São Tomé and Príncipe
Africa · Capital: São Tomé
How it is run: São Tomé and Príncipe is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
São Tomé and Príncipe is home to 240,254 people in Middle Africa, where people speak Portuguese.
Numbers that tell a story 🔢
👥 People
240,254 people
That is about 30 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
🗺️ Land
964 km²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
🏙️ How crowded
About 249 people per square kilometre — busy towns with countryside in between.
📊 Size in its region
53rd most people in Africa
55th largest by land in Africa.
🗣️ Official languages
Portuguese
💰 Money
São Tomé and Príncipe dobra (Db)
Life here today 🩺
These come from World Bank open data — the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
❤️ How long people live
69.9 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
💼 Money made per person each year
about US$4,084
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
🏢 Living in cities
69.2% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
🎒 Kids under 15
37.5% of the population
A very young country — schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details 🧭
📞 Phone code
+239
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
🌐 Websites end in
.st
🧑 People here are called
Sao Tomean
🏷️ Name at home
São Tomé e Príncipe
Also written: Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Sao Tome and Principe, República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe.
🌊 Coast or inland
Has a coastline
🕊️ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders 🤝
São Tomé and Príncipe has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world 🗣️
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Santo Tomé y Príncipe
French
São Tomé et Príncipe
Arabic
ساو تومي وبرينسيب
Chinese
圣多美和普林西比
Japanese
サントメ・プリンシペ
Russian
Сан-Томе и Принсипи
Portuguese
São Tomé e Príncipe
German
São Tomé und Príncipe
Put it in perspective 📏
- Nigeria — the most populated country in Africa — has about 988.7× as many people as São Tomé and Príncipe.
- All of São Tomé and Príncipe would fit inside one large national park in many other countries.
- If everyone in São Tomé and Príncipe lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 120 km.
Fast facts 🧠
Fact of the day: 🇸🇹 is the flag of São Tomé and Príncipe. Its country code — the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics — is ST.
🏷️ Official name
Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
🏙️ Capital
São Tomé
🌍 Region
Africa · Middle Africa
🔤 Country code
ST
🕊️ UN status
UN member state
🚩 Independence
Independent country
More about São Tomé and Príncipe 🔎
🧭 Where on the map
1.0° N, 7.0° E
🌐 Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
🕰️ Clock check
Roughly UTC+0 — when it is noon in London it is about 12:00 in São Tomé.
- São Tomé and Príncipe is close to the line of 0° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- The capital of São Tomé and Príncipe is São Tomé — that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- 🇸🇹 is the flag of São Tomé and Príncipe. Its country code — the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics — is ST.
- São Tomé and Príncipe is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- São Tomé and Príncipe shares its part of the world with Republic of the Congo. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
Countries nearby 🤝
Talk about it 💬
- São Tomé and Príncipe has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- São Tomé and Príncipe can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If São Tomé and Príncipe spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz 🧪
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of São Tomé and Príncipe?
São Tomé
Which money do people spend in São Tomé and Príncipe?
São Tomé and Príncipe dobra (Db)
How many countries share a land border with São Tomé and Príncipe?
None — no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in São Tomé and Príncipe?
240,254 people
Keep researching 🔍
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further — and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here — kid-friendly encyclopedias 📚
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources 🏛️
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy 📰
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card 🏫
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians — all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.