Background: Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited São Tomé and Príncipe 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.

Area
Total: 964 km²
Land: 964 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 209 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Note: 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

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.)

Irrigated land: 100 km² (2012)

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
Total: 223,561 (2024 est.)
Male: 111,553
Female: 112,008
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
Growth rate: 1.42% (2024 est.)

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: 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.)

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.)

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)

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.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 75 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 20.7% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 28.9% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 22.7% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 43.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 56.8% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 46.5% of population (2022 est.)

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

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 9.2% (2024 est.); 9.1% (2023 est.); 9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

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

Legal system: mixed 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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Américo 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
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

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); São Tomé and Príncipe 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

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

National anthem
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

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

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): 9.2% (2024 est.); 9.1% (2023 est.); 9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

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
Commodities: crude petroleum, cocoa beans, vehicle parts/accessories, palm oil, aircraft parts (2023)
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
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, rice, electric generating sets, cars (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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.)
Access electrification - total population: 78% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 80%
Access electrification - rural areas: 73.7%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

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

Carbon dioxide emissions: 146,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 146,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 8.875 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 152,000 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 87 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 62% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 6,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)

Airports: 2 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 25 (2023)
By type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 4, other 6