Literacy rates among adults in Cape Verde
Cape Verde: Literacy rates among adults was 88.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Cape Verde, 1990–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Cape Verde recorded 88.5% for literacy rates among adults in 2024. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Cape Verde peaked at 88.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 62.8%, in 1990.
Cape Verde ranks 50th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Literacy rates among adults in Cape Verde, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 62.8% | — |
| 2009 | 82.2% | +30.9% |
| 2012 | 85.3% | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 86.8% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 88.5% | +1.9% |
Cape Verde compared with similar countries
- Cape Verde's 88.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.5%, 93% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Cape Verde's 88.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.9%, 1.2× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 62.8% | 62.8% | 62.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 82.2% | 82.2% | 82.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 86.1% | 85.3% | 86.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 88.5% | 88.5% | 88.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Cape Verde
More education data for Cape Verde
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3,534 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 4,132 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9,991 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 9,978 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 55,831 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 61,167 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1371 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1177 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Cape Verde?
- Literacy rates among adults in Cape Verde was 88.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates among adults recorded in Cape Verde?
- The highest recorded value was 88.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Cape Verde?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.8% in 1990.
- How does Cape Verde rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Cape Verde ranks 50th out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Cape Verde?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Cape Verde data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates among adults. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population aged 15 years and older who can read and write.