Population, total in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Population, total was 240,254 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
240,254
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
182nd
of 218 countries
All-time high
240,254
in 2025
All-time low
68,012
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population, total in Sao Tome and Principe, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
In 2025, population, total in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 240,254. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, total in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 240,254 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 68,012, in 1960.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 182nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population, total in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 68,012 | — |
| 1961 | 68,707 | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 69,403 | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 70,112 | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 70,865 | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 71,680 | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 72,576 | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 73,596 | +1.4% |
| 1968 | 74,765 | +1.6% |
| 1969 | 76,083 | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 77,626 | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 79,330 | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 81,041 | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 82,798 | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 84,672 | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 86,708 | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 88,922 | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 91,301 | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 93,794 | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 96,252 | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 98,544 | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 100,615 | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 102,508 | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 104,380 | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 106,394 | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 108,658 | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 111,150 | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 113,919 | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 116,939 | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 119,979 | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 122,980 | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 125,697 | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 128,110 | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 130,467 | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 132,732 | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 134,895 | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 136,962 | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 138,922 | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 140,751 | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 142,442 | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 144,018 | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 146,375 | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 149,922 | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 153,814 | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 157,705 | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 161,639 | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 165,638 | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 169,700 | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 173,793 | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 177,853 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 181,802 | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 185,649 | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 189,439 | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 193,148 | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 196,767 | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 200,291 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 203,689 | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 206,970 | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 210,187 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 213,392 | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 217,435 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 221,961 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 226,305 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 230,871 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 235,536 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 240,254 | +2.0% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 240,254 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.35 million, 2% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 240,254 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.96 million, 2% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 71,580 | 68,012 | 76,083 | 10 |
| 1970s | 86,244 | 77,626 | 96,252 | 10 |
| 1980s | 108,309 | 98,544 | 119,979 | 10 |
| 1990s | 133,396 | 122,980 | 142,442 | 10 |
| 2000s | 160,046 | 144,018 | 177,853 | 10 |
| 2010s | 198,133 | 181,802 | 213,392 | 10 |
| 2020s | 228,727 | 217,435 | 240,254 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 179 New Caledonia 295,333 compare
- 180 Barbados 282,623 compare
- 181 French Polynesia 282,465 compare
- 183 Samoa 219,306 compare
- 184 Saint Lucia 180,149 compare
- 185 Guam 168,999 compare
More climate change data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 133,140 kg (2023)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 23.37 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 15.5 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 7.87 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.0585 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 0.2811 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 0.5528 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 0.424 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 0.1288 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.0016 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, total in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Population, total in Sao Tome and Principe was 240,254 in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population, total recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 240,254 in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, total recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 68,012 in 1960.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for population, total?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 182nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, total rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.