Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Sao Tome and Principe: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCD, ranked #184 of 195).
Sao Tome and Principe — in Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon. Political status: semi-presidential republic. The country's capital is Sao Tome; it covers 964 sq km. Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal). Terrain: volcanic, mountainous. Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May). Population: 224,000 (2024 estimate). Population growth: +1.39% per year. Median age: 21.2 years. Life expectancy: 67.7 years (2024 est.). Languages: Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4%; other Portuguese-based Creoles are als…
| Capital | Sao Tome |
|---|---|
| Population | 223,561 (2024 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $1.291 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $5,500 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 0.9% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 14.4% |
| Unemployment | 9.2% |
| Public debt | 93.1% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Exports | $96.977 million (2022 est.) |
| Imports | $219.322 million (2022 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 67.7 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 21.2 |
| Urbanization | 76.4% of total population (2023) |
| Government | semi-presidential republic |
| Independence | 12 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
| Languages | Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4%; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.) |
MCD · 34/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
The quarter's signal was silence: no major domestic development, no external shock, no diplomatic breakthrough.
The country's course remains what it was in June — set by structural realities that no single quarter rewrites.
Hydropower.
Carlos Vila Nova — President. President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021)
Sao Tome and Principe maintains 8 embassies and 1 consulates abroad, hosts 11 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York, AU Addis Ababa. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 8 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 1 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 11 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York, AU Addis Ababa |
Source: Consular Affairs Center, Diplomatic and Consular Networks Database and Rankings, January 2026 (Zenodo, CC BY 4.0). https://zenodo.org/records/18109976
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 209 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 2 (registration prefix S9) |
| Major seaports | Santo Antonio, Sao Tome |
São Tomé International Airport (TMS) — São Tomé; Principe Airport (PCP) — São Tomé & Príncipe.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | semi-presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCD · 34 Ranked #184 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Sao Tome and Principe.
Historical timeline of Sao Tome and Principe
