Country

Cape Verde

Explore historical and projected climate data, climate data by sector, impacts, key vulnerabilities and what adaptation measures are being taken. Explore the overview for a general context of how climate change is affecting Cape Verde.

Country Summary

This page presents high-level information for Cape Verde's climate zones and its seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation for the latest climatology, 1991-2020. Climate zone classifications are derived from the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, which divides climates into five main climate groups divided based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The five main groups are A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). All climates except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter).  Climate classifications are identified by hovering your mouse over the legend. A narrative overview of Cape Verde's country context and climate is provided following the visualizations.


Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification, 1991-2020
  • Af
  • Am
  • As/Aw
  • BWh
  • BWk
  • BSh
  • BSk
  • Csa
  • Csb
  • Csc
  • Cwa
  • Cwb
  • Cwc
  • Cfa
  • Cfb
  • Cfc
  • Dsa
  • Dsb
  • Dsc
  • Dsd
  • Dwa
  • Dwb
  • Dwc
  • Dwd
  • Dfa
  • Dfb
  • Dfc
  • Dfd
  • ET
  • EF

Located 500 kilometers off the west coast of Africa, Cape Verde is an archipelago of ten islands of which nine are inhabited. The country has an estimated population of 520,500. Only 10% of its territory is classified as arable land and the country possesses limited mineral resources. Despite the arid climate and mountainous terrain, Cape Verde has been developing rapidly, in a large part thanks to its flourishing tourism industry. In addition to boosting tourism, the government is making efforts to turn the islands into a trade, business, and transport hub. The new Government inherited a challenging macroeconomic situation with public debt at 130% of GDP at the end of 2016. Growth is estimated at over 4% in 2016, a recovery from 1.5% in 2015, but not enough to bring down debt levels. For 2017 and beyond, debt is likely to continue increasing from government liabilities for largely insolvent state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

As a small island development state (SIDS), Cape Verde has one of the lowest GHG emissions per capita and yet is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. It faces severe adaptation challenges associated with water resources availability, food and energy security, and desertification processes. The first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of Cape Verde is submitted jointly by the Ministry of Environmental, Housing and Land Planning and by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in September 21, 2017.