Sao Tome and Principe has a population density of 661 people per square mile, compared to the average of 144 people in other countries. Sao Tome and Principe has 45,745 sq ft of land per person and ranks 46th out of 197 countries (most to least densely populated).
Sao Tome and Principe has 0.003% of the world's population and 0.0006% of the total land area of all countries.
Sao Tome and Principe population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 661 | 46 |
| 2025 | 648 | 47 |
| 2024 | 635 | 47 |
| 2023 | 623 | 46 |
| 2022 | 611 | 47 |
| 2021 | 599 | 45 |
| 2020 | 587 | 48 |
| 2019 | 576 | 48 |
| 2018 | 567 | 48 |
| 2017 | 558 | 48 |
| 2016 | 550 | 49 |
| 2015 | 540 | 49 |
| 2014 | 531 | 48 |
| 2013 | 521 | 48 |
| 2012 | 511 | 49 |
| 2011 | 501 | 49 |
| 2010 | 490 | 50 |
| 2009 | 480 | 49 |
| 2008 | 469 | 49 |
| 2007 | 458 | 50 |
| 2006 | 447 | 50 |
| 2005 | 436 | 50 |
| 2004 | 425 | 50 |
| 2003 | 415 | 50 |
| 2002 | 404 | 50 |
| 2001 | 395 | 50 |
| 2000 | 389 | 50 |
| 1999 | 384 | 48 |
| 1998 | 380 | 48 |
| 1997 | 375 | 48 |
| 1996 | 370 | 47 |
| 1995 | 364 | 47 |
| 1994 | 358 | 48 |
| 1993 | 352 | 48 |
| 1992 | 346 | 48 |
| 1991 | 339 | 48 |
| 1990 | 332 | 48 |
| 1989 | 324 | 48 |
| 1988 | 315 | 49 |
| 1987 | 307 | 49 |
| 1986 | 299.9 | 50 |
| 1985 | 293.1 | 50 |
| 1984 | 287 | 50 |
| 1983 | 281.6 | 52 |
| 1982 | 276.6 | 52 |
| 1981 | 271.4 | 52 |
| 1980 | 265.9 | 52 |
| 1979 | 259.7 | 53 |
| 1978 | 253 | 53 |
| 1977 | 246.3 | 54 |
| 1976 | 239.9 | 55 |
| 1975 | 233.9 | 55 |
| 1974 | 228.4 | 55 |
| 1973 | 223.4 | 55 |
| 1972 | 218.6 | 56 |
| 1971 | 214 | 56 |
| 1970 | 209.4 | 56 |
| 1969 | 205.3 | 56 |
| 1968 | 201.7 | 56 |
| 1967 | 198.6 | 56 |
| 1966 | 195.8 | 56 |
| 1965 | 193.4 | 56 |
| 1964 | 191.2 | 55 |
| 1963 | 189.2 | 54 |
| 1962 | 187.2 | 54 |
| 1961 | 185.4 | 54 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY 
This chart shows how population density in Sao Tome and Principe has changed over time. From 2006 to 2026, population density increased by 48%. Sao Tome and Principe ranked 50th by population density 20 years ago and ranks 46th today.
Density metrics
Sao Tome
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 661 ppl/mi² | 46/197 |
| Population |
246362
|
176/197 |
| Land area | 371 sq mi | 172/197 |
| Land area per capita | 43,872 sq ft | 151/197 |
| Rural population | 31.1% | 115/195 |
| Urban population | 68.9% | 81/195 |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 180/197 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 68.9% | 81 |
| 2023 | 68.6% | 81 |
| 2022 | 68.4% | 81 |
| 2021 | 68.2% | 82 |
| 2020 | 68% | 80 |
| 2019 | 67.9% | 79 |
| 2018 | 67.8% | 80 |
| 2017 | 67.7% | 80 |
| 2016 | 67.5% | 80 |
| 2015 | 67.4% | 79 |
| 2014 | 67.3% | 78 |
| 2013 | 67.1% | 79 |
| 2012 | 67% | 78 |
| 2011 | 66.7% | 78 |
| 2010 | 66.1% | 79 |
| 2009 | 65.1% | 79 |
| 2008 | 63.9% | 81 |
| 2007 | 62.5% | 83 |
| 2006 | 61% | 86 |
| 2005 | 59.4% | 90 |
| 2004 | 57.9% | 91 |
| 2003 | 56.4% | 94 |
| 2002 | 55.1% | 100 |
| 2001 | 54% | 101 |
| 2000 | 53% | 102 |
| 1999 | 52% | 104 |
| 1998 | 51.1% | 106 |
| 1997 | 50.2% | 108 |
| 1996 | 49.4% | 108 |
| 1995 | 48.5% | 108 |
| 1994 | 47.6% | 110 |
| 1993 | 46.7% | 111 |
| 1992 | 45.8% | 112 |
| 1991 | 44.8% | 113 |
| 1990 | 43.7% | 113 |
| 1989 | 42.5% | 113 |
| 1988 | 41.3% | 113 |
| 1987 | 40% | 114 |
| 1986 | 38.7% | 115 |
| 1985 | 37.5% | 122 |
| 1984 | 36.3% | 122 |
| 1983 | 35.3% | 123 |
| 1982 | 34.5% | 124 |
| 1981 | 33.8% | 127 |
| 1980 | 33.3% | 127 |
| 1979 | 32.9% | 128 |
| 1978 | 32.6% | 129 |
| 1977 | 32.3% | 129 |
| 1976 | 32.1% | 127 |
| 1975 | 31.8% | 127 |
| 1974 | 31.5% | 125 |
| 1973 | 31.2% | 125 |
| 1972 | 30.8% | 123 |
| 1971 | 30.4% | 123 |
| 1970 | 29.8% | 124 |
| 1969 | 28.8% | 125 |
| 1968 | 27.4% | 125 |
| 1967 | 25.7% | 128 |
| 1966 | 23.8% | 131 |
| 1965 | 21.9% | 134 |
| 1964 | 20% | 136 |
| 1963 | 18.3% | 143 |
| 1962 | 16.9% | 145 |
| 1961 | 15.9% | 145 |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 144 |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY
This chart shows the share of urban population in Sao Tome and Principe from 1960 to 2024: 15.4% lived in urban areas in 1960, 53% in 2000, and 68.9% in 2024.
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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