Cape Verde: Flag and Facts
The flag of Cape Verde is mostly blue, with thin white, red, and white stripes across the lower half and a ring of 10 yellow stars set toward the left.
- Official name
- Republic of Cabo Verde
- Capital
- Praia
- Region
- Western Africa
- Population
- 611,014 (2024)
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Currency
- Cape Verdean escudo
- Area
- 4,033 km² (1,557 sq mi)
- People
- Cape Verdian
- Calling code
- +238
- Highest point
- Mt. Fogo (a volcano on Fogo Island) 2,829 m
- Independence
- 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
- National symbols
- ten five-pointed yellow stars
- Borders
- No land borders
About Cape Verde
The top blue section fills half the flag. Blue stands for sea and sky, the white stripes for peace, and the red stripe for effort, together showing how the nation was built. The 10 stars match the 10 major islands and also serve as the national symbol.
Nobody lived on the islands until the Portuguese arrived in the 15th century. Cabo Verde became a trading hub for enslaved Africans and later a refueling stop for whalers and ships crossing the Atlantic. Its Crioulo language, music, and pano cloth blend European and African traditions. Independence from Portugal came on 5 July 1975, and multiparty elections began in 1990. The terrain is steep, rocky, and volcanic.
Did you know?
- Mount Fogo, a volcano on Fogo Island, is the highest point in Cape Verde at 2,829 meters.
- Cape Verde is slightly larger than Rhode Island.
- Rain in Cape Verde is scarce and hard to predict.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Cape Verde
What is the capital of Cape Verde?
Praia is the capital of Cape Verde.
What currency does Cape Verde use?
Cape Verde uses the Cape Verdean escudo, which has been pegged to the euro since 1998.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.