Sao Tome and Principe is a country in Africa, known for its volcanic peaks and cocoa plantations. It has a population of nearly 245 thousand, making it the 188th largest country in the world. Its capital is Sao Tome. Sao Tome and Principe has a agricultural economy with growing tourism sector.
Sao Tome and Principe's population structure shows a nearly equal male to female ratio of 0.99 to 1, with a median male age of 20.43 years old and a median female age of 21 years old. The highest concentration of adults under 75 years old is in the 18 and 19 year-old age groups, while the lowest concentration is in the 74 and 73 year-old age groups.
Data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
* As of 5/14/2026
1 birth
Every 1.3 hours
1 death
Every 6.0 hours
1 emigrant
Every 12.0 hours
1 person
Every 1.8 hours
Sao Tome and Principe, officially the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, is an island nation in the Gulf of Guinea off the western coast of Central Africa. Sao Tome and Principe is comprised of two archipelagos around the main islands of Sao Tome and Principe, which are 87 miles apart and about 150 miles off the coast of Gabon. Both islands are a part of an extinct volcanic mountain range.
Sao Tome and Principe is the second-smallest African nation behind Seychelles and the smallest Portuguese-speaking country. Given its small size, it is little surprise that Sao Tome and Principe is fairly densely populated with 187 people per square kilometer (485/sq mi). The capital and largest city is Sao Tome with an estimated population of 58,000.
Prior to the arrival of the Portuguese around 1470, Sao Tome and Principe were uninhabited. The first settlement was established in 1493 on Sao Tome, while Principe was settled in 1500. When attracting settlers proved a challenge, the early inhabitants of the island became “undesirables” from Portugal, most of whom were Jews. Later, slaves were imported from the mainland or sugar plantations.
The first census in Sao Tome and Principe took place in 2011. It found that 157,500 people live on Sao Tome while 6,000 live on Principe. All inhabitants today are descended from people from various countries taken to the islands by the Portuguese, including Jews and slaves.
72% of the population is Catholic, 10% belong to another Christian denomination and 18% belong to another religion or are non-religious.
The main religion in Sao Tome and Principe is Catholic.