Sao Tome and Principe has a population of 236K (ranked 176/197), compared with 1K in The Vatican (ranked 197/197). Sao Tome and Principe's land area is 371 sq mi versus 0.17 sq mi for The Vatican (ranked 172nd vs. 197th).
By GDP, Sao Tome and Principe ranks 189/197 ($822M) and The Vatican ranks 197/197 ($19.8M). By GDP per capita, Sao Tome and Principe ranks 134/197 ($3,491), while The Vatican ranks 59/197 ($19,800).
Main facts and rankings
Sao Tome
|
Vatican
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population |
246362
|
936
|
| Population rank | 176/197 | 197/197 |
| GDP |
$822M
2024 |
$19.8M
2025 |
| GDP rank | 189/197 | 197/197 |
| GDP per capita |
$3,491
2024 |
$19,800
2025 |
| GDP per capita rank | 134/197 | 59/197 |
| GDP per capita, PPP |
$6,242
2024 |
$39,191
2025 |
| Government debt |
$533M
2024 |
n/a |
| Debt-to-GDP ratio |
64.8%
2024 |
n/a |
| Government debt per person |
$2,262
2024 |
n/a |
| Government debt per person rank | 116/185 | n/a |
| Average annual personal income after taxes |
$3,111
2026 |
$18,169
2026 |
| Land area | 371 sq mi | 0.17 sq mi |
| Population density |
661 ppl/mi²
2026 |
5,493 ppl/mi²
2026 |
| Fertility rate |
3.64
2023 |
n/a |
| Median age |
20.3 years
2024 |
n/a |
| Life expectancy |
70.3 years
2026 |
83.4 years
2026 |
Sao Tome and Principe and Vatican: Comparison Charts
Sao Tome and Principe vs. Vatican life expectancy calculator
| Year | Life expectancy, years | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sao Tome
|
Vatican
|
|
| 2026 | 70.3 | 83.4 |
| 2025 | 70.1 | 83.3 |
| 2024 | 69.9 | 83.1 |
| 2023 | 69.7 | 83 |
| 2022 | 69.2 | 83.3 |
| 2021 | 68 | 82.9 |
| 2020 | 68 | 83 |
| 2019 | 68 | 83.6 |
| 2018 | 67.6 | 83.3 |
| 2017 | 67.1 | 82.7 |
| 2016 | 66.6 | 82.9 |
| 2015 | 66 | 82.5 |
| 2014 | 65.5 | 82.6 |
| 2013 | 64.9 | 82.5 |
| 2012 | 64.5 | 82 |
| 2011 | 64.1 | 81.7 |
| 2010 | 63.9 | 81.5 |
| 2009 | 63.7 | 81.3 |
| 2008 | 63.4 | 81.4 |
| 2007 | 63.3 | 81.3 |
| 2006 | 63 | 81.2 |
| 2005 | 62.4 | 80.6 |
| 2004 | 62.6 | 80.2 |
| 2003 | 62.2 | 79.8 |
| 2002 | 61.8 | 80 |
| 2001 | 61.5 | 79.9 |
| 2000 | 61.2 | 79.3 |
| 1999 | 61 | 78.7 |
| 1998 | 60.8 | 78.3 |
| 1997 | 60.6 | 78.2 |
| 1996 | 60.6 | 78.5 |
| 1995 | 60.5 | 77.8 |
| 1994 | 60.6 | 77.7 |
| 1993 | 60.6 | 77 |
| 1992 | 60.7 | 77.3 |
| 1991 | 60.8 | 76.9 |
| 1990 | 60.7 | 76.9 |
| 1989 | 59.7 | 76.8 |
| 1988 | 60.8 | 76.4 |
| 1987 | 60.7 | 76.2 |
| 1986 | 57.6 | 75.7 |
| 1985 | 60.1 | 75.5 |
| 1984 | 59.9 | 75.1 |
| 1983 | 59.7 | 74.7 |
| 1982 | 59.5 | 74.8 |
| 1981 | 59.4 | 74.3 |
| 1980 | 59.4 | 74.1 |
| 1979 | 59.3 | 74 |
| 1978 | 59.1 | 73.7 |
| 1977 | 59 | 73.3 |
| 1976 | 58.8 | 72.9 |
| 1975 | 58.6 | 72.6 |
| 1974 | 58.3 | 72.7 |
| 1973 | 57.9 | 71.9 |
| 1972 | 57.4 | 72 |
| 1971 | 57 | 71.7 |
| 1970 | 56.3 | 71.5 |
| 1969 | 55.4 | 70.7 |
| 1968 | 54.5 | 70.7 |
| 1967 | 53.4 | 70.9 |
| 1966 | 52.3 | 70.9 |
| 1965 | 51.1 | 70.1 |
| 1964 | 49.7 | 70.3 |
| 1963 | 48.4 | 69.3 |
| 1962 | 46.8 | 69.2 |
| 1961 | 45.2 | 69.8 |
| 1960 | 43.6 | 69.2 |
| 1959 | 42.1 | 69.2 |
| 1958 | 41 | 68.7 |
| 1957 | 40.1 | 67.5 |
| 1956 | 39.5 | 67.3 |
| 1955 | 39.3 | 67.8 |
| 1954 | 39.2 | 67.5 |
| 1953 | 39.1 | 66.3 |
| 1952 | 39.1 | 65.7 |
| 1951 | 39.1 | 65.3 |
| 1950 | 39.1 | 65.9 |
Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (1950–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/facts/sao-tome-and-principe/vatican | CC BY 
Sao Tome and Principe and Vatican population clocks and comparison
| Year | Population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sao Tome
|
Vatican
|
|
| 2024 | 235,536 | - |
| 2023 | 230,871 | - |
| 2022 | 226,305 | - |
| 2021 | 221,961 | - |
| 2020 | 217,435 | - |
| 2019 | 213,392 | 1,000 |
| 2018 | 210,187 | - |
| 2017 | 206,970 | 1,000 |
| 2016 | 203,689 | - |
| 2015 | 200,291 | 1,000 |
| 2014 | 196,767 | 842 |
| 2013 | 193,148 | 839 |
| 2012 | 189,439 | 836 |
| 2011 | 185,649 | 832 |
| 2010 | 181,802 | 829 |
| 2009 | 177,853 | 826 |
| 2008 | 173,793 | 824 |
| 2007 | 169,700 | 821 |
| 2006 | 165,638 | 932 |
| 2005 | 161,639 | 921 |
| 2004 | 157,705 | 921 |
| 2003 | 153,814 | 911 |
| 2002 | 149,922 | 900 |
| 2001 | 146,375 | 890 |
| 2000 | 144,018 | 880 |
| 1999 | 142,442 | - |
| 1998 | 140,751 | - |
| 1997 | 138,922 | - |
| 1996 | 136,962 | - |
| 1995 | 134,895 | - |
| 1994 | 132,732 | - |
| 1993 | 130,467 | - |
| 1992 | 128,110 | - |
| 1991 | 125,697 | - |
| 1990 | 122,980 | - |
| 1989 | 119,979 | - |
| 1988 | 116,939 | - |
| 1987 | 113,919 | - |
| 1986 | 111,150 | - |
| 1985 | 108,658 | - |
| 1984 | 106,394 | - |
| 1983 | 104,380 | - |
| 1982 | 102,508 | - |
| 1981 | 100,615 | - |
| 1980 | 98,544 | - |
| 1979 | 96,252 | - |
| 1978 | 93,794 | - |
| 1977 | 91,301 | - |
| 1976 | 88,922 | - |
| 1975 | 86,708 | - |
| 1974 | 84,672 | - |
| 1973 | 82,798 | - |
| 1972 | 81,041 | - |
| 1971 | 79,330 | - |
| 1970 | 77,626 | - |
| 1969 | 76,083 | - |
| 1968 | 74,765 | - |
| 1967 | 73,596 | - |
| 1966 | 72,576 | - |
| 1965 | 71,680 | - |
| 1964 | 70,865 | - |
| 1963 | 70,112 | - |
| 1962 | 69,403 | - |
| 1961 | 68,707 | - |
| 1960 | 68,012 | - |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/facts/sao-tome-and-principe/vatican | CC BY
Interactive Maps
Use the buttons below to switch between world maps comparing statistics for Sao Tome and Principe and the Vatican.
National statistics comparison
Finance
|
Sao Tome
|
Vatican
|
|
|---|---|---|
| GNI, Atlas method |
$671M
2024 |
n/a |
| Government expenditure, % of GDP |
24.7%
2024 |
n/a |
| Education expenditure, % of GDP |
5.03%
2023 |
n/a |
| Armed forces personnel |
1,000
1999 |
n/a |
| Deficit/surplus, % of GDP |
+0.92%
2024 |
n/a |
| Unemployment rate |
6.66%
2017 |
n/a |
| Services, % of GDP |
80.3%
2024 |
n/a |
| Industry, % of GDP |
2.83%
2024 |
n/a |
| Economic freedom index |
60.6
2026 |
65
2025 |
| Income share by richest 10% |
32.8%
2017 |
n/a |
| Income share by poorest 10% |
2.6%
2017 |
n/a |
| Total reserves including gold |
$46.2M
2023 |
n/a |
| Personal remittances received |
$80.1M
2024 |
n/a |
| International tourist arrivals |
33,400
2018 |
n/a |
| International tourism as share of exports |
73.2%
2018 |
n/a |
Energy
|
Sao Tome
|
Vatican
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Energy use, kg of oil equivalent per capita |
259.3 kg
2007 |
n/a |
| GDP PPP per kg equivalent of energy use |
$10.2
2007 |
n/a |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions |
0.15 megatons
2024 |
n/a |
| CO2 emissions per capita |
0.63 tons
2024 |
n/a |
| Fossil fuel energy use share |
0%
2007 |
n/a |
| Renewable energy use share |
42.5%
2022 |
n/a |
| Renewable electricity output share |
6.06%
2021 |
n/a |
| Hydroelectric share |
5.85%
2021 |
n/a |
| Nuclear share |
0%
2021 |
n/a |
| Electricity access |
81.3%
2023 |
n/a |
Society
|
Sao Tome
|
Vatican
|
|
|---|---|---|
| % of world population |
0.003%
2024 |
0.00001%
2024 |
| Annual migration change |
-650
2025 |
n/a |
| Urban population |
68.9%
2024 |
n/a |
| Male:Female ratio |
49.7:50.3
2024 |
n/a |
| Average male height |
5.59 ft
2025 |
n/a |
| Average female height |
5.24 ft
2025 |
n/a |
| Quality of life index |
32.3
2026 |
78.4
2026 |
| Corruption Perceptions Index |
45
2025 |
60
2025 |
| Higher education index | n/a |
34
2026 |
| Homicides per 100K people |
3.23
2011 |
0
2023 |
| Road traffic mortality per 100K people |
27.9
2019 |
0.5
2025 |
| Visa free countries |
70
2025 |
149
2025 |
| Adult literacy rate |
93.8%
2022 |
100%
2013 |
| English speaking |
4.9%
2025 |
20%
2025 |
| People using the Internet |
61.5%
2023 |
n/a |
Health
|
Sao Tome
|
Vatican
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Government health expenditure per capita |
$171.1
2023 |
n/a |
| Out-of-pocket health expenditure per capita |
$28.5
2023 |
n/a |
| Life expectancy |
70.3 years
2026 |
83.4 years
2026 |
| Foreign aid share of health expenditure |
43.9%
2023 |
n/a |
| Physicians per 1,000 people |
0.46
2022 |
n/a |
| Age at first childbirth |
19.4 years
2025 |
n/a |
| Maternal mortality per 100K births |
75
2023 |
n/a |
| Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age |
13.9
2023 |
n/a |
| Obesity rate |
17.2%
2022 |
n/a |
| Diabetes prevalence |
12.1%
2024 |
n/a |
| Air quality index |
24
2026 |
72
2026 |
| Tobacco use prevalence |
7.8%
2022 |
n/a |
| Pure alcohol consumption per capita |
4.79 liters
2020 |
n/a |
Territory
In-depth comparisons
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1950–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) | Fiscal Monitor (2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- LivingCost (2026, retrieved 2025-10-14)
- Passport Index (2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- World Obesity Federation (2022, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Transparency International (2025, retrieved 2026-02-10)
- The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (2026, retrieved 2026-03-09)
- EduRank (2026, retrieved 2025-10-13)
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