The current population of Sao Tome and Principe is 245,039 people, as of 2026 based on the adjusted UN estimation. The latest officially reported number was 235,536 in 2024.
Population facts:
- Sao Tome and Principe is ranked 176/197 by population and was ranked 178th in 2006.
- Sao Tome and Principe accounts for 0.003% of the world's population.
- For the last 20 years, Sao Tome and Principe has had an average growth rate of 2.4% per year.
- Since 2006, population has increased from 166K people to 245K (47.9% growth in 20 years).
- Sao Tome and Principe is projected to reach 534K people in 2100.
Sao Tome and Principe population clock
Sao Tome
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Current population |
245039
|
8280917972
|
| Population rank | 176/197 | N/A |
| Percent of world population | 0.003% | N/A |
| One net population change |
1.88 hours
|
0.41 seconds
|
| One birth every |
1.35 hours
|
0.24 seconds
|
| One death every |
6.81 hours
|
0.52 seconds
|
| Daily growth/decline | +13 | +213,016 |
| Annual growth/decline | +4,665 | +77,751,015 |
| Annual growth/decline rate | +2.02% | +0.96% |
| Population growth rate rank | 49/197 | N/A |
| One migration net change every |
14.5 hours
|
N/A |
| Annual migration change | -604 | N/A |
Sao Tome and Principe population history and growth rate by year chart
| Year | Population | Growth rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 68,012 | - |
| 1961 | 68,707 | 1.02% |
| 1962 | 69,403 | 1.01% |
| 1963 | 70,112 | 1.02% |
| 1964 | 70,865 | 1.07% |
| 1965 | 71,680 | 1.15% |
| 1966 | 72,576 | 1.25% |
| 1967 | 73,596 | 1.41% |
| 1968 | 74,765 | 1.59% |
| 1969 | 76,083 | 1.76% |
| 1970 | 77,626 | 2.03% |
| 1971 | 79,330 | 2.2% |
| 1972 | 81,041 | 2.16% |
| 1973 | 82,798 | 2.17% |
| 1974 | 84,672 | 2.26% |
| 1975 | 86,708 | 2.4% |
| 1976 | 88,922 | 2.55% |
| 1977 | 91,301 | 2.68% |
| 1978 | 93,794 | 2.73% |
| 1979 | 96,252 | 2.62% |
| 1980 | 98,544 | 2.38% |
| 1981 | 100,615 | 2.1% |
| 1982 | 102,508 | 1.88% |
| 1983 | 104,380 | 1.83% |
| 1984 | 106,394 | 1.93% |
| 1985 | 108,658 | 2.13% |
| 1986 | 111,150 | 2.29% |
| 1987 | 113,919 | 2.49% |
| 1988 | 116,939 | 2.65% |
| 1989 | 119,979 | 2.6% |
| 1990 | 122,980 | 2.5% |
| 1991 | 125,697 | 2.21% |
| 1992 | 128,110 | 1.92% |
| 1993 | 130,467 | 1.84% |
| 1994 | 132,732 | 1.74% |
| 1995 | 134,895 | 1.63% |
| 1996 | 136,962 | 1.53% |
| 1997 | 138,922 | 1.43% |
| 1998 | 140,751 | 1.32% |
| 1999 | 142,442 | 1.2% |
| 2000 | 144,018 | 1.11% |
| 2001 | 146,375 | 1.64% |
| 2002 | 149,922 | 2.42% |
| 2003 | 153,814 | 2.6% |
| 2004 | 157,705 | 2.53% |
| 2005 | 161,639 | 2.49% |
| 2006 | 165,638 | 2.47% |
| 2007 | 169,700 | 2.45% |
| 2008 | 173,793 | 2.41% |
| 2009 | 177,853 | 2.34% |
| 2010 | 181,802 | 2.22% |
| 2011 | 185,649 | 2.12% |
| 2012 | 189,439 | 2.04% |
| 2013 | 193,148 | 1.96% |
| 2014 | 196,767 | 1.87% |
| 2015 | 200,291 | 1.79% |
| 2016 | 203,689 | 1.7% |
| 2017 | 206,970 | 1.61% |
| 2018 | 210,187 | 1.55% |
| 2019 | 213,392 | 1.52% |
| 2020 | 217,435 | 1.89% |
| 2021 | 221,961 | 2.08% |
| 2022 | 226,305 | 1.96% |
| 2023 | 230,871 | 2.02% |
| 2024 | 235,536 | 2.02% |
| 2025 | 240,251 | 2% |
| 2026 | 244,987 | 1.97% |
| 2027 | 249,783 | 1.96% |
| 2028 | 254,657 | 1.95% |
| 2029 | 259,597 | 1.94% |
| 2030 | 264,560 | 1.91% |
| 2031 | 269,566 | 1.89% |
| 2032 | 274,643 | 1.88% |
| 2033 | 279,761 | 1.86% |
| 2034 | 284,911 | 1.84% |
| 2035 | 290,082 | 1.81% |
| 2036 | 295,269 | 1.79% |
| 2037 | 300,439 | 1.75% |
| 2038 | 305,590 | 1.71% |
| 2039 | 310,729 | 1.68% |
| 2040 | 315,833 | 1.64% |
| 2041 | 320,875 | 1.6% |
| 2042 | 325,888 | 1.56% |
| 2043 | 330,908 | 1.54% |
| 2044 | 335,919 | 1.51% |
| 2045 | 340,911 | 1.49% |
| 2046 | 345,883 | 1.46% |
| 2047 | 350,758 | 1.41% |
| 2048 | 355,569 | 1.37% |
| 2049 | 360,353 | 1.35% |
| 2050 | 365,103 | 1.32% |
Sao Tome and Principe has a population of 245K as of 2026, compared to 204K in 2016, 166K in 2006, and 137K in 1996.
Over the past 10 years, the population has had a trend to increase by an average of 2.03% per year. Sao Tome and Principe is ranked 62nd out of 197 countries by a 10-year average growth rate.
The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that with changing growth rate trends in 20 years (in 2046) Sao Tome and Principe will have 345,883 people (41.2% growth) with a rank change from 176th to 175th.
By the year 2100, Sao Tome and Principe's population is projected to grow by 117.9% to 534K people.
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Sao Tome and Principe population statistics
|
Sao Tome
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy | 70.3 years | 73.8 years |
| Average age | 25.1 years | 33.8 years |
| Median age | 20.3 years | 31.6 years |
| Male:Female ratio | 49.7:50.3 | 50.3:49.7 |
| Fertility rate | 3.64 births per woman | 2.2 births per woman |
| Population density | 635 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
Population map with other countries
Population
Growth rate visualization in other countries
Growth rate
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Population comparisons
