If you lived in Cabo Verde instead of Jamaica, you would:

Health

be 18.2% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Jamaica, 1.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Cabo Verde, that number is 0.9% of people as of 2024.

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live 4.6 years longer

In Jamaica, the average life expectancy is 72 years (69 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In Cabo Verde, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 52.5% less likely to be obese

In Jamaica, 35.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Cabo Verde, that number is 16.7% of people as of 2024.

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have 58.7% more doctors per person

Jamaica has 4.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Cabo Verde has 7.3 as of 2023.

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see 29.0% less spent on your healthcare

Jamaica spends $869 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Cabo Verde spends $617 as of 2023.

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be 8.8 times more likely to die by suicide

Jamaica has a suicide rate of 1.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Cabo Verde, it is 14.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 3.6 times more likely to be unemployed

In Jamaica, 3.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Cabo Verde, that number is 11.9% as of 2025.

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be 3.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Jamaica, 7.8% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In Cabo Verde, however, that number is 24.8% as of 2023.

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make 27.6% less money

Jamaica has a GDP per capita of $8,003 as of 2025, while in Cabo Verde, the GDP per capita is $5,796 as of 2025.

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Life

be 69.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Jamaica, approximately 130.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Cabo Verde, 40.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 35.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Jamaica, approximately 16.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Cabo Verde, on the other hand, 10.6 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 17.1% less likely to have internet access

In Jamaica, approximately 90.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Cabo Verde, about 74.7% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 21.1% less on education

Jamaica spends 5.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Cabo Verde spends 4.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 23.0% less on healthcare

Jamaica spends 7.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Cabo Verde, that number is 5.8% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 85.9% less likely to be murdered

Jamaica has a homicide rate of 49.4 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Cabo Verde, that number is 7.0 per 100,000 as of 2020.

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be 25.7% less likely to feel safe walking alone at night

In Jamaica, 70% of people feel safe walking alone at night as of 2019. In Cabo Verde, that number is 52% as of 2016.

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Infrastructure

find 48.0% less home broadband

Jamaica has 16.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Cabo Verde has 8.3 as of 2024.

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live with 4.8 times more strain on fresh water

Jamaica withdraws 12% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Cabo Verde withdraws 60% as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 54.6% less CO2

Jamaica emits 2.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Cabo Verde emits 1.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 2.7 times more likely to die from air pollution

In Jamaica, air pollution causes 22.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Cabo Verde, it causes 59.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2016–2019), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Cabo Verde: At a glance

Cabo Verde is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 4,033 sq km. The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cabo Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cabo Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cabo Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
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How big is Cabo Verde compared to Jamaica? See an in-depth size comparison.

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