Sao Tome and Principe — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for Sao Tome and Principe, 1960–2025.
Urban population for Sao Tome and Principe was 69.17% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 15.43% in 1960 (about 4.5× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.33% per year.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 94 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 43%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 45.11%, so Sao Tome and Principe sits above it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 3%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 5 of 48 economies; Botswana (67.96%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 9% in 1965.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1973. Doubling roughly every 30 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 166th of 217 in 1960 → 142nd of 217 in 1970 → 145th of 217 in 1980 → 130th of 217 in 1990 → 118th of 217 in 2000 → 93rd of 217 in 2010 → 93rd of 217 in 2020 → 94th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 69.17% | +0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 68.87% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 68.6% | +0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 68.37% | +0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 68.17% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 68.04% | +0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 67.91% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 67.78% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 67.65% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 67.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 67.39% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 67.26% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 67.13% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 67.03% | +0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 66.73% | +0.7 pp |
| 2010 | 66.06% | +1.0 pp |
| 2009 | 65.08% | +1.2 pp |
| 2008 | 63.87% | +1.4 pp |
| 2007 | 62.48% | +1.5 pp |
| 2006 | 60.97% | +1.6 pp |
| 2005 | 59.42% | +1.5 pp |
| 2004 | 57.88% | +1.5 pp |
| 2003 | 56.41% | +1.3 pp |
| 2002 | 55.09% | +1.1 pp |
| 2001 | 53.96% | +1.0 pp |
| 2000 | 52.97% | +0.9 pp |
| 1999 | 52.02% | +0.9 pp |
| 1998 | 51.11% | +0.9 pp |
| 1997 | 50.23% | +0.9 pp |
| 1996 | 49.36% | +0.9 pp |
| 1995 | 48.5% | +0.9 pp |
| 1994 | 47.63% | +0.9 pp |
| 1993 | 46.73% | +0.9 pp |
| 1992 | 45.8% | +1.0 pp |
| 1991 | 44.82% | +1.1 pp |
| 1990 | 43.73% | +1.2 pp |
| 1989 | 42.54% | +1.3 pp |
| 1988 | 41.28% | +1.3 pp |
| 1987 | 39.99% | +1.3 pp |
| 1986 | 38.71% | +1.2 pp |
| 1985 | 37.47% | +1.1 pp |
| 1984 | 36.33% | +1.0 pp |
| 1983 | 35.32% | +0.8 pp |
| 1982 | 34.47% | +0.6 pp |
| 1981 | 33.83% | +0.5 pp |
| 1980 | 33.34% | +0.4 pp |
| 1979 | 32.94% | +0.3 pp |
| 1978 | 32.61% | +0.3 pp |
| 1977 | 32.32% | +0.3 pp |
| 1976 | 32.05% | +0.3 pp |
| 1975 | 31.79% | +0.3 pp |
| 1974 | 31.51% | +0.3 pp |
| 1973 | 31.19% | +0.4 pp |
| 1972 | 30.81% | +0.5 pp |
| 1971 | 30.35% | +0.6 pp |
| 1970 | 29.76% | +1.0 pp |
| 1969 | 28.79% | +1.4 pp |
| 1968 | 27.39% | +1.7 pp |
| 1967 | 25.69% | +1.9 pp |
| 1966 | 23.8% | +1.9 pp |
| 1965 | 21.86% | +1.9 pp |
| 1964 | 19.98% | +1.7 pp |
| 1963 | 18.28% | +1.4 pp |
| 1962 | 16.89% | +1.0 pp |
| 1961 | 15.93% | +0.5 pp |
| 1960 | 15.43% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sao Tome and Principe’s Urban population in 1961?
15.93% (1961). 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 total population, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sao Tome and Principe’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +348.3% in total — about 2.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.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: 69.17%; 2024: 68.87%; 2023: 68.6%; 2022: 68.37%; 2021: 68.17%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS — Urban Population (% of Total). 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.