- Country name
- conventional long form: Republic of Cabo Verde
conventional short form: Cabo Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde
etymology: the name derives from the Cape Verde (Green Cape) peninsula on the Senegalese coast, the westernmost point of Africa and the nearest mainland to the islands - Government type
- parliamentary republic
- Capital
- name: Praia
geographic coordinates: 14 55 N, 23 31 W
time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the earlier Portuguese name was Villa de Praia ("Village of the Beach"); it was shortened to Praia in 1974 - Administrative divisions
- 22 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Porto Novo, Praia, Ribeira Brava, Ribeira Grande, Ribeira Grande de Santiago, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina do Fogo, Santa Cruz, São Domingos, São Filipe, São Lourenco dos Orgaos, São Miguel, São Salvador do Mundo, São Vicente, Tarrafal, Tarrafal de São Nicolau
- Legal system
- civil law system of Portugal
- Constitution
- history: previous 1981; latest effective 25 September 1992
amendment process: proposals require support of at least four fifths of the active National Assembly membership; amendment drafts require sponsorship of at least one third of the active Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership; constitutional sections, including those on national independence, form of government, political pluralism, suffrage, and human rights and liberties, cannot be amended - International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
- Citizenship
- citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cabo Verde
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years - Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
- chief of state: President Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 9 November 2021)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Ulisses CORREIA e SILVA (since 22 April 2016)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president
most recent election date: 17 October 2021
election results: 2020: Jose Maria Pereira NEVES elected president; percent of vote - Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (PAICV) 51.7%, Carlos VEIGA (MPD) 42.4%, Casimiro DE PINA (independent) 1.8%, Fernando Rocha DELGADO (independent) 1.4%, Helio SANCHES (independent) 1.14%, Gilson ALVES (independent) 0.8%, Joaquim MONTEIRO (independent) 3.4%2016: Jorge Carlos FONSECA reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge Carlos FONSECA (MPD) 74.1%, Albertino GRACA (independent) 22.5%, other 3.4%
expected date of next election: October 2026 - Legislative branch
- legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 72 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 4/18/2021
parties elected and seats per party: Movement for Democracy (MpD) (38); African Party for the Independence of Cabo Verde (PAICV) (30); Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID) (4)
percentage of women in chamber: 44.4%
expected date of next election: April 2026 - Judicial branch
- highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief justice and at least 7 judges and organized into civil, criminal, and administrative sections)
judge selection and term of office: judge appointments - 1 by the president of the republic, 1 elected by the National Assembly, and 3 by the Superior Judicial Council (SJC), a 16-member independent body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general, 8 private citizens, 2 judges, 2 prosecutors, the senior legal inspector of the Attorney General's office, and a representative of the Ministry of Justice; chief justice appointed by the president of the republic from among peers of the Supreme Court of Justice and in consultation with the SJC; judges appointed for life
subordinate courts: appeals courts, first instance (municipal) courts; audit, military, and fiscal and customs courts - Political parties
- African Party for Independence of Cabo Verde or PAICV Democratic and Independent Cabo Verdean Union or UCID Democratic Christian Party or PDC Democratic Renewal Party or PRD Movement for Democracy or MPD Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS Social Democratic Party or PSD
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis do Livramento MONTEIRO ALVES DE BRITO (since 23 December 2020)
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
email address and website: embassy.wdc@mnec.gov.cvhttps://www.embcv-usa.gov.cv/
consulate(s) general: Boston - Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador Jennifer ADAMS (since 10 September 2024)
embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo 6, Praia
mailing address: 2460 Praia Place, Washington DC 20521-2460
telephone: [238] 260-8900
FAX: [238] 261-1355
email address and website: PraiaConsular@state.govhttps://cv.usembassy.gov/ - International organization participation
- ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- Independence
- 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
- Flag
- description: five unequal horizontal bands; the top band of blue is half the height of the flag; under it are three narrow bands of white, red, and white, and a bottom stripe of blue; a circle of 10 five-pointed yellow stars is centered on the red stripe and sits toward the left side of the flagmeaning: blue stands for the sea and sky; the stripes symbolize the country's formation through peace (white) and effort (red); the stars represent the 10 major islands
- National symbol(s)
- ten five-pointed yellow stars
- National color(s)
- blue, white, red, yellow
- National coat of arms
- adopted in 1992, the coat of arms features the national symbol of ten stars that represent the country’s islands; the stylized torch and triangle at the center of the circle symbolize freedom and national unity, and the three blue lines represent the ocean and sky; the name of the country is written in Portuguese, the official language; the plumbob at the top of the circle -- used in construction to make accurate vertical lines -- represents justice, righteousness, and truth; the chain links symbolize a commitment to the people and their well-being
- National anthem(s)
- title: "Cantico da Liberdade" (Song of Freedom)
lyrics/music: Amilcar Spencer LOPES/Adalberto Higino Tavares SILVA
history: adopted 1996 - National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Cidade Velha; Historic Center of Ribeira Grande