook, April 2026.
GDP per capita PPP
US$ 13.31k
IMF, current international dollars, 2026.
Africa ranking
8th
by nominal GDP per capita
Overview
The IMF projects nominal GDP per capita of US$ 6.67 thousand for Cabo Verde in 2026 and nominal GDP of US$ 3.45 billion. For a small island economy, these values place the country in Africa's upper group by income per person, with Cabo Verde ranking 8th in Africa and holding the highest nominal GDP per capita in West Africa.
Recent growth
Cabo Verde's economy recovered strongly after the 2020 contraction. Growth reached 6.3% in 2025 according to the value indicated by INE, after a period of strong recovery in tourism, services, private consumption and the normalization of economic activity.
Economic profile
Cabo Verde has a service-oriented economy, with tourism, transport, commerce, public administration and diaspora-linked activities playing central roles. The country has few natural resources and a limited agricultural base, but offsets part of those constraints through stability, Atlantic connectivity, human capital and external integration.
Economic background
Since independence, Cabo Verde has moved from an economy highly vulnerable to drought and external aid toward upper-middle-income status. The expansion of education, the diaspora, remittances, public services, tourism and airport and port infrastructure gradually transformed the economic base. The pandemic exposed the vulnerability of a service-dependent economy, but the subsequent recovery showed adaptability and resilience.
Methodological notes
Nominal GDP per capita, nominal GDP, GDP in purchasing power parity and GDP growth measure different things. GDP per capita in current US dollars is useful for international income comparison, but it can move with exchange rates and prices. GDP growth measures the expansion of economic activity. This page uses IMF values for GDP per capita and nominal GDP in 2026, and the 2025 growth value indicated by INE, while keeping the World Bank's comparable historical series in the chart.
GDP growth history
Annual change in %, comparable World Bank series; 2025 aligned with the value indicated by INE.
Recent indicators
| Indicator | Year | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP per capita | 2026 | US$ 6.67 thousand |
| Nominal GDP | 2026 | US$ 3.45 billion |
| GDP growth | 2025 | 6.3% |
| GDP per capita PPP | 2026 | US$ 13.31 thousand |
Sources
- IMF DataMapper - Cabo Verde profile, World Economic Outlook April 2026
- World Bank Data - GDP growth (annual %), Cabo Verde, historical comparable series
- World Bank Data - GDP per capita (current US$), Cabo Verde
- Instituto Nacional de Estatistica de Cabo Verde - national accounts and GDP growth
- World Bank - Cabo Verde country overview and Economic Update 2025