Population growth in Sao Tome and Principe
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Sao Tome and Principe increased from 64,294.00 to 223,107.00 people. This is a growth of 247.0 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Sao Tome and Principe was recorded in 1968 with 3.26 percent. The biggest decrease in 1963 with -0.37 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 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 75 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 3.0 percent 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 | Birth rate | Death rate | 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 % | 34.0 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 201,000 | 2.76 % | 32.8 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 205,000 | 1.74 % | 31.6 ‰ | 6.1 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 208,000 | 1.66 % | 30.4 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 211,000 | 1.59 % | 29.5 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 215,000 | 1.54 % | 28.9 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 219,000 | 1.88 % | 28.4 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 223,000 | 2.04 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Sao Tome and Principe
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Sao Tome and Principe increased by about 4,040 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 6.3 per 1,000 people (~ 1,350 deaths) and the birth rate was 28.4 per 1,000 people (~ 6,100 births). As a result, around 710 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 1,195 in Sao Tome and Principe. The number of births was 6,432 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life in country comparison
Members of the ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations