Sao Tome and Principe is 2.18 times bigger by total area compared to the Seychelles: 386 sq mi vs 177.2 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Sao Tome and Principe is 371 sq mi vs 177.6 sq mi for the Seychelles — a 2.09 times difference in territory size.
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 172/197 by total surface area vs 181/197 for the Seychelles.
- Sao Tome and Principe occupies 0.0006% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.0003% for the Seychelles.
- 44.8% of Sao Tome and Principe's area is agricultural land vs 3.37% in the Seychelles.
- Sao Tome has 0.0009% of the world's agricultural land area — the Seychelles has 0.00003%.
- 52.1% of Sao Tome is covered by forests, compared to 73.3% in the Seychelles.
- 0.001% of the world's forests are in Sao Tome and Principe, and 0.0008% are in the Seychelles.
Total size and land area comparison
Sao Tome
|
Seychelles
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
386 sq mi |
177.2 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 2.18 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 172/197 | 181/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.0002% | 0.00009% |
| Land area |
371 sq mi |
177.6 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 2.09 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 172/197 | 181/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.0006% | 0.0003% |
| Population | 235,536 | 121,354 |
| Population density | 661 ppl/mi² | 708 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Sao Tome
|
Seychelles
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
193.2 sq mi |
130.1 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 52.1% | 73.3% |
| Forest area rank | 162/196 | 169/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.001% | 0.0008% |
Agricultural land area
|
166 sq mi |
5.98 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 44.8% | 3.37% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 170/194 | 192/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.0009% | 0.00003% |
|
Arable land
|
15.4 sq mi |
0.58 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 4.17% | 0.33% |
| Arable land area rank | 177/191 | 191/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
146.7 sq mi |
5.41 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 39.6% | 3.04% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 132/192 | 180/192 |
|
Water area
|
15.8 sq mi |
0 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 4.1% | 0% |
| Water area rank | 142/197 | 190/197 |
| Roads length |
808 mi |
327 mi |
| Land borders length |
0 mi |
0 mi |
| Coastline length |
129.9 mi |
305 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0% | 32.6% |
Sao Tome and Principe vs Seychelles size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/sao-tome-and-principe/seychelles | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Sao Tome and Principe and the Seychelles but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.