World Factbook

São Tomé and Príncipe

Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)

Budget

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$128.767 million (2022 est.)

expenditures

$165.95 million (2022 est.)

Exports

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports 2020

$49.337 million (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$75.256 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$96.977 million (2022 est.)

Imports

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports 2020

$160.097 million (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$201.145 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$219.322 million (2022 est.)

Industries

light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber

Labor force

34,500 (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

Public debt 2016

93.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

1.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

dobras (STD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

21.885 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

21.507 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

20.71 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

23.29 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

22.658 (2023 est.)

Debt - external

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Debt - external 2023

$327.248 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

lower middle-income Central African island economy; falling cocoa production due to drought and mismanagement; joint oil venture with Nigeria; government owns 90% of land; high debt, partly from fuel subsidies; tourism gutted by COVID-19

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

9% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

9.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

9.2% (2024 est.)

Exports - partners

Pakistan 54%, Germany 11%, Netherlands 7%, France 5%, UAE 3% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Imports - partners

Portugal 35%, Angola 13%, Gabon 11%, Japan 8%, China 6% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$5,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$5,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$5,500 (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

0.2% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

0.9% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

plantains, oil palm fruit, taro, bananas, fruits, cocoa beans, yams, coconuts, cassava, vegetables (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, cocoa beans, vehicle parts/accessories, palm oil, aircraft parts (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, rice, electric generating sets, cars (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Current account balance

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Current account balance 2020

-$59.595 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$95.248 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$79.437 million (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$764.274 million (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

81.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption

17.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

33.4% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services

7.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-40.4% (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

55.5% (2017 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

18% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

21.3% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

14.4% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

3.2% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.275 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.279 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.291 billion (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

male

8% (2024 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

8.6% (2024 est.)

female

9.2% (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$75.017 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$64.476 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$46.247 million (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

industry

2.9% (2024 est.)

services

76.6% (2024 est.)

agriculture

12.8% (2024 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

lowest 10%

2.6% (2017 est.)

highest 10%

32.8% (2017 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

40.7 (2017 est.)