COUNTRY PROFILESao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe's population is 240,254 (2025) — the 181st-largest in the world and the 53rd-largest in Africa, growing by about 4,718 people a year.
242,886
Population right now, ticking live from the last confirmed count.▲ growing240,254 (World Bank, 2025) + +4,718/year × elapsed time since 2025-12-31 — open formula, updates every tick
Sao Tome and Principe Facts at a Glance
Five numbers that summarise the country — population trend, rank, density, wealth, share of humanity.
Population2025
240,254
World rank
#181
of 217 tracked geographies
Density
250.3 / km²
960 km² land area
GDP / capita
$4,084
#178 economy overall
Share of humanity
1 in 34483 people on Earth lives in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe's Population Growth
Yes — Sao Tome and Principe's population rose by 4,718 people (+2%) between 2024 and 2025. The fertility rate is 3.6 births per woman. Net migration was negative in the latest year on record.
You, in Sao Tome and Principe
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Enter a birth year between 1960 and 2025 to see where you'd land.
Sao Tome and Principe Demographics
Every indicator has its own source and dataset year — shown honestly rather than smoothed into one.
Population density2025
250.3 people / km²
960 km² land area, 2025
Median age2025
20.5 years
half the population is older, half younger
Life expectancy2024
69.9 years
M 66.4 · F 73.9
Average height2019
170.4 cm (male)
female 159.8 cm
Homicide rate2011
3.2 per 100,000
#104 safest of 196
Air quality (PM2.5)2023
15.1 µg/m³
lower is cleaner
Urban population2025
69.2 %
share living in cities
Fertility rate2025
3.6 births / woman
replacement level ≈ 2.1
Net migration2025
−650 people
negative in latest year
Sao Tome and Principe in World Rankings
Every world ranking we publish, where this country sits in each one, and its overall percentile profile.
Population240,254 people
#181 / 217
→
GDP$981M
#178 / 186
→
Life expectancy69.9 years
#155 / 217
→
Average height170.4 cm (male)
#138 / 200
→
Cleanest air15.12 µg/m³ PM2.5
#83 / 200
→
Safest countries3.2 homicides / 100k
#104 / 196
→
Most dangerous3.2 homicides / 100k
#92 / 196
→
Percentile in each ranking — further from centre is a higher rank (closer to #1).
Population, 1960 to 2025
66 years of estimates from the same source.
Source: World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL) · annual estimates, 1960–2025 · hover the line for any year.
Age & sex structure
17 five-year bands, male and female, 2025.
Male — 119,369Female — 120,888
Largest cities
By population, GeoNames city-proper figures (not metro area).
Where is Sao Tome and Principe Located?
- Capital
- Sao Tome
- Currency
- Dobra (STN)
- Language(s)
- Portuguese
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Continent
- 54 countries in Africa →
- Land area
- 960 km²
- Area (GeoNames)
- 1,001 km²
- Borders
- none (island nation)
Shares a border with
No land borders.
Sao Tome and PrincipeVSExplore Sao Tome and Principe in Every Ranking
Jump straight to the full world table for any of these indicators.
Frequently asked
What is the population of Sao Tome and Principe?
Sao Tome and Principe's population is 240,254 as of 2025 (World Bank estimate), ranking #181 of 217 countries and territories by population.
How many people live in Sao Tome and Principe?
240,254 people, as of the 2025 World Bank estimate — the most recent figure this page tracks.
What is Sao Tome and Principe's population density?
250.3 people per km², based on a land area of 960 km².
What is Sao Tome and Principe ranked in population worldwide?
#181 of 217 countries and territories by population — see the full ranking table for every country's position.
What is the life expectancy in Sao Tome and Principe?
69.9 years on average (2024) — 66.4 for men, 73.9 for women.
What is Sao Tome and Principe's GDP?
$981M, ranking #178 of 186 economies we track — $4,084 per capita.
Sources
World Bank Open Data
CC BY 4.0 · population, GDP, life expectancy, homicide, PM2.5, vitals
data.worldbank.org →