2025 GHI
9.4
Severity classification: low.
Food security
Hunger
9.4
Cabo Verde appears in the 2025 Global Hunger Index with a score of 9.4, classified as a low level of hunger. It is one of Africa's best results in the index and the best among ranked Sub-Saharan African countries, reflecting important progress in food security, child nutrition and public health.
Source: Global Hunger Index 2025
Data reviewed in July 2026
9.4
Hunger
Global rank
48th
Among countries with a score and rank in the 2025 GHI.
Africa
4th
Among African countries ranked in the 2025 GHI.
Sub-Saharan Africa
1st
Among Sub-Saharan African countries ranked in the 2025 GHI.
Overview
The Global Hunger Index measures hunger on a 0 to 100 scale, where lower values indicate a better situation. In 2025, Cabo Verde recorded a score of 9.4, within the 'low' category. In the global table, the country is ranked 48th and is among the four best African results, while ranking first among ranked Sub-Saharan African countries.
What the indicator measures
The GHI combines four dimensions: undernourishment in the population, child stunting, child wasting and mortality among children under five. This means the index does not measure food shortage alone, but also child nutrition, public health and conditions that affect children's development.
Cabo Verde context
Cabo Verde's performance is especially relevant because the country has limited arable land, irregular rainfall and strong dependence on food imports. Even with these natural constraints, the GHI result points to a positive trajectory associated with public policy, access to services, social protection and gradual improvements in living conditions.
Historical background
Cabo Verde's history was shaped by droughts, food scarcity and emigration, especially during the colonial period. After independence, the country advanced in public policy, health, education, infrastructure and social protection. The current GHI result should be read in that context: an archipelago with significant natural constraints that has achieved one of Africa's strongest performances on hunger and nutrition.
Methodological notes
GHI rankings should be read carefully. The 2025 report states that its results supersede previous editions and that rankings from different years should not be directly compared. The 2025 score uses recent reference data, but not all components correspond exactly to calendar year 2025. This page uses the 2025 GHI score and ranking and complements the reading with World Bank indicators where available.