Cabo Verde's debt
How much Cabo Verde owes, to whom, and how that compares with the rest of Africa. From IMF and World Bank figures.
Government debt, % of GDP (2025)
115.4 %
Owed abroad by the government, US$ billion (2024)
1.8
Largest creditor: World Bank-IDA, % of foreign public debt
31.5 %
Owed to China, % of foreign public debt
1.1 %
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Cabo Verde | Middle African country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.2 | 32.1 |
| 2011 | 64.5 | 28.4 |
| 2012 | 70.4 | 26.4 |
| 2013 | 106.7 | 31.1 |
| 2014 | 117.0 | 36.4 |
| 2015 | 125.2 | 44.1 |
| 2016 | 123.9 | 45.9 |
| 2017 | 123.4 | 48.0 |
| 2018 | 127.2 | 49.2 |
| 2019 | 123.5 | 53.9 |
| 2020 | 168.2 | 56.7 |
| 2021 | 168.4 | 57.2 |
| 2022 | 144.6 | 59.5 |
| 2023 | 134.3 | 60.9 |
| 2024 | 127.1 | 56.8 |
| 2025 | 115.4 | 53.2 |
| 2026 | 109.9 (partial) | 52.5 (partial) |
| 2027 | 103.6 (partial) | 54.2 (partial) |
| 2028 | 97.7 (partial) | 53.0 (partial) |
| 2029 | 92.3 (partial) | 53.1 (partial) |
| 2030 | 86.4 (partial) | 51.7 (partial) |
| 2031 | 80.8 (partial) | 50.7 (partial) |
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Part | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Development banks and funds | 60.2 % | 60% |
| Other governments | 39.8 % | 40% |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | World Bank-IDA | Portugal | African Development Bank | Japan | Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 303 | 203 | 195 | 9 | 32 |
| 2011 | 300 | 310 | 213 | 31 | 29 |
| 2012 | 313 | 465 | 222 | 35 | 28 |
| 2013 | 318 | 637 | 239 | 39 | 28 |
| 2014 | 319 | 663 | 235 | 34 | 34 |
| 2015 | 317 | 621 | 238 | 58 | 40 |
| 2016 | 304 | 614 | 234 | 68 | 41 |
| 2017 | 316 | 709 | 284 | 77 | 43 |
| 2018 | 309 | 676 | 307 | 87 | 44 |
| 2019 | 366 | 661 | 325 | 93 | 44 |
| 2020 | 436 | 721 | 379 | 98 | 46 |
| 2021 | 482 | 670 | 375 | 92 | 49 |
| 2022 | 509 | 618 | 371 | 78 | 50 |
| 2023 | 562 | 605 | 369 | 72 | 50 |
| 2024 | 582 | 543 | 360 | 62 | 49 |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Where Cabo Verde ranks in Africa
- Government debt to GDP: 5th highest of 53.
- Total external debt in dollars: 36th largest of 49.
- Compare Cabo Verde's debt with its neighbours on the data wall
More on Cabo Verde
Method and sources
Debt to GDP is the IMF's general government gross debt, which covers domestic and foreign debt of every level of government. Debt owed abroad by the government and debt it guarantees. Excludes IMF credit and private debt that is not guaranteed. WLD is the total. Creditor names are the World Bank's. Figures checked 24 October 2026.
IMF government debt data · World Bank International Debt Statistics
Frequently asked questions
How much does Cabo Verde owe?
Cabo Verde government and the debt it guarantees owed $1.8 billion to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 115.4% of GDP in 2025, according to the IMF.
Who is Cabo Verde's largest creditor?
World Bank-IDA, owed $581.9 million in 2024, 31.5% of the government's foreign debt. Next: Portugal (29.5%), African Development Bank (19.5%) and Japan (3.4%).
How much does Cabo Verde owe China?
$20.7 million in 2024, 1.1% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 11th largest creditor.
What is Cabo Verde's debt to GDP ratio?
115.4% in 2025: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 5th highest of 53 African countries with a figure.