Sao Tome and Principe — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Sao Tome and Principe, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Sao Tome and Principe was 23.34% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 24.70% in 1992. The lowest was 23.12% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.16% per year.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 187 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 100%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Sao Tome and Principe sits below it. It peaked in 1992 and has fallen 6% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 3%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 47 of 47 economies; Somalia, Fed. Rep. (33.85%) is just above it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 187th of 187 in 1990 → 187th of 187 in 2000 → 187th of 187 in 2010 → 187th of 187 in 2020 → 182nd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 23.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 23.45% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 23.51% | +0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 23.31% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 23.12% | -0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 23.69% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 23.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 23.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 23.95% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 24% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 24.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 24.03% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 24.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 24.01% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 24.03% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 24.03% | +0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 24.03% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 24.02% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 24.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 24.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 24.04% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 24.06% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 24.09% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 24.11% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 24.19% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 24.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 24.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 24.51% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 24.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 24.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 24.68% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 24.7% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 24.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 24.69% | +0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 24.68% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sao Tome and Principe’s Labor participation in 1991?
24.69% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sao Tome and Principe’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -5.4% in total — about 0.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 23.34%; 2024: 23.39%; 2023: 23.45%; 2022: 23.51%; 2021: 23.31%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.