Sao Tome and Principe

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 6,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station; 2 state-owned radio stations; 7 independent local radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available

Internet country code

.st

Internet users

percent of population: 62% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 152,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 87 (2022 est.)

Agricultural products

plantains, oil palm fruit, taro, bananas, fruits, cocoa beans, yams, coconuts, cassava, vegetables (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

revenues: $128.767 million (2022 est.) expenditures: $165.95 million (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

-$79.437 million (2022 est.) -$95.248 million (2021 est.) -$59.595 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$327.248 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

lower middle-income Central African island economy; falling cocoa production due to drought and mismanagement; joint oil venture with Nigeria; government owns 90% of land; high debt, partly from fuel subsidies; tourism gutted by COVID-19

Exchange rates

dobras (STD) per US dollar - 22.658 (2023 est.) 23.29 (2022 est.) 20.71 (2021 est.) 21.507 (2020 est.) 21.885 (2019 est.)

Exports

$96.977 million (2022 est.) $75.256 million (2021 est.) $49.337 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, cocoa beans, vehicle parts/accessories, palm oil, aircraft parts (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Pakistan 54%, Germany 11%, Netherlands 7%, France 5%, UAE 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$764.274 million (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 81.4% (2017 est.) government consumption: 17.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 33.4% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 7.9% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -40.4% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 12.8% (2024 est.) industry: 2.9% (2024 est.) services: 76.6% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

40.7 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 32.8% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$219.322 million (2022 est.) $201.145 million (2021 est.) $160.097 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, rice, electric generating sets, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Portugal 35%, Angola 13%, Gabon 11%, Japan 8%, China 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

3.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14.4% (2024 est.) 21.3% (2023 est.) 18% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

34,500 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

55.5% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

93.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.291 billion (2024 est.) $1.279 billion (2023 est.) $1.275 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

0.9% (2024 est.) 0.4% (2023 est.) 0.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$5,500 (2024 est.) $5,500 (2023 est.) $5,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$46.247 million (2023 est.) $64.476 million (2022 est.) $75.017 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Unemployment rate

9.2% (2024 est.) 9.1% (2023 est.) 9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 8.6% (2024 est.) male: 8% (2024 est.) female: 9.2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 29,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 47.05 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 40.95 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 78% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 80% electrification - rural areas: 73.7%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

8.875 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

146,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 146,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Environmental issues

deforestation and illegal logging; soil erosion and exhaustion; inadequate sewage treatment in cities; biodiversity

International environmental agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

Land use

agricultural land: 44.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 39.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1% (2023 est.) forest: 57.5% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

29 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.18 billion cubic meters (2022)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 14.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 600,000 cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 25.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 76.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 25,600 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.9% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 964 sq km land: 964 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

more than five times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Coastline

209 km

Elevation

highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Geography - note

the second-smallest African country (after the Seychelles); the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes, and both are mountainous

Irrigated land

100 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 44.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 4.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 39.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 1% (2023 est.) forest: 57.5% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.)

Location

Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

Natural hazards

flooding

Natural resources

fish, hydropower

Population distribution

Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities, as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Administrative divisions

6 districts ( distritos , singular - distrito ), 1 autonomous region* ( regiao autonoma ); Agua Grande, Cantagalo, Caue, Lemba, Lobata, Me-Zochi, Principe*

Capital

name: Sao Tome geographic coordinates: 0 20 N, 6 44 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese, who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sao Tome and Principe dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

history: approved 5 November 1975 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the Assembly can propose to the president of the republic that an amendment be submitted to a referendum

Country name

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe etymology: Sao Tome was named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day; Principe is a shortening of the original Portuguese name of "Ilha do Principe" (Isle of the Prince), referring to Prince ALPHONSO of Portugal

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the US Ambassador to Angola is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe mailing address: 2290 Sao Tome Place, Washington DC 20521-2290

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604 New York, NY 101168 telephone: [1] (212) 317-0533 FAX: [1] (212) 317-0580 email address and website: stp1@attglobal.net Sao Tome and Principe Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Executive branch

chief of state: President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Am rico d'Oliveira DOS RAMOS (since 12 January 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president most recent election date: 18 July 2021, with a runoff on 5 September 2021 election results: 2021: Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 39.5%; Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 20.8%; Delfim NEVES (PCD-GR) 16.9%; Abel BOM JESUS (independent) 3.6%; Maria DAS NEVES (independent) 3.3%; other 15.9%; percent of the vote in second round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA 57.5%, Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA 42.5% 2016: Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1% expected date of next election: 2026

Flag

description: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double-width), and green with two five-pointed black stars in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the left side meaning: green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red for the struggle for independence, and yellow for cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the main islands history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement

Government type

semi-presidential republic

Independence

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CEMAC, CPLP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal Justica (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 5 judges, 3 of whom are from the Supreme Court) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for 5-year terms subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Audit Court

Legal system

mixed system of civil law based on the Portuguese model and customary law

Legislative branch

legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 55 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/25/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Independent Democratic Alliance (ADI) (30); Sao Tome and Principe Liberation Movement/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP - PSD) (18); Movement of Independent Citizens - Socialist Party (MCI - PS) - National Unity Party (PUN) (5); Other (2) percentage of women in chamber: 14.5% expected date of next election: September 2026

National anthem(s)

title: "Independencia total" (Total Independence) lyrics/music: Alda Neves DA GRACA do Espirito Santo/Manuel dos Santos Barreto de Sousa e ALMEIDA history: adopted 1975

National color(s)

green, yellow, red, black

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

National symbol(s)

palm tree

Political parties

BASTA Movement Independent Democratic Action or ADI Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD Movement of Independent Citizens of S o Tom and Pr ncipe - Socialist Party or MCI-PS National Unity Party or PUN

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited Sao Tome and Principe islands in the late 15th century, setting up a sugar-based economy that gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century -- all grown with African slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling among the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and failed, non-violent coup attempts in 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2009. In 2012, three opposition parties combined in a no-confidence vote to bring down the majority government of former Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA, but legislative elections returned him to the office two years later. President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as TROVOADA, was elected in 2016, marking a rare instance in which the same party held the positions of president and prime minister. TROVOADA resigned in 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. Carlos Vila NOVA was elected president in 2021. TROVOADA began his fourth stint as prime minister in 2022, after his party's victory in legislative elections.

Military - note

the FASTP is one of the smallest militaries in Africa and consists of only a few companies of ground troops and some small patrol boats (2024)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (Forcas Armadas de Sao Tome e Principe, FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2025) note: the Army and Coast Guard are responsible for external security while the public security police and judicial police maintain internal security; both the public security police and the military report to the Ministry of Defense and Internal Affairs; the judicial police report to the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, and Human Rights

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 500 active Armed Forces (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FASTP is lightly armed and has a small inventory of mostly older weapons and equipment (2023)

Military service age and obligation

limited information; 18 is the minimum age for compulsory military service (reportedly not enforced) and 17 years of age (with parental permission) for voluntary service (2024)

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.4% (male 41,337/female 40,106) 15-64 years: 60.3% (male 67,101/female 67,775) 65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 3,115/female 4,127)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 4.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 3.58 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

25.87 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 5.4% (2019) women married by age 18: 28% (2019) men married by age 18: 3.1% (2019)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5.4% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.1% (2019 est.)

Death rate

5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 65.8 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 60.4 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.4 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 18.6 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 79.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 71.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 77.3% of population (2022 est.) urban: 20.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 28.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 22.7% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

5% of GDP (2023 est.) 18.1% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mestico, Angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), Forros (descendants of freed slaves), Servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cabo Verde), Tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese), Asians (mostly Chinese)

Gross reproduction rate

1.57 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

7.8% of GDP (2021) 14.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 41.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 46.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4%; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.) note: shares of language sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 67.7 years (2024 est.) male: 66 years female: 69.4 years

Literacy

total population: 87.4% (2019 est.) male: 92.5% (2019 est.) female: 82.8% (2019 est.)

Major urban areas - population

80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

75 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 21.2 years (2025 est.) male: 20.4 years female: 21.2 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.4 years (2008/09 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean

Net migration rate

-6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

12.4% (2016)

Physician density

0.46 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

total: 223,561 (2024 est.) male: 111,553 female: 112,008

Population distribution

Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities, as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

1.39% (2025 est.)

Religions

Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 56.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 43.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 53.5% of population (2022 est.) urban: 43.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 56.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 46.5% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years (2021 est.) male: 13 years (2021 est.) female: 13 years (2021 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 7.3% (2025 est.) male: 13.1% (2025 est.) female: 1.7% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.18 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 76.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Airports

2 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

S9

Merchant marine

total: 25 (2023) by type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 4, other 6

Ports

total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Santo Antonio, Sao Tome