Country page · Sub-Saharan Africa
If you were born in São Tomé & Príncipe
1 in 19,875 babies · 0.0050% of births · about 6,750 a year
Right now, about 0.0050% of the world's babies are born in São Tomé & Príncipe — 1 in 19,875, or roughly 6,750 a year and 18 a day. Life expectancy there is 69.9 years.
How the 1 in 19,875 is calculated
This number is not based on population. It uses births: São Tomé & Príncipe has about 6,750 births a year, and the world has about 134,147,481. Divide one by the other and you get 0.0050% — 1 in 19,875. Using population instead would understate young countries and overstate ageing ones, so every draw is weighted by births.
Birth odds, country by country
Population and births
São Tomé & Príncipe has 240,254 people — 0.0029% of the 8,185,260,817 people in this 172-country group, ranking 172nd of 172 by population. Its 6,750 births a year are 0.0050% of the world's births, so its birth share is 1.71× its population share. A ratio below 1 usually means an older age structure than the group average; above 1 means younger. Population is the 2025 estimate; births use the latest birth rate (2024).
| Measure | Value | Share of world | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) | 240,254 | 0.0029% | 172nd of 172 |
| Births per year (2024) | 6,750 | 0.0050% | 170th of 172 |
| Birth share ÷ population share | 1.71× | — | — |
How the population is changing
São Tomé & Príncipe is changing by 1.98% a year. About 6,750 babies are born and 1,329 people die each year, a natural change of +5.4K; net migration is -650. Population density is 245 people per km². About 166.2K people live in cities. 37.5% of the population is under 15 and 3.9% is 65 or older.
| Measure | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Annual population growth | 1.98% | 2025 |
| Deaths per year | 1,329 | 2024 |
| Natural change (births − deaths) | +5,421 | 2024 |
| Net migration | -650 | 2025 |
| Population density | 245 /km² | 2024 |
| Urban population | 166,189 | 2025 |
| Age 0–14 | 37.5% | 2025 |
| Age 15–64 | 58.6% | 2025 |
| Age 65+ | 3.9% | 2025 |
Components use the latest available year for each series and may not add exactly to the published growth rate.
Median age and the 2050 outlook
São Tomé & Príncipe's median age is 19.5 years, against a world median of 30.9. The UN projects 24.8 years by 2050, 365,115 people (52.0% more than in 2025), and life expectancy at birth of 74.2 years (women 77.8, men 70.7).
| Year | Population (UN WPP 2024) |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 77,626 |
| 2000 | 144,018 |
| 2030 | 264,564 |
| 2050 | 365,115 |
Median age, 2050 population and 2050 life expectancy: UN WPP 2024. The population table above uses the World Bank snapshot; the projection table above uses UN WPP 2024.
Age structure in 2025
Male and female shares of the total population in São Tomé & Príncipe, by age group.
UN WPP 2024, 2025 estimate. Male and female shares are of the total population, so they add to 100%.
Life in São Tomé & Príncipe, in numbers
| Indicator | Value | Year | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy women 73.9 · men 66.4 | 69.9 years | 2024 | 116th highest of 172 countries |
| Chance of dying before 5 13.6 / 1,000 | 1.4% | 2024 | 80th lowest of 170 countries |
| Chance of dying before 1 9.2 / 1,000 | 0.9% | 2024 | 68th lowest of 170 countries |
| Mothers who die giving birth per 100,000 births | 75 | 2023 | 102nd lowest of 170 countries |
| Children per woman | 3.60 | 2024 | 135th lowest of 172 countries |
| Expected years of schooling | 12.4 years | 2015 | 98th highest of 168 countries |
| Tertiary enrollment | 12.8% | 2015 | 127th highest of 168 countries |
| Income per person (PPP) GDP per capita, PPP | $6,388 | 2025 | 128th highest of 170 countries |
| Income inequality closer to 0 = more equal | 40.70 | 2017 | 39th highest of 157 countries |
| People living in cities | 69.2% | 2025 | 70th highest of 172 countries |
| People working in farming | 12.1% | 2025 | 72nd lowest of 171 countries |
| People using the internet | 59.1% | 2024 | 118th highest of 172 countries |
| Homicide per 100,000 people | 3.2 | 2011 | 91st lowest of 155 countries |
| Health costs paid out of pocket share of health spending | 16.7% | 2023 | 44th lowest of 168 countries |
| Adults living with HIV | — | — | — |
| People who smoke | 8.3% | 2024 | 23rd lowest of 151 countries |
Chance of reaching each age
Of 100 babies born in São Tomé & Príncipe, about 98.7% reach age 5 and 32.7% reach 80. The world averages are 96.5% and 48.3%.
| Age | This country | World |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 98.7% | 96.5% |
| 20 | 97.7% | 95.1% |
| 40 | 93.2% | 92.0% |
| 60 | 77.8% | 82.9% |
| 80 | 32.7% | 48.3% |
UN WPP 2024 life table, 2025, both sexes combined.
How to read these numbers
Income is shown in purchasing-power-parity dollars, so it compares what money buys locally rather than market exchange rates. The under-5 rate is the share of babies who die before their fifth birthday; the maternal mortality ratio is per 100,000 live births. A Gini index closer to 0 means a more equal income distribution, and a higher number means a more unequal one.
Each indicator uses the most recent year with a non-empty value, which can differ by country; the rank compares this country with the other 171 in the dataset, not with every country on Earth. Where a value is missing, the page shows a dash rather than an estimate. World and regional figures are weighted by population; the under-5 rate is weighted by births.
São Tomé & Príncipe compared with Sub-Saharan Africa
Life expectancy in São Tomé & Príncipe is 69.9 years, against a Sub-Saharan Africa average of 62.8. The under-5 death rate is 1.4%, versus 7.1% across the region. Income per person is $6,388, against $5,782 regionally; expected schooling is 12.4 years against 9.4. 69.2% of people live in cities, against 44.7% in the region.
| Indicator | São Tomé & Príncipe | Sub-Saharan Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy | 69.9 years old | 62.8 years old | 73.4 years old |
| Under-5 deaths | 1.4% | 7.1% | 3.8% |
| Income per person (PPP) | $6,388 | $5,782 | $25,560 |
| Expected schooling | 12.4 years | 9.4 years | 12.5 years |
| People in cities | 69.2% | 44.7% | 57.8% |
What a life there looks like
Put those numbers together and you get a life: about 69.9 years on average, with roughly 13.6 of every 1,000 babies dying before their fifth birthday. A child can expect 12.4 years of school, and income per person is around $6,388. These are averages — every life still lands somewhere on the distribution.
If you play as someone born in São Tomé & Príncipe
The game draws São Tomé & Príncipe in about 1 of every 19,875 births. From there the life runs year by year: 69.9 years of life expectancy on average, a 1.4% chance of dying before five, and an income of about $6,388 per person. Choices move the odds; the starting statistics do not.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the odds of being born in São Tomé & Príncipe?
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Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, with UN World Population Prospects 2024 and UN IGME for births and mortality. Values are the most recent non-empty year for each indicator; the year is noted where it differs. Page updated Oct 25, 2026.