Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) was 23.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
23.0%
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
142nd
of 214 countries
All-time high
70.5%
in 1970
All-time low
23.0%
in 2024
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Rural population in Sao Tome and Principe, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2024, rural population in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 23.0%. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 25.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 70.5% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 23.0%, in 2024.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 142nd of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 70.5% | — |
| 1971 | 69.8% | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 69.4% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 69.1% | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 68.7% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 68.4% | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 68.0% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 67.6% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 67.3% | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 66.9% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 66.5% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 66.1% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 65.2% | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 64.1% | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 63.0% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 62.0% | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 60.9% | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 59.7% | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 58.6% | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 57.5% | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 56.4% | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 55.2% | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 54.2% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 53.3% | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 52.3% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 51.4% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 49.5% | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 48.5% | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 47.5% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 46.6% | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 45.6% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 44.4% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 43.2% | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 42.0% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 40.8% | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 39.7% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 38.5% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 37.3% | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 36.2% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 35.0% | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 33.9% | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 32.8% | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 31.8% | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 30.8% | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 29.8% | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 28.9% | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 28.0% | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 27.2% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 26.4% | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 25.6% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 24.9% | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 24.2% | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 23.6% | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 23.0% | -2.6% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 23.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 53.1%, 43% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 23.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 54.5%, 42% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 68.6% | 66.9% | 70.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 62.4% | 57.5% | 66.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.9% | 47.5% | 56.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.4% | 36.2% | 46.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.5% | 26.4% | 35.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.3% | 23.0% | 25.6% | 5 |
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)
- Population growth rate 0.248 (2100)
- Population density 556.27 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 34,182 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Rural population in Sao Tome and Principe was 23.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 70.5% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.0% in 2024.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for rural population?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 142nd out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release