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Costa Rica vs Sao Tome and Principe statistics compared

Updated on by Georank team

Costa Rica has a population of 5.13M (ranked 126/197), compared with 236K in Sao Tome and Principe (ranked 176/197). Costa Rica's land area is 19,714 sq mi versus 371 sq mi for Sao Tome and Principe (ranked 126th vs. 172nd).

By GDP, Costa Rica ranks 72/197 ($95.4B) and Sao Tome and Principe ranks 189/197 ($764M). By GDP per capita, Costa Rica ranks 62/197 ($18,587), while Sao Tome and Principe ranks 138/197 ($3,245).

Main facts and rankings

Costa Rica Sao Tome
Population
5170484
244055
Population rank 126/197 176/197
GDP
$95.4B
2024
$764M
2024
GDP rank 72/197 189/197
GDP per capita
$18,587
2024
$3,245
2024
GDP per capita rank 62/197 138/197
GDP per capita, PPP
$30,063
2024
$6,230
2024
Government debt
$57B
2024
$332M
2024
Debt-to-GDP ratio
59.7%
2025
37.3%
2025
Government debt per person
$11,106
2024
$1,410
2024
Government debt per person rank 51/185 133/185
Average annual personal income after taxes
$12,322
2025
$2,715
2025
Land area
19,714 sq mi
2025
371 sq mi
2025
Population density
260.2 ppl/mi²
2024
635 ppl/mi²
2024
Fertility rate
1.33
2023
3.64
2023
Median age
35.6 years
2024
20.3 years
2024
Life expectancy
81.2 years
2025
70.1 years
2025

Costa Rica and Sao Tome and Principe: Comparison Charts

Costa Rica and Sao Tome and Principe economies compared

GDP
Costa Rica

Sao Tome and Principe
Year GDP
Costa Rica Sao Tome
1960 $507,513,830 -
1961 $490,325,182 -
1962 $479,180,824 -
1963 $511,902,137 -
1964 $542,578,367 -
1965 $592,981,162 -
1966 $647,305,630 -
1967 $699,456,619 -
1968 $773,841,494 -
1969 $853,630,204 -
1970 $984,830,158 $37,211,826
1971 $1,077,147,538 $37,288,845
1972 $1,238,251,696 $41,430,257
1973 $1,528,925,846 $56,011,245
1974 $1,666,544,754 $57,817,591
1975 $1,960,863,466 $60,101,710
1976 $2,412,555,426 $52,039,421
1977 $3,072,427,013 $49,207,692
1978 $3,523,208,810 $55,044,563
1979 $4,035,519,323 $65,755,928
1980 $4,831,447,001 $81,662,231
1981 $2,623,803,096 $83,499,264
1982 $2,606,623,555 $80,307,763
1983 $3,146,772,631 $75,110,289
1984 $3,660,477,856 $78,213,796
1985 $3,919,203,960 $82,733,069
1986 $4,418,983,871 $115,928,907
1987 $4,532,952,047 $115,952,925
1988 $4,614,629,898 $99,000,764
1989 $5,251,025,767 $98,545,367
1990 $5,711,687,787 $119,297,933
1991 $7,215,725,487 $107,484,143
1992 $8,579,754,758 $94,861,781
1993 $9,564,815,975 $125,742,229
1994 $10,489,903,725 $131,338,415
1995 $11,578,594,260 $103,695,237
1996 $11,678,424,507 $135,188,166
1997 $12,614,602,382 $91,920,274
1998 $13,684,255,947 $72,285,404
1999 $14,254,866,285 $77,302,212
2000 $15,013,629,662 $76,198,395
2001 $15,976,174,337 $75,951,133
2002 $16,578,820,687 $85,171,074
2003 $17,271,760,507 $102,085,769
2004 $18,610,594,846 $114,582,284
2005 $20,040,642,477 $136,450,662
2006 $22,715,540,324 $142,775,104
2007 $26,884,700,709 $149,146,919
2008 $30,801,745,700 $188,021,165
2009 $30,745,714,313 $200,668,065
2010 $37,658,616,952 $190,021,192
2011 $42,762,613,699 $226,455,001
2012 $47,231,655,432 $229,371,348
2013 $50,949,668,842 $267,041,748
2014 $52,016,408,854 $293,119,143
2015 $56,441,920,821 $259,999,643
2016 $58,847,019,610 $292,267,272
2017 $60,516,044,657 $322,002,845
2018 $62,420,164,992 $383,717,328
2019 $64,417,670,521 $412,976,083
2020 $62,395,610,760 $471,229,485
2021 $64,960,725,734 $524,402,456
2022 $69,243,626,029 $540,809,499
2023 $86,497,941,439 $678,976,265
2024 $95,350,423,177 $764,274,043

Costa Rica and Sao Tome and Principe economies compared

GDP per capita
Costa Rica

Sao Tome and Principe
Year GDP per capita
Costa Rica Sao Tome
1960 $382 -
1961 $356 -
1962 $335 -
1963 $346 -
1964 $354 -
1965 $374 -
1966 $395 -
1967 $414 -
1968 $445 -
1969 $477 -
1970 $536 $479
1971 $570 $470
1972 $639 $511
1973 $769 $676
1974 $817 $683
1975 $937 $693
1976 $1,123 $585
1977 $1,393 $539
1978 $1,556 $587
1979 $1,735 $683
1980 $2,021 $829
1981 $1,068 $830
1982 $1,032 $783
1983 $1,213 $720
1984 $1,372 $735
1985 $1,429 $761
1986 $1,569 $1,043
1987 $1,567 $1,018
1988 $1,555 $847
1989 $1,725 $821
1990 $1,830 $970
1991 $2,253 $855
1992 $2,612 $740
1993 $2,840 $964
1994 $3,040 $990
1995 $3,275 $769
1996 $3,227 $987
1997 $3,408 $662
1998 $3,617 $514
1999 $3,691 $543
2000 $3,813 $529
2001 $3,985 $519
2002 $4,068 $568
2003 $4,173 $664
2004 $4,431 $727
2005 $4,703 $844
2006 $5,257 $862
2007 $6,138 $879
2008 $6,937 $1,082
2009 $6,833 $1,128
2010 $8,266 $1,045
2011 $9,276 $1,220
2012 $10,127 $1,211
2013 $10,803 $1,383
2014 $10,911 $1,490
2015 $11,715 $1,298
2016 $12,091 $1,435
2017 $12,317 $1,556
2018 $12,590 $1,826
2019 $12,885 $1,935
2020 $12,394 $2,167
2021 $12,838 $2,363
2022 $13,626 $2,390
2023 $16,942 $2,941
2024 $18,587 $3,245

Costa Rica vs. Sao Tome and Principe life expectancy calculator

Life expectancy
Costa Rica

Sao Tome and Principe
Year Life expectancy, years
Costa Rica Sao Tome
1950 57.5 39.1
1951 57.8 39.1
1952 58.1 39.1
1953 59.1 39.1
1954 59.9 39.2
1955 60.5 39.3
1956 61.2 39.5
1957 61.6 40.1
1958 62.3 41
1959 62.9 42.1
1960 63.5 43.6
1961 63.9 45.2
1962 64.2 46.8
1963 64.3 48.4
1964 64.5 49.7
1965 64.8 51.1
1966 65.1 52.3
1967 65.6 53.4
1968 65.8 54.5
1969 66.4 55.4
1970 66.8 56.3
1971 67.4 57
1972 68 57.4
1973 68.7 57.9
1974 69.4 58.3
1975 70.3 58.6
1976 70.9 58.8
1977 71.5 59
1978 72 59.1
1979 72.5 59.3
1980 73 59.4
1981 73.4 59.4
1982 73.9 59.5
1983 74.2 59.7
1984 74.6 59.9
1985 74.8 60.1
1986 74.9 57.6
1987 75.2 60.7
1988 75.5 60.8
1989 75.9 59.7
1990 76.1 60.7
1991 76.2 60.8
1992 76.4 60.7
1993 76.3 60.6
1994 76.3 60.6
1995 76.4 60.5
1996 76.4 60.6
1997 76.6 60.6
1998 76.9 60.8
1999 77.1 61
2000 77.3 61.2
2001 77.6 61.5
2002 77.9 61.8
2003 78.2 62.2
2004 78.5 62.6
2005 78.9 62.4
2006 79 63
2007 79.1 63.3
2008 79.2 63.4
2009 79.4 63.7
2010 79.4 63.9
2011 79.6 64.1
2012 79.9 64.5
2013 80.2 64.9
2014 80.2 65.5
2015 80.4 66
2016 80 66.6
2017 80 67.1
2018 80.1 67.6
2019 80.3 68
2020 79.7 68
2021 78.1 68
2022 79.3 69.2
2023 80.8 69.7
2024 81 69.9
2025 81.2 70.1

Costa Rica and Sao Tome and Principe population clocks and comparison

Population
Costa Rica

Sao Tome and Principe
Year Population
Costa Rica Sao Tome
1960 1,327,496 68,012
1961 1,377,920 68,707
1962 1,429,445 69,403
1963 1,481,604 70,112
1964 1,533,960 70,865
1965 1,586,208 71,680
1966 1,638,116 72,576
1967 1,689,523 73,596
1968 1,739,731 74,765
1969 1,789,276 76,083
1970 1,838,949 77,626
1971 1,888,539 79,330
1972 1,938,248 81,041
1973 1,988,343 82,798
1974 2,039,643 84,672
1975 2,092,719 86,708
1976 2,147,774 88,922
1977 2,205,025 91,301
1978 2,264,510 93,794
1979 2,326,490 96,252
1980 2,390,633 98,544
1981 2,456,637 100,615
1982 2,524,806 102,508
1983 2,595,153 104,380
1984 2,667,595 106,394
1985 2,741,894 108,658
1986 2,817,216 111,150
1987 2,892,699 113,919
1988 2,968,103 116,939
1989 3,043,827 119,979
1990 3,121,706 122,980
1991 3,202,176 125,697
1992 3,284,258 128,110
1993 3,367,434 130,467
1994 3,451,122 132,732
1995 3,535,176 134,895
1996 3,619,013 136,962
1997 3,701,711 138,922
1998 3,782,838 140,751
1999 3,862,101 142,442
2000 3,937,739 144,018
2001 4,008,947 146,375
2002 4,075,705 149,922
2003 4,138,784 153,814
2004 4,200,078 157,705
2005 4,261,240 161,639
2006 4,321,340 165,638
2007 4,380,248 169,700
2008 4,440,056 173,793
2009 4,499,791 177,853
2010 4,555,962 181,802
2011 4,609,833 185,649
2012 4,663,934 189,439
2013 4,716,147 193,148
2014 4,767,119 196,767
2015 4,818,038 200,291
2016 4,866,998 203,689
2017 4,913,177 206,970
2018 4,957,818 210,187
2019 4,999,553 213,392
2020 5,034,320 217,435
2021 5,059,988 221,961
2022 5,081,765 226,305
2023 5,105,525 230,871
2024 5,129,910 235,536

Fertility rates in Costa Rica and Sao Tome and Principe

Fertility rate
Costa Rica

Sao Tome and Principe
Year Fertility rate
Costa Rica Sao Tome
1960 6.71 6.24
1961 6.65 6.26
1962 6.54 6.28
1963 6.39 6.31
1964 6.19 6.33
1965 5.96 6.35
1966 5.7 6.37
1967 5.42 6.39
1968 5.03 6.42
1969 4.84 6.44
1970 4.59 6.47
1971 4.36 6.49
1972 4.16 6.51
1973 3.99 6.53
1974 3.89 6.53
1975 3.8 6.53
1976 3.75 6.52
1977 3.7 6.5
1978 3.66 6.47
1979 3.65 6.43
1980 3.58 6.39
1981 3.56 6.33
1982 3.54 6.28
1983 3.53 6.22
1984 3.52 6.16
1985 3.51 6.1
1986 3.45 6.05
1987 3.38 5.99
1988 3.31 5.94
1989 3.24 5.88
1990 3.17 5.83
1991 3.08 5.77
1992 3 5.7
1993 2.93 5.64
1994 2.86 5.56
1995 2.78 5.55
1996 2.68 5.47
1997 2.59 5.4
1998 2.53 5.3
1999 2.48 5.23
2000 2.41 5.16
2001 2.31 5.1
2002 2.16 5.06
2003 2.08 5.01
2004 2.03 4.96
2005 2.04 4.94
2006 1.94 4.93
2007 1.95 4.96
2008 1.98 4.91
2009 1.95 4.84
2010 1.83 4.77
2011 1.88 4.72
2012 1.85 4.66
2013 1.78 4.58
2014 1.8 4.49
2015 1.8 4.35
2016 1.75 4.2
2017 1.71 4.07
2018 1.71 3.98
2019 1.6 3.9
2020 1.45 3.83
2021 1.35 3.76
2022 1.34 3.7
2023 1.33 3.64

Costa Rica and Sao Tome and Principe demographics compared

Median age
Costa Rica

Sao Tome and Principe
Year Median age, years
Costa Rica Sao Tome
1960 16.8 24.2
1961 16.8 24.3
1962 16.7 24.1
1963 16.7 23.5
1964 16.7 22.4
1965 16.7 21
1966 16.8 19.5
1967 16.9 18.5
1968 17.1 17.7
1969 17.3 17.2
1970 17.6 16.9
1971 17.8 16.9
1972 18.1 17
1973 18.4 17
1974 18.6 17.1
1975 18.9 17.1
1976 19.2 17.1
1977 19.5 17.2
1978 19.7 17.2
1979 20 17.3
1980 20.3 17.3
1981 20.6 17.4
1982 20.9 17.4
1983 21.2 17.4
1984 21.4 17.4
1985 21.6 17.4
1986 21.8 17.4
1987 22.1 17.4
1988 22.3 17.4
1989 22.5 17.4
1990 22.7 17.4
1991 22.9 17.3
1992 23.2 17.3
1993 23.4 17.2
1994 23.6 17.2
1995 23.9 17.3
1996 24.1 17.3
1997 24.4 17.4
1998 24.7 17.5
1999 24.9 17.7
2000 25.2 17.9
2001 25.5 18
2002 25.9 18.1
2003 26.3 18.3
2004 26.7 18.4
2005 27 18.5
2006 27.4 18.6
2007 27.8 18.7
2008 28.2 18.7
2009 28.6 18.7
2010 29 18.8
2011 29.4 18.9
2012 29.8 18.9
2013 30.3 18.9
2014 30.7 18.9
2015 31.2 19
2016 31.7 19
2017 32.1 19.1
2018 32.6 19.3
2019 33 19.4
2020 33.5 19.5
2021 34 19.7
2022 34.5 19.9
2023 35.1 20.1
2024 35.6 20.3

Interactive Maps

Use the buttons below to switch between world maps comparing statistics for Costa Rica and Sao Tome and Principe.

GDP per capita

GDP

Life expectancy

Population

Population density

Fertility rate

Median age

Land area

National statistics comparison

Finance

Costa Rica Sao Tome
GNI, Atlas method
$80.2B
2024
$653M
2024
Government expenditure, % of GDP
18.3%
2025
24.5%
2025
Education expenditure, % of GDP
6.25%
2021
5.03%
2023
Armed forces personnel
10,000
2020
1,000
1999
Deficit/surplus, % of GDP
-3.23%
2025
+2.56%
2025
Unemployment rate
6.94%
2024
8.81%
2017
Services, % of GDP
68.8%
2024
76.6%
2024
Industry, % of GDP
19.7%
2024
2.91%
2024
Economic freedom index
68.6
2025
60.4
2025
Income share by richest 10%
34.2%
2024
32.8%
2017
Income share by poorest 10%
1.7%
2024
2.6%
2017
Listed domestic companies
9
2022
n/a
Market capitalization of domestic companies
$2.23B
2022
n/a
Total reserves including gold
$14.2B
2024
$46.2M
2023
Personal remittances received
$725M
2024
$10M
2024
International tourist arrivals
1,146,500
2020
33,400
2018
International tourism as share of exports
7.41%
2020
73.2%
2018
Banked people share
71.4%
2024
n/a

Energy

Costa Rica Sao Tome
Energy use, kg of oil equivalent per capita
1,025 kg
2023
259.3 kg
2007
GDP PPP per kg equivalent of energy use
$27.4
2023
$10.2
2007
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
8.57 megatons
2023
0.21 megatons
2023
CO2 emissions per capita
1.68 tons
2023
0.93 tons
2023
Fossil fuel energy use share
51.6%
2023
0%
2007
Renewable energy use share
34.2%
2021
42.5%
2022
Alternative and nuclear energy use share
37.7%
2023
n/a
Net energy imports use share
60.4%
2023
n/a
Electric power consumption per capita
2,206 kWh
2023
n/a
Renewable electricity output share
99.4%
2021
6.06%
2021
Hydroelectric share
69.3%
2023
5.85%
2021
Nuclear share
0%
2021
0%
2021
Electricity access
100%
2023
81.3%
2023

Society

Costa Rica Sao Tome
% of world population
0.06%
2024
0.003%
2024
Annual migration change
+967
2024
-604
2024
Urban population
83.2%
2024
77%
2024
Male:Female ratio
50:50
2024
50:50
2024
Average male height
5.71 ft
2025
5.59 ft
2025
Average female height
5.26 ft
2025
5.24 ft
2025
Quality of life index
65
2025
32.1
2025
Corruption Perceptions Index
58
2024
45
2024
Higher education index
73
2025
n/a
Homicides per 100K people
17.7
2023
3.23
2011
Road traffic mortality per 100K people
14.8
2019
27.9
2019
Visa free countries
144
2025
71
2025
Adult literacy rate
98%
2021
93.8%
2022
English speaking
8.15%
2023
4.9%
2025
People using the Internet
85.4%
2023
61.5%
2023

Health

Costa Rica Sao Tome
Government health expenditure per capita
$979
2022
$180.3
2022
Out-of-pocket health expenditure per capita
$219.6
2022
$21.6
2022
Life expectancy
81.2 years
2025
70.1 years
2025
Foreign aid share of health expenditure
0.03%
2022
30.9%
2022
Physicians per 1,000 people
2.64
2022
0.49
2019
Age at first childbirth n/a
19.4 years
2025
Maternal mortality per 100K births
24
2023
75
2023
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births
10.5
2023
13.9
2023
Obesity rate
32.3%
2022
17.2%
2022
Diabetes prevalence
9.8%
2024
12.1%
2024
Air quality index
80
2025
24
2025
Tobacco use prevalence
8.9%
2022
7.8%
2022
Pure alcohol consumption per capita
3.4 liters
2020
4.79 liters
2020

Territory

Costa Rica Sao Tome
% of world land
0.03%
2025
0.0006%
2025
Land area per capita
3,843 sq mi
2024
1,574 sq mi
2024
Agricultural land area
6,534 sq mi
2025
166 sq mi
2025
Forest area
11,907 sq mi
2025
193.2 sq mi
2025
Roads length
3,129 mi
2017
808 mi
2018

In-depth comparisons

Facts comparisons

Facts vs Costa Rica vs Sao Tome and Principe
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