Sao Tome and Principe

All demographic indicators on this page are based on UN mid 2025 estimates unless stated otherwise.

Sao Tome and Principe population (live estimate)

Real-time estimate based on UN demographic growth models.

240,000

Annual growth: 1.970%.

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Official population estimates

World population
240,000
Median age
19.5
Population growth rate (%)
1.970 ▲ Population is growing

This map shows first-level administrative regions (ADM1).

Key Facts

  • Capital: São Tomé
  • Official language: Portuguese
  • Region: Middle Africa
  • Continent: Africa
Languages
Languages and linguistic groups
Religions
Religious composition
Cities
Major cities and urban areas
Administrative divisions
Districts
Population
Population structure and dynamics

Languages

A brief overview of the linguistic situation in the country.

Official language
Portuguese
Minority language
2
Working / administrative language
1

Portuguese is the official language and is widely spoken across São Tomé and Príncipe. Several Portuguese-based Creoles—Forro, Angolar, and Principense—are used in community contexts, though their vitality varies.

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Religions

A brief overview of the religious composition of the country.

Dominant religion
Christianity
Largest share
84.4%
Number of religions
7

The population is small and concentrated on São Tomé Island, with some isolated communities on Príncipe. Portuguese dominates urban and educational life.

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Cities

A brief overview of the major cities and urban structure of the country.

Largest city
São Tomé
Number of cities
1

The cities shown here represent major urban centres with populations over 50,000, as defined by the UN Degree of Urbanisation (DEGURBA) methodology. Smaller towns and rural settlements are not included.

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