São Tomé and Principe at its true size
São Tomé and Principe covers 1,001 km², number 171 of 194 countries by area. Home to 240,254 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 1,001 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 240,254 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 240 per km² |
| Capital | Sao Tome |
| Local time in Sao Tome | |
| Time zone | UTC IANA |
| Currency | São Tomé and Príncipe dobra (STN) Wikidata |
| Languages | Portuguese |
| Traffic | On the right |
| Region | Middle Africa, Africa |
| Status | Independent state |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Calling code | +239 |
| Codes | ST · STP · 678 |
Weather in Sao Tome now
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Weather data: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), updated hourly · Temperatures on the map
Where São Tomé and Principe ranks
Among the independent states, in 41 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#175 of 194240,254 people#53 of 54 in Africa
- Population density#42 of 194240 people per km²#8 of 54 in Africa
- Urban population#78 of 19269% urban#9 of 54 in Africa
- Fertility rate#39 of 1923.60 births per woman#36 of 54 in Africa
- Population growth#49 of 192+1.98% a year#37 of 54 in Africa
- Birth rate#38 of 19228.1 births per 1,000 people#36 of 54 in Africa
- Death rate#156 of 1925.5 deaths per 1,000 people#46 of 54 in Africa
- Children under 15#38 of 19237.5% under 15#34 of 54 in Africa
- People over 65#144 of 1923.9% aged 65 and over#17 of 54 in Africa
- Net migration#156 of 192−2.7 per 1,000 people#50 of 54 in Africa
- Refugees abroad#138 of 1900.03 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#46 of 54 in Africa
Health & education
Economy
- GNI per capita#128 of 185$3,800 a person#14 of 52 in Africa
- Internet users#136 of 18459% online#17 of 52 in Africa
- GDP per capita (PPP)#144 of 184$6,388 a person#24 of 52 in Africa
- GDP growth#156 of 187+1.0% a year#49 of 52 in Africa
- Inflation#21 of 176+11.0% a year#13 of 50 in Africa
- Unemployment#40 of 1789.1% of the labour force#19 of 53 in Africa
- Extreme poverty#42 of 14913.0% under $3.00 a day#38 of 47 in Africa
- Income inequality (Gini)#33 of 149a Gini index of 40.7#17 of 47 in Africa
- Jobs in agriculture#102 of 17812.1% of jobs#47 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in industry#59 of 17822.5% of jobs#8 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in services#68 of 17865.4% of jobs#7 of 53 in Africa
- Foreign investment#15 of 18410.5% of GDP#4 of 52 in Africa
- Exports#153 of 16813.3% of GDP#43 of 49 in Africa
- Mobile subscriptions#171 of 19162 subscriptions per 100 people#44 of 54 in Africa
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#142 of 1850.63 tonnes a person#22 of 53 in Africa
- Forest area#33 of 19258% forest#9 of 54 in Africa
- Renewable energy#56 of 19042.5% renewable#35 of 54 in Africa
- Access to electricity#149 of 19277.7% with electricity#15 of 54 in Africa
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#115 of 19115.1 µg/m³#46 of 54 in Africa
- Protected land#27 of 19131.7% of the land protected#9 of 54 in Africa
- Arable land#135 of 1904.2% of the land arable#38 of 54 in Africa
- Water stress#149 of 1761.9% of its available fresh water#38 of 53 in Africa
- Precipitation#2 of 1803,200 mm a year#1 of 54 in Africa
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of São Tomé and Principe’s area, lit up on the map →
- Kiribati1.23×São Tomé and Principe is 23% larger than Kiribati.
- Bahrain1.27×São Tomé and Principe is 27% larger than Bahrain.
- Dominica1.33×São Tomé and Principe is 33% larger than Dominica.
- Tonga1.34×São Tomé and Principe is 34% larger than Tonga.
- Singapore1.39×São Tomé and Principe is 39% larger than Singapore.
- Micronesia1.43×São Tomé and Principe is 43% larger than Micronesia.
How many times does São Tomé and Principe fit into…
- Russia: about 17058 times
- Canada: about 9975 times
- United States: about 9817 times
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes São Tomé and Principe shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Summits
- Pico de São Tomé2,024 m
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside São Tomé and Principe. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Questions about São Tomé and Principe
- How big is São Tomé and Principe?
- São Tomé and Principe covers 1,001 km², which makes it number 171 of 194 countries by area. About 240,254 people live there (2025), 240 per km².
- Is São Tomé and Principe bigger than Kiribati?
- São Tomé and Principe is 23% larger than Kiribati. São Tomé and Principe: 1,001 km²; Kiribati: 811 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort São Tomé and Principe?
- São Tomé and Principe lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Does São Tomé and Principe have land borders?
- No. São Tomé and Principe has no land neighbours; every border is a coastline.