Sao Tome and Principe has a population density of 635 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Sao Tome and Principe has 45,745 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Sao Tome and Principe ranked 47th out of 197.
Sao Tome and Principe has 0.003% of the world's population and 0.0006% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Sao Tome and Principe compared to the World's average
Sao Tome
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 635 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 47/197 | N/A |
| Population |
244055
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 371 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 43,872 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 23% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 77% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
Sao Tome and Principe population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Sao Tome and Principe has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 49.4%. The population density rank was 50th 21 years ago and is 47th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 47 |
| 1998 | 380 | 47 |
| 1997 | 375 | 47 |
| 1996 | 370 | 46 |
| 1995 | 364 | 46 |
| 1994 | 358 | 47 |
| 1993 | 352 | 47 |
| 1992 | 346 | 47 |
| 1991 | 339 | 47 |
| 1990 | 332 | 47 |
| 1989 | 324 | 46 |
| 1988 | 315 | 47 |
| 1987 | 307 | 47 |
| 1986 | 299.9 | 48 |
| 1985 | 293.1 | 48 |
| 1984 | 287 | 48 |
| 1983 | 281.6 | 50 |
| 1982 | 276.6 | 50 |
| 1981 | 271.4 | 50 |
| 1980 | 265.9 | 50 |
| 1979 | 259.7 | 51 |
| 1978 | 253 | 51 |
| 1977 | 246.3 | 52 |
| 1976 | 239.9 | 53 |
| 1975 | 233.9 | 53 |
| 1974 | 228.4 | 53 |
| 1973 | 223.4 | 53 |
| 1972 | 218.6 | 54 |
| 1971 | 214 | 54 |
| 1970 | 209.4 | 54 |
| 1969 | 205.3 | 54 |
| 1968 | 201.7 | 54 |
| 1967 | 198.6 | 54 |
| 1966 | 195.8 | 54 |
| 1965 | 193.4 | 54 |
| 1964 | 191.2 | 53 |
| 1963 | 189.2 | 52 |
| 1962 | 187.2 | 52 |
| 1961 | 185.4 | 52 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Sao Tome and Principe from 1960 to 2024: 16.1% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 53.4% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 77%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 77% | 61 |
| 2023 | 76.4% | 61 |
| 2022 | 75.8% | 61 |
| 2021 | 75.1% | 61 |
| 2020 | 74.4% | 62 |
| 2019 | 73.6% | 64 |
| 2018 | 72.8% | 64 |
| 2017 | 72% | 65 |
| 2016 | 71.1% | 66 |
| 2015 | 70.2% | 67 |
| 2014 | 69.2% | 70 |
| 2013 | 68.2% | 71 |
| 2012 | 67.2% | 78 |
| 2011 | 66.1% | 80 |
| 2010 | 65% | 81 |
| 2009 | 63.8% | 81 |
| 2008 | 62.7% | 83 |
| 2007 | 61.5% | 84 |
| 2006 | 60.3% | 86 |
| 2005 | 59.2% | 88 |
| 2004 | 58% | 89 |
| 2003 | 56.8% | 91 |
| 2002 | 55.6% | 94 |
| 2001 | 54.4% | 96 |
| 2000 | 53.4% | 98 |
| 1999 | 52.5% | 102 |
| 1998 | 51.5% | 103 |
| 1997 | 50.5% | 107 |
| 1996 | 49.6% | 108 |
| 1995 | 48.6% | 108 |
| 1994 | 47.7% | 109 |
| 1993 | 46.7% | 111 |
| 1992 | 45.8% | 112 |
| 1991 | 44.8% | 113 |
| 1990 | 43.6% | 113 |
| 1989 | 42.5% | 112 |
| 1988 | 41.4% | 112 |
| 1987 | 40.3% | 114 |
| 1986 | 39.1% | 116 |
| 1985 | 38% | 119 |
| 1984 | 37% | 123 |
| 1983 | 35.9% | 123 |
| 1982 | 34.8% | 124 |
| 1981 | 33.9% | 128 |
| 1980 | 33.5% | 128 |
| 1979 | 33.1% | 128 |
| 1978 | 32.7% | 129 |
| 1977 | 32.4% | 128 |
| 1976 | 32% | 128 |
| 1975 | 31.6% | 126 |
| 1974 | 31.3% | 125 |
| 1973 | 30.9% | 124 |
| 1972 | 30.6% | 123 |
| 1971 | 30.2% | 123 |
| 1970 | 29.5% | 123 |
| 1969 | 27.9% | 126 |
| 1968 | 26.3% | 128 |
| 1967 | 24.7% | 129 |
| 1966 | 23.2% | 133 |
| 1965 | 21.8% | 135 |
| 1964 | 20.5% | 136 |
| 1963 | 19.2% | 138 |
| 1962 | 18% | 144 |
| 1961 | 16.8% | 146 |
| 1960 | 16.1% | 148 |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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