Literate and illiterate world population in Cape Verde

Cape Verde: Literate and illiterate world population was 11.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
11.5%
World rank
52nd
of 128 countries
All-time high
77.5%
in 1950
All-time low
11.5%
in 2024
Years of data
6
1950–2024

Literate and illiterate world population in Cape Verde, 1950–2024

204060801950198720241950: 77.5 %1990: 37.2 %2009: 17.8 %2012: 14.7 %2015: 13.2 %2024: 11.5 %

Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Cape Verde recorded 11.5% for literate and illiterate world population in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of down 12.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literate and illiterate world population in Cape Verde peaked at 77.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 11.5%, in 2024.

That places Cape Verde 52nd out of 128 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

Literate and illiterate world population in Cape Verde, year by year

Annual values for Literate and illiterate world population in Cape Verde, 1950 to 2024.
Year % Change
1950 77.5%
1990 37.2% -52.0%
2009 17.8% -52.2%
2012 14.7% -17.5%
2015 13.2% -10.0%
2024 11.5% -12.7%

Cape Verde compared with similar countries

  • Cape Verde's 11.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.6%, 2.5× the median. (38 countries reporting)
  • Cape Verde's 11.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 29.1%, 40% of the median. (36 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 77.5% 77.5% 77.5% 1
1990s 37.2% 37.2% 37.2% 1
2000s 17.8% 17.8% 17.8% 1
2010s 13.9% 13.2% 14.7% 2
2020s 11.5% 11.5% 11.5% 1

Countries ranked near Cape Verde

  1. 49 Belize 12.1% compare
  2. 50 Vanuatu 12.0% compare
  3. 51 Honduras 11.8% compare
  4. 53 Iran 11.1% compare
  5. 54 El Salvador 10.2% compare
  6. 55 Lesotho 9.6% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More population data for Cape Verde

All data for Cape Verde →

Frequently asked questions

What is literate and illiterate world population in Cape Verde?
Literate and illiterate world population in Cape Verde was 11.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Cape Verde?
The highest recorded value was 77.5% in 1950.
What is the lowest literate and illiterate world population recorded in Cape Verde?
The lowest recorded value was 11.5% in 2024.
How does Cape Verde rank for literate and illiterate world population?
Cape Verde ranks 52nd out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
Is literate and illiterate world population rising or falling in Cape Verde?
Over the last ten years it is down 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Cape Verde data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literate and illiterate world population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literate and illiterate world population in Cape Verde. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/literate-and-illiterate-world-population/cabo-verde/

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About this data

Indicator
Literate and illiterate world population
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
128 places, 1,272 data points, 1475–2024
Last refreshed

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