Cape Verde: Geography, Climate, and Population
The state of Cape Verde follows a natural administrative division shaped by the trade winds coming from the African continent, splitting the archipelago into two main groups: the Ilhas do Barlavento (Windward Islands) in the north and the Ilhas do Sotavento (Leeward Islands) in the south.
The Barlavento group consists of the islands of Santo Antão, São Vicente, Santa Luzia (uninhabited), São Nicolau, Ilha do Sal, and Boa Vista. The Sotavento group, located further south, includes the islands of Maio, Santiago (home to the capital, Praia), Fogo, and Brava.
With a total area of 4,033 km², Cape Verde is one of the five Atlantic archipelagos that form the so-called Macaronesia, which also includes the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, and the Selvagens.
Climate
Cape Verde has a dry tropical climate, with average temperatures around 26°C throughout the year. The temperature variation between day and night is minimal, never exceeding 10°C. The sea temperature also remains stable, ranging between 22°C and 29°C, depending on the season.
The mountainous islands—such as Santiago, Santo Antão, São Nicolau, and Fogo—enjoy a predominantly sunny climate with a short rainy season between September and October. In contrast, islands like Boa Vista, Sal, and Maio have a much drier climate, heavily influenced by warm winds from the Sahara Desert.
Below are the average weather conditions:
| Month | Temperature |
|---|---|
| January | 24°C |
| February | 24°C |
| March | 25°C |
| April | 25°C |
| May | 25°C |
| June | 26°C |
| July | 27°C |
| August | 29°C |
| September | 29°C |
| October | 29°C |
| November | 27°C |
| December | 25°C |
Population - Demographics
In 2000, according to the CIA Factbook, Cape Verde had a birth rate of 23.5‰ and a mortality rate of 6.2‰. Due to high emigration, the annual population growth rate remained low at 0.5-0.6%. Despite a good life expectancy—68 years for men and 75 years for women—the infant mortality rate remained high, at 41.4‰.
By 2010, the resident population of Cape Verde was approximately 510,000 inhabitants, while an estimated 700,000 Cape Verdeans were living abroad.
Ethnic Groups
The current population of Cape Verde is composed of various African ethnic groups, such as the Fula, Balanta, and Mandingo, as well as European communities, including Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, and British settlers. Over the centuries, these groups have fully blended, giving rise to the Cape Verdean Creole population.
Religions
About 90% of the population identifies as Roman Catholic. In many areas, Christianity has absorbed elements of African animist traditions. There are also Protestant Christian communities, as well as Buddhist and Muslim minorities.
Languages
The official language of Cape Verde is Portuguese, but Cape Verdean Creole (a Creole language derived from Portuguese) is widely spoken.
Each of the ten islands has its own Creole dialect, and efforts have been made in recent years to standardize the language. French is taught in schools as a foreign language, as Cape Verde is a member of the International Organization of La Francophonie. English is also part of the high school curriculum.
There have been proposals to introduce Cape Verdean Creole as an official language in schools. However, this has sparked debate, as there is no single Creole dialect—variations exist between islands, especially between the Barlavento and Sotavento groups.
