Sao Tome and Principe — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Sao Tome and Principe, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Sao Tome and Principe was 1.98% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 2.69% in 1978. The lowest was 1.01% in 1962 (about 2.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.05% per year.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 51 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 24%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Sao Tome and Principe sits below it. It peaked in 1978 and has fallen 26% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 12%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 37 of 48 economies; Kenya (1.93%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 48% in 2001. That is 9% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1971. Doubling roughly every 66 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 179th of 216 in 1961 → 122nd of 216 in 1970 → 96th of 216 in 1980 → 78th of 216 in 1990 → 132nd of 217 in 2000 → 56th of 217 in 2010 → 61st of 217 in 2020 → 51st of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.98% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 2% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 2% | +0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 1.94% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 2.06% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 1.88% | +0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 1.51% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 1.54% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 1.6% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 1.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 1.78% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 1.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 1.94% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 2.02% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 2.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 2.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 2.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 2.38% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 2.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 2.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 2.46% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 2.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 2.56% | +0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 2.39% | +0.8 pp |
| 2001 | 1.62% | +0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 1.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 1.19% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 1.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 1.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 1.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 1.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 1.72% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 1.82% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 1.9% | -0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 2.19% | -0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 2.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 2.57% | -0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 2.62% | +0.2 pp |
| 1987 | 2.46% | +0.2 pp |
| 1986 | 2.27% | +0.2 pp |
| 1985 | 2.11% | +0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 1.91% | +0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 1.81% | -0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 1.86% | -0.2 pp |
| 1981 | 2.08% | -0.3 pp |
| 1980 | 2.35% | -0.2 pp |
| 1979 | 2.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 2.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 2.64% | +0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 2.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 2.38% | +0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 2.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 2.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 2.13% | -0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 2.17% | +0.2 pp |
| 1970 | 2.01% | +0.3 pp |
| 1969 | 1.75% | +0.2 pp |
| 1968 | 1.58% | +0.2 pp |
| 1967 | 1.4% | +0.2 pp |
| 1966 | 1.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 1.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 1.07% | +0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 1.02% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 1.01% | -0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 1.02% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sao Tome and Principe’s Population growth in 1962?
1.01% (1962). 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 annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sao Tome and Principe’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +95.1% in total — about 1.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. 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: 1.98%; 2024: 2%; 2023: 2%; 2022: 1.94%; 2021: 2.06%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). 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.