
Population growth in Sao Tome and Principe
From 1960 to 2020 the population of Sao Tome and Principe increased from 64,294.00 to 219,161.00 people. This is a growth by 240.9 percent in 60 years. The highest increase in Sao Tome and Principe was recorded in 1968 with 3.26%. The biggest decrease in 1963 with -0.37%.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 156.0 percent.
The average age in Sao Tome and Principe rose by 0.17 years from 2012 to 2020 from 19.13 to 19.30 years (median value).
Around 74% of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 2.9% annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Sao Tome and Principe
Population development in Sao Tome and Principe since 1960
(Data given in 1000 inhabitants)Year | Population Sao Tome and Principe | Change | Birthrate | Deathrate | Population World | Change | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | 65,000 | 0.47 % | 47.4 ‰ | 17.4 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
1962 | 64,000 | -0.18 % | 47.1 ‰ | 16.9 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
1963 | 64,000 | -0.37 % | 46.5 ‰ | 16.3 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
1964 | 64,000 | 0.06 % | 45.8 ‰ | 15.6 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
1965 | 65,000 | 0.94 % | 45.1 ‰ | 14.8 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
1966 | 66,000 | 1.99 % | 44.2 ‰ | 14.1 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
1967 | 68,000 | 2.82 % | 43.4 ‰ | 13.6 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
1968 | 70,000 | 3.26 % | 42.6 ‰ | 13.1 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
1969 | 73,000 | 3.19 % | 42.0 ‰ | 12.9 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
1970 | 75,000 | 2.85 % | 41.5 ‰ | 12.7 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
1971 | 76,000 | 2.38 % | 41.2 ‰ | 12.6 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
1972 | 78,000 | 2.08 % | 41.0 ‰ | 12.5 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
1973 | 79,000 | 1.97 % | 40.9 ‰ | 12.3 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
1974 | 81,000 | 2.12 % | 40.9 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
1975 | 83,000 | 2.45 % | 41.0 ‰ | 11.5 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
1976 | 85,000 | 2.82 % | 41.1 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
1977 | 88,000 | 3.07 % | 41.2 ‰ | 10.8 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
1978 | 91,000 | 3.11 % | 41.3 ‰ | 10.5 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
1979 | 93,000 | 2.88 % | 41.3 ‰ | 10.4 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
1980 | 96,000 | 2.49 % | 41.3 ‰ | 10.4 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
1981 | 98,000 | 2.07 % | 41.2 ‰ | 10.6 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
1982 | 99,000 | 1.75 % | 41.1 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
1983 | 101,000 | 1.59 % | 41.0 ‰ | 10.8 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
1984 | 103,000 | 1.74 % | 40.9 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
1985 | 105,000 | 2.04 % | 40.8 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
1986 | 107,000 | 2.39 % | 40.7 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
1987 | 110,000 | 2.63 % | 40.5 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
1988 | 113,000 | 2.75 % | 40.4 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
1989 | 116,000 | 2.67 % | 40.2 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
1990 | 119,000 | 2.49 % | 40.1 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
1991 | 122,000 | 2.30 % | 39.9 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
1992 | 125,000 | 2.15 % | 39.8 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
1993 | 127,000 | 2.00 % | 39.6 ‰ | 10.8 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
1994 | 129,000 | 1.86 % | 39.5 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
1995 | 132,000 | 1.74 % | 39.4 ‰ | 10.5 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
1996 | 134,000 | 1.61 % | 39.4 ‰ | 10.3 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
1997 | 136,000 | 1.52 % | 39.4 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
1998 | 138,000 | 1.49 % | 39.5 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
1999 | 140,000 | 1.53 % | 39.5 ‰ | 9.4 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
2000 | 142,000 | 1.64 % | 39.6 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
2001 | 145,000 | 1.75 % | 39.6 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
2002 | 147,000 | 1.86 % | 39.5 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
2003 | 150,000 | 2.00 % | 39.4 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
2004 | 154,000 | 2.21 % | 39.2 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
2005 | 157,000 | 2.43 % | 38.8 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
2006 | 162,000 | 2.67 % | 38.4 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
2007 | 166,000 | 2.86 % | 37.8 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
2008 | 171,000 | 2.90 % | 37.3 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
2009 | 176,000 | 2.78 % | 36.6 ‰ | 6.1 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
2010 | 180,000 | 2.56 % | 36.0 ‰ | 5.8 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
2011 | 185,000 | 2.30 % | 35.4 ‰ | 5.7 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
2012 | 188,000 | 2.10 % | 34.7 ‰ | 5.5 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
2013 | 192,000 | 1.95 % | 34.1 ‰ | 5.4 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
2014 | 196,000 | 1.90 % | 33.5 ‰ | 5.2 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 199,000 | 1.90 % | 33.0 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,348 M | 1.18 % | |
2016 | 203,000 | 1.90 % | 32.4 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,434 M | 1.17 % | |
2017 | 207,000 | 1.90 % | 32.0 ‰ | 4.9 ‰ | 7,519 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 211,000 | 1.91 % | 31.5 ‰ | 4.8 ‰ | 7,602 M | 1.11 % | |
2019 | 215,000 | 1.90 % | 31.2 ‰ | 4.8 ‰ | 7,683 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 219,000 | 1.91 % | 7,762 M | 1.02 % |

Birth- and deathrate in Sao Tome and Principe
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. The example of the year 2019 in the graph: The population in Sao Tome and Principe increased by about 4,020 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 4.8 per 1000 people (~ 1,000 deaths) and the birth rate was 31.2 per 1000 people (~ 6,570 births). As a result, around 1,550 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 1,029 in Sao Tome and Principe. The number of births was 6,581 annually.
The development of births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1000 inhabitants.
Birthrate Deathrate