Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate was 2.45 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Sao Tome and Principe, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Sao Tome and Principe recorded 2.45 % change on previous year for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 23.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 10.67 % change on previous year in 1965 and was at its lowest, 1.72 % change on previous year, in 2019.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 56th of 234 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 1.86 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 1.79 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 1953 | 2.01 % change on previous year | +12.2% |
| 1954 | 2.24 % change on previous year | +11.3% |
| 1955 | 2.48 % change on previous year | +10.9% |
| 1956 | 2.75 % change on previous year | +11.0% |
| 1957 | 3.02 % change on previous year | +9.8% |
| 1958 | 3.28 % change on previous year | +8.4% |
| 1959 | 3.5 % change on previous year | +6.7% |
| 1960 | 3.49 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1961 | 4.27 % change on previous year | +22.4% |
| 1962 | 7.13 % change on previous year | +66.9% |
| 1963 | 9.34 % change on previous year | +31.0% |
| 1964 | 10.45 % change on previous year | +11.9% |
| 1965 | 10.67 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
| 1966 | 10.25 % change on previous year | -3.9% |
| 1967 | 9.43 % change on previous year | -8.0% |
| 1968 | 8.33 % change on previous year | -11.7% |
| 1969 | 6.98 % change on previous year | -16.2% |
| 1970 | 5.44 % change on previous year | -22.0% |
| 1971 | 4.23 % change on previous year | -22.3% |
| 1972 | 3.7 % change on previous year | -12.4% |
| 1973 | 3.43 % change on previous year | -7.5% |
| 1974 | 3.31 % change on previous year | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 3.32 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 3.4 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 3.53 % change on previous year | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 3.65 % change on previous year | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 3.67 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 3.63 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 3.59 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 3.81 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 1983 | 4.33 % change on previous year | +13.5% |
| 1984 | 4.86 % change on previous year | +12.3% |
| 1985 | 5.34 % change on previous year | +10.0% |
| 1986 | 5.66 % change on previous year | +5.9% |
| 1987 | 5.89 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 5.97 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 5.74 % change on previous year | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 5.37 % change on previous year | -6.3% |
| 1991 | 4.74 % change on previous year | -11.9% |
| 1992 | 4.15 % change on previous year | -12.3% |
| 1993 | 3.91 % change on previous year | -5.8% |
| 1994 | 3.69 % change on previous year | -5.7% |
| 1995 | 3.5 % change on previous year | -5.2% |
| 1996 | 3.34 % change on previous year | -4.4% |
| 1997 | 3.21 % change on previous year | -3.9% |
| 1998 | 3.09 % change on previous year | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 3 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 2.95 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 3.55 % change on previous year | +20.3% |
| 2002 | 4.56 % change on previous year | +28.7% |
| 2003 | 5.06 % change on previous year | +11.0% |
| 2004 | 5.19 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 5.22 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 5.15 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 4.98 % change on previous year | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 4.69 % change on previous year | -5.8% |
| 2009 | 4.28 % change on previous year | -8.8% |
| 2010 | 3.75 % change on previous year | -12.4% |
| 2011 | 3.15 % change on previous year | -15.9% |
| 2012 | 2.51 % change on previous year | -20.4% |
| 2013 | 2.11 % change on previous year | -16.1% |
| 2014 | 2.07 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 1.99 % change on previous year | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 1.89 % change on previous year | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 1.81 % change on previous year | -4.6% |
| 2018 | 1.75 % change on previous year | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 1.72 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 2.09 % change on previous year | +21.6% |
| 2021 | 2.28 % change on previous year | +8.9% |
| 2022 | 2.25 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 2.36 % change on previous year | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 2.42 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 2.45 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 2.45 % change on previous year is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.77 % change on previous year, 88% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 2.45 % change on previous year is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.42 % change on previous year, 72% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Sao Tome and Principe changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +66.9% | 4.27 % change on previous year | 7.13 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.55 % change on previous year | 1.79 % change on previous year | 3.5 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 8.03 % change on previous year | 3.49 % change on previous year | 10.67 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.77 % change on previous year | 3.31 % change on previous year | 5.44 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.88 % change on previous year | 3.59 % change on previous year | 5.97 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.8 % change on previous year | 3 % change on previous year | 5.37 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.56 % change on previous year | 2.95 % change on previous year | 5.22 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.27 % change on previous year | 1.72 % change on previous year | 3.75 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.31 % change on previous year | 2.09 % change on previous year | 2.45 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More population data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2548 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -8.57 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2548 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2436 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 366.66 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.518 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 556.27 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 34,182 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Sao Tome and Principe was 2.45 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 10.67 % change on previous year in 1965.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.72 % change on previous year in 2019.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 56th out of 234 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.