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Cabo Verde vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 159 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Cabo Verde
cpv
Leads on 63 of 159 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 88 of 159 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 124 times as many people as Cabo Verde (65.49 million vs 529,774). South Africa's economy is 134 times the size of Cabo Verde's ($424.75 billion vs $3.17 billion GDP).

Comparing Cabo Verde and South Africa: Cabo Verde leads on Major Urban Areas Population (168,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people); Cabo Verde leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (224,500) against South Africa (27.77); Cabo Verde leads on Radios (100,000) against South Africa (17). Across 159 compared metrics, Cabo Verde wins on 63 and South Africa wins on 88.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 59 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 34 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 2 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration8.31 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)74.74 %78.36 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)73.54 %75.66 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 74% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed8.31 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score74.98 points75.71 points★
Radios100,000★17
Televisions15,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

59 metrics
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country78.53M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars3.17B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)16.39 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume2.58M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)7.5 %★5.75 %
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)9.5 %10.38 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)5.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index5559.6★
Electricity Consumption367.4★207.1
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7985★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables21★10
Electricity Imports010.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity162,500★50.02
Electricity Production395★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)20 USD per capita86.2 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate56.35 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient42.463★
Gross Fixed Investment46.4★19.5
Gross National Saving32.4★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage0.06 %45.27 %★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries10,395.74 USD13,592.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.4 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate2.34 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.6 % of GDP0.7 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption05.07★
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports04.16★
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption2,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports2,336521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line35.2 people★55.5 people
Public Debt127.676.2★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.07 %0.67 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)7.3 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends5.9 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption5,600621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports5,607195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances12.1★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million124.93 researchers427.64 researchers★
Robotics Research Funding0.07 USD0.67 USD★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)18.39 %★23.26 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)18.39 % of GDP23.26 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues18.426★
Top Exporting Countries1.16B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)5.03 %★-0.51 %
Unemployment Rate11.9 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate57.03 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate28.42 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)22,293★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate620 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature22.86 °C★18.35 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions714,000446.7★
Global Precipitation Distribution175.38 mm652.17 mm★
Population Distributionamong the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable; islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled; the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations; approximately half of the populatithe population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation22.01 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage17.6 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.12 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources300★51.35
Total Threatened Mammal Species4 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization3.89 %★1.94 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)95★85.66
Agricultural land790 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km4,0301.21M★
Coastline Length (km)965 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita0 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land3516,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country57.6 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions22★9
Corruption Perception Index62 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score62 index★41 index
Independence531★
LGBT Rights Index Score3.0710.94★
Prison Population Rate306 per 100,000291 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception6241★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Average BMI for Adults23.7 kg/m²25 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate95 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)19★109.26
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)6.87.2★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.22 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.81 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita818.88 USD1,541.18 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score71 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)6.9 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.22 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.6 %★18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.1 people/sq km2.3 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita2.03 beds per 1,0002.25 beds per 1,000★
Malaria Incidence Rate0.14 cases per 1,0000.11 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)40 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth19.522.5★
Nurses and Midwives Density1.83 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)11.8 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending25.74 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS2,4007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People2 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors0.720.79★
Underweight Children Under 52.2★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel1,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.66 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)1,00089,000★

People and Society

34 metrics
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)44.8 %★33.25 %
Life expectancy at birth80.09 years★71.98 years
Median age of population29.51 years★29 years
Population Change1,983.2 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density131.55 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population529,774 persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.87★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita1.32 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)17.51 %★17.21 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate55.8 %★54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate12.22 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)5.73 %★6.56 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.3 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age141,737.5 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)29.96 %★26.52 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate8.31 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth103.09 male/female103.52 male/female★
Labor Force Participation Rate224,500★27.77
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population168,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)173.22★166.68
Military Service Age and Obligation1718★
Old-Age Dependency Ratio9.81 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization73.25 %79.63 %★
Physician Density0.73 people/sq km0.79 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate1.12 %★1.06 %
Population living in slums41.54 %★23.64 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio21.95★30.33
Total deaths2,610.6 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)56.13 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.48 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-1,751.6 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate10.68 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.58 %★1.34 %

Transportation

2 metrics
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.4★0.37
Airports10573★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita647.75M USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇨🇻 Cabo Verde🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate1.5 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Cabo Verde vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Cabo Verde or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 124 times as many people as Cabo Verde (65.49 million vs 529,774). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Cabo Verde or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 134 times the size of Cabo Verde's ($424.75 billion vs $3.17 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Cabo Verde or South Africa?▾

South Africa is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $6,486 in South Africa vs $5,992 in Cabo Verde (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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