Sao Tome and Principe has a population density of 661 people per square mile compared to 5,493 people in the Vatican. Sao Tome and Principe has 45,745 sq ft of land per person vs 5,274 sq ft in the Vatican. Sao Tome and Principe and the Vatican rank 46th and 3rd by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Sao Tome and Principe has 0.003% of the world's population and 0.0006% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.00001% of the population and 0.0000003% of the land area for the Vatican, making the population density in Sao Tome and Principe 88% lower than in the Vatican.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Sao Tome
|
Vatican
|
|
| 2026 | 661 | 5,493 |
| 2025 | 648 | 5,460 |
| 2024 | 635 | 5,362 |
| 2023 | 623 | 5,460 |
| 2022 | 611 | 5,602 |
| 2021 | 599 | 5,723 |
| 2020 | 587 | 5,810 |
| 2019 | 576 | 5,886 |
| 2018 | 567 | - |
| 2017 | 558 | 5,886 |
| 2016 | 550 | - |
| 2015 | 540 | 5,886 |
| 2014 | 531 | 4,956 |
| 2013 | 521 | 4,939 |
| 2012 | 511 | 4,921 |
| 2011 | 501 | 4,897 |
| 2010 | 490 | 4,880 |
| 2009 | 480 | 4,862 |
| 2008 | 469 | 4,850 |
| 2007 | 458 | 4,833 |
| 2006 | 447 | 5,486 |
| 2005 | 436 | 5,421 |
| 2004 | 425 | 5,421 |
| 2003 | 415 | 5,362 |
| 2002 | 404 | 5,298 |
| 2001 | 395 | 5,239 |
| 2000 | 389 | 5,180 |
| 1999 | 384 | 5,180 |
| 1998 | 380 | 5,195 |
| 1997 | 375 | 5,217 |
| 1996 | 370 | 5,254 |
| 1995 | 364 | 5,306 |
| 1994 | 358 | 5,373 |
| 1993 | 352 | 5,388 |
| 1992 | 346 | 5,388 |
| 1991 | 339 | 5,395 |
| 1990 | 332 | 5,403 |
| 1989 | 324 | 5,418 |
| 1988 | 315 | 5,433 |
| 1987 | 307 | 5,418 |
| 1986 | 299.9 | 5,455 |
| 1985 | 293.1 | 5,462 |
| 1984 | 287 | 5,492 |
| 1983 | 281.6 | 5,507 |
| 1982 | 276.6 | 5,522 |
| 1981 | 271.4 | 5,522 |
| 1980 | 265.9 | 5,500 |
| 1979 | 259.7 | 5,492 |
| 1978 | 253 | 5,470 |
| 1977 | 246.3 | 5,448 |
| 1976 | 239.9 | 5,448 |
| 1975 | 233.9 | 5,448 |
| 1974 | 228.4 | 5,470 |
| 1973 | 223.4 | 5,477 |
| 1972 | 218.6 | 5,507 |
| 1971 | 214 | 5,559 |
| 1970 | 209.4 | 5,633 |
| 1969 | 205.3 | 5,797 |
| 1968 | 201.7 | 6,176 |
| 1967 | 198.6 | 6,317 |
| 1966 | 195.8 | 6,867 |
| 1965 | 193.4 | 6,830 |
| 1964 | 191.2 | 6,815 |
| 1963 | 189.2 | 6,815 |
| 1962 | 187.2 | 6,808 |
| 1961 | 185.4 | 6,837 |
| 1960 | - | 6,837 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sao-tome-and-principe/vatican | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Sao Tome and Principe increased by 48%, compared to a 0.13% growth in the Vatican.
In 2006, Sao Tome and Principe ranked 50th by population density and is 46th now. The Vatican was 3rd in 2006 and still ranks 3rd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Sao Tome
|
Vatican
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 661 ppl/mi² | 5,493 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 46/197 | 3/197 |
| Population |
246362
|
936
|
| Land area | 371 sq mi | 0.17 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 43,872 sq ft | 4,736 sq ft |
| Rural population | 31.1% | n/a |
| Urban population | 68.9% | n/a |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
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/vatican | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2019–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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