Sao Tome and Principe is one of Africa's smallest nations (population ~220,000), a two-island country in the Gulf of Guinea. The economy depends on cocoa production (historically the primary export), tourism, fishing, and international aid. Offshore oil and gas potential in the Joint Development Zone (shared with Nigeria) has attracted exploration interest but commercial production has not yet materialized. The country has improved democratic governance with regular peaceful elections. Challenges include extreme small market size, isolation, import dependence, and limited infrastructure. Tourism development centered on eco-tourism and cultural heritage offers growth potential.
Snapshot
Population~0.2 MWorld Bank, 2025
GDP (current USD)$1.0 BWorld Bank, 2025
GDP per Capita$4,084World Bank, 2025
GDP Growth1.03%World Bank, 2025
Inflation (y/y)~11.05%World Bank, 2025
Unemployment9.13%World Bank, ILO modelled estimate, 2025
Internet Use~59.12%World Bank, 2024
Electrification~76.00%World Bank WDI
CPI Score (Rank)44.0/100 (#67)Transparency Intl
HDI (Rank)0.618 (#138)UNDP HDR
World Bank Indicators Compare with another country
GDP (current USD)$981.3 MWorld Bank, 2025
GDP growth (annual)1.03%World Bank, 2025
GDP per capita (USD)$4,084World Bank, 2025
Population, total240,254World Bank, 2025
FDI net inflows (USD)$103.5 MWorld Bank, 2025
Inflation (consumer prices)11.05%World Bank, 2025
Unemployment (% labour force)9.13%World Bank, 2025
Internet use (% of people)59.12%World Bank, 2024
Trade (% of GDP)46.57%World Bank, 2025
Climate Readiness Full ranking
59out of 100
Established
Climate adaptation readiness for Sao Tome and Principe, from 5 of 5 measured indicators.
Energy access7676.0% · 30% weight
Governance readiness4444 / 100 CPI · 20% weight
Human readiness620.618 HDI · 20% weight
Economic readiness65$4,084, 2025 · 15% weight
Digital readiness3535.0% · 15% weight
This scores climate adaptation readiness (adaptive capacity), following the readiness dimension of the ND-GAIN framework, from five measured indicators scaled 0 to 100. It does not measure emissions or physical climate vulnerability. Energy access is the most climate-specific of the five; the others cover governance, the economy, human development and digital readiness. The economic sub-score is relative to the African countries we cover.
How this is computed
Adaptive capacity to absorb climate finance and adapt, following the readiness dimension of the ND-GAIN framework, from measured indicators only. It is not a measure of emissions or physical climate vulnerability.
- Energy access (30%): World Bank, access to electricity (% of population). The single most climate and energy specific signal held: SDG 7 and the clean-energy transition.
- Governance readiness (20%): Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index (0-100). ND-GAIN governance readiness: the capacity to govern and deploy climate finance. Higher is cleaner.
- Human readiness (20%): UNDP, Human Development Index (0-1). ND-GAIN social readiness: the adaptive capacity of the population.
- Economic readiness (15%): World Bank, GDP per capita (current US$), latest measured year. ND-GAIN economic readiness: the capacity to finance adaptation. Scored relative to the covered set.
- Digital readiness (15%): World Bank, individuals using the Internet (% of population). Information systems for early warning and adaptation.
A country is scored only when at least 4 of the five indicators are held. Sub-scores are weighted and renormalised over the indicators that are present; nothing is estimated for one that is absent.
Country Facts
CapitalSao Tome
RegionCentral Africa
CurrencySao Tomean Dobra (STN)
FX RegimeFixed peg to EUR
Legal SystemPortuguese civil law
Time ZoneAfrica/Sao_Tome
Focus Sectors
Agriculture (cocoa)
Tourism
Fishing
Oil & Gas (potential)
Construction
Telecoms
Trade
Exports $49.0M (2024)
0.4% to other African countries
Top export partners
Pakistan20.5%
Netherlands17.3%
France14.0%
Poland13.6%
Germany10.0%
Switzerland4.7%
Indonesia4.4%
Belgium2.4%
Portugal2.0%
Singapore1.9%
Top export products (HS 4)
Cocoa beans43.0%
Palm oil and its fractions13.8%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals12.9%
Vessels and other floating structures9.3%
Motor vehicles5.8%
Turbo-jets, turbo-propellers and other gas turbines3.2%
Transmission apparatus for radio-broadcasting or television, whether or not incorporating reception apparatus or sound recording or reproducing apparatus1.3%
Fish0.7%
Aircraft0.7%
Electrical apparatus for switching, protecting electrical circuits, for making connections to or in electrical circuits0.6%
By HS chapter
Cocoa and cocoa preparations 43.5%Animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage products 13.9%Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation 13.1%Ships, boats and floating structures 9.3%Vehicles 5.8%Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors 4.2%Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof 3.4%Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates 1.1%Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof 0.7%Fruit and nuts, edible 0.6%
Imports $145.5M (2024)
16.1% from other African countries
Top import partners
Portugal44.5%
China14.4%
Angola14.0%
Japan7.2%
Türkiye3.2%
Brazil3.1%
Spain1.6%
Belgium1.3%
Netherlands1.2%
Thailand1.0%
Top import products (HS 4)
Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude12.4%
Cruise ships, excursion boats, ferry-boats, cargo ships, barges and similar vessels for the transport of persons or goods7.3%
Wine of fresh grapes, including fortified wines2.9%
Meat and edible offal of poultry2.8%
Rice2.8%
Wheat or meslin flour2.6%
Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form1.9%
Waters, including mineral and aerated waters, containing added sugar or sweetening matter, flavoured1.7%
Machinery parts1.7%
Soap1.7%
By HS chapter
Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation 12.5%Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors 9.8%Ships, boats and floating structures 7.5%Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof 6.3%Beverages, spirits and vinegar 6.2%Products of the milling industry 3.6%Iron or steel articles 3.4%Meat and edible meat offal 3.0%Cereals 2.8%Vehicles 2.6%
Source: CEPII BACI (version 202601, updated 22 Jan 2026), Etalab 2.0 (licence). Goods only, HS 2022, current USD, 2024. Aggregated by allbusiness.africa.
Regulations & Taxes
Corporate Income Tax25% standard
VAT / Sales Tax15% standard
Business Directory (24)
View AllJAA Construções
BusinessAN - Estudos, Projetos E Fiscalização Lda
BusinessON4U SAO Tome Limitada
BusinessEita-Equipamentos Informáticos Telecomunicações E Assistência Técnica
BusinessVisao Grafica, Limitada
BusinessGics - General Industria Comércio E Serviços
BusinessSTP Urbano, Construções E Investimentos
BusinessATI Consultores STP
BusinessWinfor, Lda
BusinessMidiatel, Lda
BusinessElectrofrio, Comércio E Prestação de Serviços, Lda.
BusinessDivinious Unipessoal, Lda
BusinessContract Awards
View AllDECEL - AUDITORIA CONSULTORIA E SERVICOS LIMITADA: 101092382 - CBM-VET - CAPACITY BUILDING IN THE FIELD OF MARITIME VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (CBM-VET)
Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)
AGENCIA DE PROMOCAO DE COMERCIO E INVESTIMENTO: 101092382 - CBM-VET - CAPACITY BUILDING IN THE FIELD OF MARITIME VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (CBM-VET)
Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)
MAR AMBIENTE E PESCA ARTESANAL: 101092382 - CBM-VET - CAPACITY BUILDING IN THE FIELD OF MARITIME VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (CBM-VET)
Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)
UNIVERSIDADE DE SAO TOME E PRINCIPE: 101129248 - TECBIOFOOD - EXPERTISE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE: BIORESOURCES FOR FOOD
Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)