Share of population living in urban areas in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Share of population living in urban areas was 69.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
69.2%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
108th
of 236 countries
All-time high
69.2%
in 2025
All-time low
13.3%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas in Sao Tome and Principe, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban areas in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 69.2%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 69.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.3%, in 1950.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 108th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 13.3% | — |
| 1951 | 13.3% | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 13.4% | +0.4% |
| 1953 | 13.5% | +0.8% |
| 1954 | 13.7% | +1.2% |
| 1955 | 13.9% | +1.5% |
| 1956 | 14.1% | +1.8% |
| 1957 | 14.4% | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 14.7% | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 15.1% | +2.4% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | +2.4% |
| 1961 | 15.9% | +3.2% |
| 1962 | 16.9% | +6.1% |
| 1963 | 18.3% | +8.2% |
| 1964 | 20.0% | +9.3% |
| 1965 | 21.9% | +9.4% |
| 1966 | 23.8% | +8.9% |
| 1967 | 25.7% | +7.9% |
| 1968 | 27.4% | +6.6% |
| 1969 | 28.8% | +5.1% |
| 1970 | 29.8% | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 30.4% | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 30.8% | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 31.2% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 31.5% | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 31.8% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 32.1% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 32.3% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 32.6% | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 32.9% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 33.3% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 33.8% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 34.5% | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 35.3% | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 36.3% | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 37.5% | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 38.7% | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 40.0% | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 41.3% | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 42.5% | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 43.7% | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 44.8% | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 45.8% | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 46.7% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 47.6% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 48.5% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 49.4% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 50.2% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 51.1% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 52.0% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 53.0% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 54.0% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 55.1% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 56.4% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 57.9% | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 59.4% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 61.0% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 62.5% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 63.9% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 65.1% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 66.1% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 66.7% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 67.0% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 67.1% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 67.3% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 67.4% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 67.5% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 67.7% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 67.8% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 67.9% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 68.0% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 68.2% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 68.4% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 68.6% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 68.9% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 69.2% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.9% | 13.3% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 21.4% | 15.4% | 28.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 31.5% | 29.8% | 32.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.3% | 33.3% | 42.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.0% | 43.7% | 52.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.8% | 53.0% | 65.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.2% | 66.1% | 67.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.5% | 68.0% | 69.2% | 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 share of population living in urban areas in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Share of population living in urban areas in Sao Tome and Principe was 69.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 69.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.3% in 1950.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for share of population living in urban areas?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 108th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.