Sao Tome and Principe Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Sao Tome and Principe vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Sao Tome	World
1960	24.2	22.5
1961	24.3	22.5
1962	24.1	22.4
1963	23.5	22.2
1964	22.4	22
1965	21	21.8
1966	19.5	21.7
1967	18.5	21.6
1968	17.7	21.5
1969	17.2	21.5
1970	16.9	21.4
1971	16.9	21.4
1972	17	21.5
1973	17	21.5
1974	17.1	21.6
1975	17.1	21.7
1976	17.1	21.9
1977	17.2	22
1978	17.2	22.2
1979	17.3	22.3
1980	17.3	22.5
1981	17.4	22.6
1982	17.4	22.7
1983	17.4	22.9
1984	17.4	23
1985	17.4	23.2
1986	17.4	23.3
1987	17.4	23.4
1988	17.4	23.6
1989	17.4	23.8
1990	17.4	23.9
1991	17.3	24.1
1992	17.3	24.3
1993	17.2	24.5
1994	17.2	24.7
1995	17.3	25
1996	17.3	25.2
1997	17.4	25.4
1998	17.5	25.7
1999	17.7	25.9
2000	17.9	26.1
2001	18	26.3
2002	18.1	26.5
2003	18.3	26.7
2004	18.4	27
2005	18.5	27.2
2006	18.6	27.4
2007	18.7	27.6
2008	18.7	27.8
2009	18.7	28
2010	18.8	28.2
2011	18.9	28.4
2012	18.9	28.6
2013	18.9	28.9
2014	18.9	29.1
2015	19	29.3
2016	19	29.5
2017	19.1	29.8
2018	19.3	30
2019	19.4	30.3
2020	19.5	30.6
2021	19.7	30.8
2022	19.9	31
2023	20.1	31.3
2024	20.3	31.6
2025	20.5	31.9
2026	20.7	32.1
2027	21	32.3
2028	21.2	32.6
2029	21.5	32.8
2030	21.7	33
2031	21.9	33.2
2032	22.1	33.4
2033	22.3	33.6
2034	22.5	33.8
2035	22.7	34
2036	23	34.2
2037	23.2	34.4
2038	23.4	34.6
2039	23.6	34.8
2040	23.8	35
2041	24	35.2
2042	24.2	35.4
2043	24.3	35.6
2044	24.5	35.8
2045	24.7	36
2046	24.9	36.2
2047	25.1	36.4
2048	25.4	36.6
2049	25.6	36.8
2050	25.8	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Sao Tome and Principe was 24.2 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had decreased to 20.3 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 49th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Sao Tome and Principe ranks 163rd currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Sao Tome and Principe is expected to increase to around 25.8 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Sao Tome and Principe demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Sao Tome
	Male	Female
0-4	6.7%	6.54%
5-9	6.24%	6.17%
10-14	6.1%	6.08%
15-19	5.79%	5.84%
20-24	4.63%	4.84%
25-29	3.53%	3.65%
30-34	2.98%	3.03%
35-39	2.78%	2.85%
40-44	2.75%	2.76%
45-49	2.29%	2.23%
50-54	1.78%	1.68%
55-59	1.36%	1.32%
60-64	1.05%	1.13%
65-69	0.72%	0.79%
70-74	0.48%	0.55%
75-79	0.27%	0.36%
80+	0.26%	0.47%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Sao Tome and Principe has average demographic potential with 72.1% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 39/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Sao Tome			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	57.5%	51.8%	5.71%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	61.3%	55.3%	5.99%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	67.8%	61.4%	6.45%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	73.9%	67%	6.9%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	79.5%	72.1%	7.33%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	84.6%	76.9%	7.76%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	89.4%	81.2%	8.15%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	93.7%	85.2%	8.51%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	97.7%	88.8%	8.87%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	101.4%	92.2%	9.2%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	103.1%	93.7%	9.32%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	102.6%	93.3%	9.28%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	101.9%	92.6%	9.28%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	101.4%	92.1%	9.28%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	100.9%	91.7%	9.26%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	100.5%	91.3%	9.21%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	100%	90.9%	9.13%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	99.4%	90.4%	9.01%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	98.8%	89.9%	8.88%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	98.1%	89.3%	8.78%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	97.4%	88.7%	8.76%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	96.8%	87.9%	8.85%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	96.3%	87.5%	8.88%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	96.1%	87.2%	8.82%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	95.5%	86.8%	8.76%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	95.7%	87%	8.7%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	96.4%	87.8%	8.64%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	96.9%	88.3%	8.56%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	97.1%	88.6%	8.47%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	97.2%	88.8%	8.37%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	97.1%	88.9%	8.28%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	97.3%	89.1%	8.26%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	97.6%	89.3%	8.3%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	97.6%	89.3%	8.34%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	97.3%	88.9%	8.36%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	96.7%	88.3%	8.35%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	95.7%	87.4%	8.32%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	94.4%	86.2%	8.28%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	92.8%	84.6%	8.2%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	90.8%	82.7%	8.1%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	88.8%	80.8%	8%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	87.5%	79.6%	7.88%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	86.8%	79.1%	7.74%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	86.2%	78.6%	7.63%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	85.8%	78.2%	7.54%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	85.4%	77.9%	7.45%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	85.1%	77.7%	7.34%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	84.9%	77.7%	7.22%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	84.8%	77.7%	7.09%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	84.7%	77.7%	6.95%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	84.3%	77.5%	6.81%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	83.8%	77.2%	6.67%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	83.7%	77.1%	6.57%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	83.8%	77.3%	6.54%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	83.8%	77.2%	6.53%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	83.5%	76.9%	6.55%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	82.8%	76.2%	6.6%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	81.9%	75.2%	6.68%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	80.8%	74%	6.77%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	79.5%	72.7%	6.86%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	77.9%	71%	6.83%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	76%	69.3%	6.74%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	74.3%	67.6%	6.71%	54%	39%	15%
2023	72.9%	66.2%	6.68%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	71.6%	64.9%	6.69%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Sao Tome and Principe decreased from 85.8% to 71.6% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an decreased proportion of people aged 65+

Sao Tome and Principe working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Sao Tome	World
1960	63.5%	57.6%
1961	62%	57.5%
1962	59.6%	57.4%
1963	57.5%	57.2%
1964	55.7%	57%
1965	54.2%	56.9%
1966	52.8%	56.8%
1967	51.6%	56.9%
1968	50.6%	56.9%
1969	49.6%	56.9%
1970	49.2%	57%
1971	49.4%	57.1%
1972	49.5%	57.2%
1973	49.6%	57.3%
1974	49.8%	57.3%
1975	49.9%	57.4%
1976	50%	57.5%
1977	50.1%	57.7%
1978	50.3%	58%
1979	50.5%	58.4%
1980	50.6%	58.7%
1981	50.8%	59%
1982	50.9%	59.3%
1983	51%	59.6%
1984	51.1%	59.9%
1985	51.1%	60.1%
1986	50.9%	60.4%
1987	50.8%	60.5%
1988	50.7%	60.7%
1989	50.7%	60.8%
1990	50.7%	60.9%
1991	50.7%	61%
1992	50.6%	61.1%
1993	50.6%	61.2%
1994	50.7%	61.3%
1995	50.8%	61.5%
1996	51.1%	61.7%
1997	51.4%	61.9%
1998	51.9%	62.2%
1999	52.4%	62.5%
2000	53%	62.8%
2001	53.3%	63.1%
2002	53.5%	63.4%
2003	53.7%	63.7%
2004	53.8%	64%
2005	53.9%	64.3%
2006	54%	64.5%
2007	54.1%	64.7%
2008	54.1%	64.9%
2009	54.2%	65%
2010	54.3%	65.1%
2011	54.4%	65.2%
2012	54.4%	65.2%
2013	54.4%	65.2%
2014	54.4%	65.2%
2015	54.5%	65.1%
2016	54.7%	65.1%
2017	55%	65%
2018	55.3%	64.9%
2019	55.7%	64.9%
2020	56.2%	64.8%
2021	56.8%	64.9%
2022	57.4%	64.9%
2023	57.9%	65%
2024	58.3%	65.1%
2025	58.6%	65.2%
2026	58.8%	65.3%
2027	59.1%	65.4%
2028	59.5%	65.4%
2029	59.9%	65.4%
2030	60.1%	65.4%
2031	60.3%	65.4%
2032	60.5%	65.4%
2033	60.6%	65.4%
2034	60.7%	65.3%
2035	60.8%	65.2%
2036	60.9%	65%
2037	61%	64.9%
2038	61.1%	64.7%
2039	61.3%	64.6%
2040	61.4%	64.5%
2041	61.6%	64.4%
2042	61.7%	64.3%
2043	61.9%	64.2%
2044	62%	64.1%
2045	62.2%	63.9%
2046	62.3%	63.8%
2047	62.5%	63.7%
2048	62.7%	63.6%
2049	62.9%	63.4%
2050	63.1%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Sao Tome and Principe changed from 53.8% to 58.3% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Sao Tome	World
1960	32.9%	37.4%
1961	34.3%	37.5%
1962	36.6%	37.6%
1963	38.5%	37.8%
1964	40.2%	38%
1965	41.6%	38%
1966	42.9%	38%
1967	44%	38%
1968	44.9%	37.9%
1969	45.8%	37.8%
1970	46.2%	37.7%
1971	46.1%	37.6%
1972	45.9%	37.5%
1973	45.7%	37.3%
1974	45.6%	37.2%
1975	45.5%	37.1%
1976	45.4%	36.9%
1977	45.3%	36.7%
1978	45.2%	36.3%
1979	45.1%	35.9%
1980	44.9%	35.5%
1981	44.7%	35.2%
1982	44.5%	34.9%
1983	44.5%	34.6%
1984	44.4%	34.3%
1985	44.5%	34%
1986	44.7%	33.8%
1987	44.9%	33.6%
1988	45%	33.4%
1989	45%	33.2%
1990	45.1%	33%
1991	45.1%	32.9%
1992	45.2%	32.7%
1993	45.2%	32.5%
1994	45.1%	32.3%
1995	44.9%	32.1%
1996	44.7%	31.8%
1997	44.3%	31.5%
1998	43.9%	31.1%
1999	43.4%	30.8%
2000	42.8%	30.4%
2001	42.5%	30%
2002	42.3%	29.6%
2003	42.2%	29.2%
2004	42.1%	28.8%
2005	42%	28.5%
2006	42%	28.1%
2007	42%	27.9%
2008	42.1%	27.6%
2009	42.1%	27.5%
2010	42.1%	27.3%
2011	42%	27.1%
2012	42%	27%
2013	42%	26.9%
2014	42%	26.8%
2015	41.9%	26.6%
2016	41.7%	26.5%
2017	41.4%	26.4%
2018	40.9%	26.2%
2019	40.5%	26%
2020	39.9%	25.8%
2021	39.4%	25.6%
2022	38.8%	25.3%
2023	38.3%	25%
2024	37.8%	24.7%
2025	37.5%	24.4%
2026	37.2%	24.1%
2027	36.8%	23.8%
2028	36.4%	23.4%
2029	36%	23.1%
2030	35.6%	22.8%
2031	35.4%	22.6%
2032	35.2%	22.3%
2033	35%	22.1%
2034	34.8%	21.9%
2035	34.7%	21.7%
2036	34.5%	21.6%
2037	34.2%	21.5%
2038	34%	21.4%
2039	33.8%	21.3%
2040	33.5%	21.2%
2041	33.2%	21.1%
2042	32.9%	21%
2043	32.6%	21%
2044	32.3%	20.9%
2045	32%	20.8%
2046	31.6%	20.7%
2047	31.3%	20.7%
2048	31%	20.6%
2049	30.6%	20.5%
2050	30.2%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Sao Tome and Principe decreased from 42.1% to 37.8% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Sao Tome	World
1960	3.62%	4.97%
1961	3.71%	4.99%
1962	3.84%	5.01%
1963	3.97%	5.02%
1964	4.09%	5.04%
1965	4.2%	5.08%
1966	4.31%	5.12%
1967	4.4%	5.16%
1968	4.48%	5.2%
1969	4.57%	5.24%
1970	4.59%	5.28%
1971	4.58%	5.32%
1972	4.6%	5.37%
1973	4.61%	5.42%
1974	4.61%	5.47%
1975	4.59%	5.53%
1976	4.57%	5.59%
1977	4.52%	5.65%
1978	4.47%	5.71%
1979	4.43%	5.77%
1980	4.44%	5.81%
1981	4.5%	5.81%
1982	4.52%	5.8%
1983	4.5%	5.79%
1984	4.48%	5.8%
1985	4.45%	5.82%
1986	4.4%	5.86%
1987	4.35%	5.91%
1988	4.3%	5.95%
1989	4.25%	6.01%
1990	4.2%	6.07%
1991	4.19%	6.14%
1992	4.2%	6.21%
1993	4.22%	6.29%
1994	4.24%	6.37%
1995	4.25%	6.45%
1996	4.25%	6.53%
1997	4.26%	6.61%
1998	4.25%	6.68%
1999	4.24%	6.76%
2000	4.24%	6.84%
2001	4.2%	6.92%
2002	4.14%	7.01%
2003	4.1%	7.1%
2004	4.06%	7.18%
2005	4.02%	7.26%
2006	3.97%	7.34%
2007	3.91%	7.41%
2008	3.84%	7.47%
2009	3.76%	7.52%
2010	3.69%	7.58%
2011	3.63%	7.66%
2012	3.58%	7.78%
2013	3.56%	7.92%
2014	3.56%	8.08%
2015	3.57%	8.26%
2016	3.61%	8.45%
2017	3.67%	8.65%
2018	3.74%	8.88%
2019	3.82%	9.1%
2020	3.84%	9.33%
2021	3.83%	9.53%
2022	3.85%	9.74%
2023	3.87%	9.98%
2024	3.9%	10.2%
2025	3.95%	10.4%
2026	4%	10.6%
2027	4.06%	10.8%
2028	4.12%	11.1%
2029	4.18%	11.5%
2030	4.23%	11.7%
2031	4.29%	12%
2032	4.34%	12.3%
2033	4.4%	12.6%
2034	4.48%	12.8%
2035	4.56%	13.1%
2036	4.66%	13.4%
2037	4.75%	13.7%
2038	4.84%	13.9%
2039	4.95%	14.1%
2040	5.07%	14.3%
2041	5.21%	14.5%
2042	5.36%	14.7%
2043	5.52%	14.9%
2044	5.68%	15%
2045	5.85%	15.2%
2046	6.02%	15.4%
2047	6.2%	15.7%
2048	6.38%	15.9%
2049	6.55%	16.1%
2050	6.7%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Sao Tome and Principe decreased from 4.06% to 3.9% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.