Background:

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 964 km²
Land: 964 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Country comparison total: 0 km

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 209 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm, measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

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

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

Elevation
Highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower

Land use
Agricultural land: 50.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 40.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 28.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 21.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 km² (2012)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 600,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 2.18 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

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

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
Total: 223,561
Male: 111,553
Female: 112,008 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.42% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 55.5% (2017 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Sao Tomean(s)
Adjective: Sao Tomean

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)

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

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.)

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)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 77.9
Youth dependency ratio: 71.2
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.7
Potential support ratio: 14.9 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 20.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 20.4 years
Female: 21.2 years

Population growth rate: 1.42% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 26.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

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

Major urban areas
Population: 80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation and illegal logging; soil erosion and exhaustion; inadequate sewage treatment in cities; biodiversity preservation
International 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 33.75 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.12 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.04 megatons (2020 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.)

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

Maternal mortality ratio: 146 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 42.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 46.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 67.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 66 years
Female: 69.4 years

Total fertility rate: 3.31 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 49.7% (2019)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 6% of population
Unimproved total: 1.5% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Hospital bed density: 2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 57.1% of population
Improved rural: 42.8% of population
Improved total: 53.4% of population
Unimproved urban: 42.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 57.2% of population
Unimproved total: 46.6% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 12.4% (2016)

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

Tobacco use
Total: 5.7% (2020 est.)
Male: 10.1% (2020 est.)
Female: 1.3% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5.4% (2019)

Education expenditures: 5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 94.8%
Male: 96.5%
Female: 91.1% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 13 years (2015)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 21.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 15.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 33.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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 the Prince of Portugal to whom duties on the island's sugar crop were paid

Government type: semi-presidential republic

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

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

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution
History: approved 5 November 1975
Amendments: 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; revised several times, last in 2006

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

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA (since 11 November 2022)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 18 July 2021 with a runoff on 5 September 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president
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%
Note: first round results for CARVALHO were revised downward from just over 50%, prompting the 7 August runoff; however, on 1 August 2016 DA COSTA withdrew from the runoff, citing voting irregularities, and Evaristo CARVALHO was declared the winner

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 25 September 2022 (next to be held 30 September 2026)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - ADI 46.8%, MLSTP-PSD 32.7%, MCI-PS-PUN 6.6%, BASTA Movement 8.8%, other 5.1%; seats by party - ADI 30, MLSTP-PSD 18, MCI-PS-PUN 5, BASTA Movement 2; composition - men 47, women 8, percentage women 14.6%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: 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

Political parties and leaders: 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 São Tomé and Príncipe - Socialist Party or MCI-PS , National Unity Party or PUN

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)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
In the us chancery: 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 101,168
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 317-0533
In the us fax: [1] (212) 317-0580
In the us email address and website: stp1@attglobal.net, Sao Tome and Principe Permanent Mission to the United Nations
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
From the us mailing address: 2,290 Sao Tome Place, Washington DC 20,521-2,290

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

National symbols: palm tree; national colors: green, yellow, red, black

National anthem
Name: 'Independencia total' (Total Independence)
Lyrics/music: Alda Neves DA GRACA do Espirito Santo/Manuel dos Santos Barreto de Sousa e ALMEIDA
Note: adopted 1975

Economy 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

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.267 billion (2023 est.); $1.273 billion (2022 est.); $1.272 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: -0.47% (2023 est.); 0.07% (2022 est.); 1.9% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $5,500 (2023 est.); $5,600 (2022 est.); $5,700 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

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: 13.9% (2022 est.)
Industry: 4.4% (2022 est.)
Services: 79% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: plantains, oil palm fruit, taro, bananas, fruits, cocoa beans, coconuts, yams, cassava, carrots/turnips (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 6.59% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 76,000 (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 14.21% (2023 est.); 14.12% (2022 est.); 15.04% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 21.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 15.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 33.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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

Budget
Revenues: $128.764 million (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $122.193 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

Taxes and other revenues: 26.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 88.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources: 1.9% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 21.26% (2023 est.); 18.01% (2022 est.); 8.14% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

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

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
Partners: Netherlands 26%, France 11%, Belgium 11%, Portugal 8%, Angola 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: cocoa beans, palm oil, gas turbines, integrated circuits, coconut oil (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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
Partners: Portugal 35%, Angola 18%, Togo 13%, China 6%, Italy 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, ships, electric generating sets, rice, cars (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $64.476 million (2022 est.); $75.017 million (2021 est.); $75.288 million (2020 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $249.404 million (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 78% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 80%
Access electrification rural areas: 73.7%
Installed generating capacity: 30,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 95.235 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 40.95 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 95.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 4.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Imports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 162,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 162,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 9.873 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 197,000 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 87 (2022 est.)

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 (2024)
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 service age and obligation: 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service (reportedly not enforced); 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2023)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: S9

Airports: 2 (2024)

Roadways
Total: 1,300 km
Paved: 230 km
Unpaved: 1,070 km (2018)