The Caboverdean Mesticos of Portugal

The Caboverdean Mesticos of Portugal, numbering approximately 80,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Creole population of Cabo Verde with mixed African and Portuguese ancestry. They primarily speak Kriolu and Portuguese and maintain a distinctive island culture shaped by West African and Iberian influences. They mostly adhere to Roman Catholicism and Portuguese is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Caboverdian Mestico

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Portugal
People Cluster: Other Sub-Saharan African
Primary Language(s): Portuguese (por)
Primary Religion(s): Roman Catholicism
Population: 80,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG000474
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Caboverdean Mesticos of Portugal

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Roman Catholicism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

90%
%
Roman Catholicism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Portuguese
Language Family: Indo-European

100%
%
Portuguese Speakers

Media Resources in Portuguese:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film
JESUSView Film
MagdalenaView Film
MagdalenaView Film
The SaviorView Film

5 films

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Caboverdean Mesticos are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Caboverdean Mesticos:
Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Pray specifically for the Caboverdean Mesticos of Portugal

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
readEphesians 5:8

Pray that those who are lost will turn from the darkness they are walking in and embrace the light, becoming children of light who bear fruit in every good work.

...I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
readPsalm 13:5

Ask God to bring many to trust in His unfailing love and cause their hearts to rejoice in His salvation.

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
read2 Corinthians 12:28

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will grow in the spiritual gifts God has given them and use these gifts to glorify Him and build up the Church.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
readEphesians 6:13

Pray that God will send believers to the lost of this people group and that, as they share the gospel, they will take up the whole armor of God so that they can stand firm when trials come.

Caboverdean Mestico Across Countries (ROP3 - 101838) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

6 people groups

PhotoPeople Group IDNameCountryPopulation ▼Strategic Progress IndexLanguageReligion
Caboverdean MesticosCaboverdean MesticosCabo Verde503,000No Longer UnreachedKabuverdianuRoman Catholicism
Caboverdean MesticosCaboverdean MesticosUnited States310,000No Longer UnreachedEnglishRoman Catholicism
Caboverdean MesticosCaboverdean MesticosPortugal80,500Engaged yet UnreachedPortugueseRoman Catholicism
Caboverdean MesticosCaboverdean MesticosSenegal54,500No Longer UnreachedKabuverdianuRoman Catholicism
Caboverdean MesticosCaboverdean MesticosSpain3,100Unengaged and UnreachedKabuverdianuRoman Catholicism
Caboverdean MesticosCaboverdean MesticosCanada200No Longer UnreachedKabuverdianuRoman Catholicism

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

Scroll to Top