Cape Verde recorded a decline in birth rates and a rise in infant mortality in 2022, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
The Civil Registration Report, which tracks births, deaths, and marriages, revealed significant demographic changes for the year.
A total of 7,981 births were registered in 2022, 626 fewer than in 2021.
This decline brought the birth rate down from 17 to 16 births per 1,000 inhabitants.
The global fertility rate also saw a drop, from 70.4% in 2017 to 61.8% in 2022.
The average age of mothers at childbirth increased to 27.8 years, compared to 26.1 years in 2015.
Additionally, 6.4% of the births involved at least one foreign parent, and 6.1% of birth registrations were made without the father’s name, with Brava recording the highest proportion at 9.9%.
Despite the reduction in overall deaths—3,032 recorded in 2022, down by 146 from the previous year—the mortality rate showed concerning trends.
Infant mortality rose from 12 to 13.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, while child mortality increased from 13.6% to 15.4%.
Neonatal mortality also climbed, from 8.2% to 10%.
Adults aged 65 and older accounted for 57.9% of the total deaths, with men comprising 55.4% of these figures compared to 44.6% for women.
The crude mortality rate fell slightly, from 6.3% to 6.0%.
In contrast to declining birth and rising mortality rates, marriage statistics showed growth.
A total of 2,454 marriages were celebrated in 2022, marking an increase of 191 compared to 2021.
The crude marriage rate rose from 4.5‰ to 4.8‰.
Men continued to marry later than women, with average ages of 39.9 and 36.0 years, respectively.
First-time marriages dominated at 84.7%, and most were civil ceremonies (92.9%).
Regarding marital property regimes, 42.7% of couples opted for the community of acquired property, followed by 38.2% who chose the general community of property, while 8.3% opted for separate property arrangements.
The findings highlight shifts in Cape Verde’s demographic and social landscape, prompting further analysis of the underlying causes and implications for public policy.
