Share of population living in rural areas in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Share of population living in rural areas was 16.6% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of population living in rural areas in Sao Tome and Principe, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in rural areas in Sao Tome and Principe is 16.6%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in rural areas in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 24.6% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 16.6%, in 2020.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 174th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in rural areas in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 21.4% | — |
| 1955 | 22.1% | +3.4% |
| 1960 | 23.1% | +4.3% |
| 1965 | 24.0% | +4.2% |
| 1970 | 24.6% | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 24.5% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 22.8% | -7.0% |
| 1985 | 21.3% | -6.7% |
| 1990 | 20.4% | -4.4% |
| 1995 | 19.9% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 19.4% | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 18.8% | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 18.2% | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 17.7% | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | -6.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 21.8% | 21.4% | 22.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 23.5% | 23.1% | 24.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 24.6% | 24.5% | 24.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 22.1% | 21.3% | 22.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 20.1% | 19.9% | 20.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 19.1% | 18.8% | 19.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 17.9% | 17.7% | 18.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 16.6% | 16.6% | 16.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 171 Tajikistan 17.2% compare
- 172 Gabon 16.9% compare
- 173 India 16.6% compare
- 175 China 16.4% compare
- 176 Saudi Arabia 16.4% compare
- 177 Netherlands 15.7% compare
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 share of population living in rural areas in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Share of population living in rural areas in Sao Tome and Principe was 16.6% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 24.6% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.6% in 2020.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for share of population living in rural areas?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 174th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in rural areas rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in rural areas. Rural areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.