https://www.humantruth.info/sao_tome_and_principe.html
By Vexen Crabtree 2013
Sao Tome & Principe Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe | ![]() |
---|---|
Status | Independent State |
Social and Moral Index | 145th best |
Capital | Sao Tome |
Land Area | 960km21 |
Location | Africa |
Groupings | Small Islands |
Population | 0.2m2 |
Life Expectancy | 67.59yrs (2017)3 |
GNI | $4 021 (2017)4 |
ISO3166-1 Codes | ST, STP, 6785 |
Internet Domain | .st6 |
Currency | Dobra (STD)7 |
Telephone | +2398 |
“Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with African plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling between the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and two failed coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. In 2012, three opposition parties combined in a no confidence vote to bring down the majority government of former Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA. The new government of Prime Minister Gabriel Arcanjo Ferreira DA COSTA is entirely composed of opposition party members with limited experience in governance. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea promises to attract increased attention to the small island nation.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)9
“This nation is full of beauty: rainforests blanket rolling hills and backdrop spellbinding beaches, tropical birds circle stark volcanic rock formations and aquatic life patrols immaculate shores. If you adore quietude, take a trip to São Tomé and Príncipe, Africa´s second-smallest country. These two tiny volcanic bumps anchored off the Gabonese coast easily win the hearts of foreigners with their Portuguese-Creole flavour and relaxed vibes, and it won´t take too long before you´re infected with the pervasive leve leve (which loosely means `take it easy´) mood.
The sublime laid-back tempo is enhanced by a wealth of natural attractions: miles of perfect palm-fringed beaches, huge swaths of emerald rainforest, soaring volcanic peaks and mellow fishing villages. The birdlife is excellent, and endemic plants (especially orchids) are plentiful. In season, turtle- and whale-watching opportunities abound.
This two-island nation has its cultural gems as well, with a surprising number of heritage buildings dating back to the colonial era. Tourism is still low-key and is being developed in a controlled, ecologically mindful way. No tacky resorts, just a number of locally run, enticing, nature-oriented lodges.”
#economics #human_development #wealth
UN HDI (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better Value11 | |
1 | Switzerland | 0.962 |
2 | Norway | 0.961 |
3 | Iceland | 0.959 |
... | ||
135 | Guatemala | 0.627 |
136 | Kiribati | 0.624 |
137 | Honduras | 0.621 |
138 | Sao Tome & Principe | 0.618 |
139 | Namibia | 0.615 |
140= | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 0.607 |
140= | Laos | 0.607 |
140= | Vanuatu | 0.607 |
Africa Avg | 0.56 | |
World Avg | 0.72 | |
q=191. |
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better PPP $11 | |
1 | Liechtenstein | $146 830 |
2 | Singapore | $90 919 |
3 | Qatar | $87 134 |
... | ||
149 | Syria | $4 192 |
150 | Cambodia | $4 079 |
151 | Kiribati | $4 063 |
152 | Sao Tome & Principe | $4 021 |
153 | Papua New Guinea | $4 009 |
154 | Nepal | $3 877 |
155 | Myanmar (Burma) | $3 851 |
156 | Zimbabwe | $3 810 |
Africa Avg | $5 339 | |
World Avg | $20 136 | |
q=193. |
Social & Moral Development Index12 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank12 | |
1 | Denmark | 27.0 |
2 | Norway | 29.9 |
3 | Sweden | 31.8 |
... | ||
142 | Burkina Faso | 108.5 |
143 | Tuvalu | 108.7 |
144 | Tanzania | 108.8 |
145 | Sao Tome & Principe | 109.3 |
146 | Tajikistan | 110.0 |
147 | Pakistan | 110.2 |
148 | Gabon | 111.1 |
149 | Cambodia | 111.2 |
Africa Avg | 119.0 | |
World Avg | 88.6 | |
q=199. |
The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..
The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.
#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen
Population:
Sao Tome & Principe's population is predicted to rise to 234 630 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 3.75. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.13Population2 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 Population2 | |
1 | China | 1.4b |
2 | India | 1.4b |
3 | USA | 327.1m |
... | ||
173 | Iceland | 0.3m |
174 | Vanuatu | 0.3m |
175 | Barbados | 0.3m |
176 | Sao Tome & Principe | 0.2m |
177 | Samoa | 0.2m |
178 | St Lucia | 0.2m |
179 | Kiribati | 0.1m |
180 | Micronesia | 0.1m |
World Avg | 39.0m | |
q=195. |
Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
131 | Nepal | 68.4 |
132 | Laos | 68.1 |
133 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 67.7 |
134 | Sao Tome & Principe | 67.6 |
135 | Indonesia | 67.6 |
136 | Kiribati | 67.4 |
137 | India | 67.2 |
138 | Fiji | 67.1 |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
168 | Vanuatu | 3.70 |
169 | Yemen | 3.72 |
170 | Rwanda | 3.75 |
171 | Sao Tome & Principe | 3.75 |
172 | Eritrea | 3.79 |
173 | Madagascar | 3.79 |
174 | Malawi | 3.85 |
175 | Samoa | 3.88 |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per 10015 | |
1 | Uganda | 04.3 |
2 | Mali | 04.5 |
3= | Chad | 04.7 |
... | ||
30 | Kenya | 06.1 |
31 | S. Sudan | 06.2 |
32= | Tanzania | 06.2 |
32= | Sao Tome & Principe | 06.2 |
34 | Comoros | 06.3 |
35= | Mozambique | 06.4 |
35= | Madagascar | 06.4 |
35= | Papua New Guinea | 06.4 |
World Avg | 18.3 | |
q=185. |
Migration:
Immigrants16 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 %16 | |
1 | UAE | 88.4% |
2 | Kuwait | 75.5% |
3 | Qatar | 65.2% |
... | ||
149 | Guinea-Bissau | 1.3% |
150 | Vanuatu | 1.2% |
151 | Ethiopia | 1.2% |
152 | Sao Tome & Principe | 1.1% |
153 | Congo, DR | 1.1% |
154 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 1.1% |
155 | Guinea | 1.0% |
156 | Iraq | 1.0% |
World Avg | 9.4% | |
q=195. |
Emigrants17 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2010 %17 | |
1 | Dominica | 104.8% |
2 | Palestine | 68.4% |
3 | Samoa | 67.3% |
... | ||
22 | Kazakhstan | 23.6% |
23 | St Lucia | 23.3% |
24 | Macedonia | 21.9% |
25 | Sao Tome & Principe | 21.9% |
26 | Moldova | 21.5% |
27 | Fiji | 21.3% |
28 | Portugal | 20.8% |
29 | Lesotho | 20.5% |
World Avg | 11.5% | |
q=192. |
#equality #freedom #freethought #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #tolerance #women
Compared to Africa (2025)18 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank18 | |
1 | Mauritius | 63.7 |
2 | S. Africa | 64.3 |
3 | Cape Verde | 68.0 |
... | ||
8 | Ghana | 92.3 |
9 | Tunisia | 95.2 |
10 | Lesotho | 100.4 |
11 | Sao Tome & Principe | 101.2 |
12 | Burkina Faso | 101.3 |
13 | Mali | 101.6 |
14 | Benin | 105.6 |
15 | Kenya | 106.8 |
16 | Morocco | 107.0 |
Africa Avg | 110.04 | |
q=54. |
Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank18 | |
1 | Sweden | 6.1 |
2 | Denmark | 8.6 |
3 | Norway | 9.0 |
... | ||
116 | Lesotho | 100.4 |
117 | Samoa | 100.4 |
118 | Azerbaijan | 100.8 |
119 | Sao Tome & Principe | 101.2 |
120 | Burkina Faso | 101.3 |
121 | Mali | 101.6 |
122 | Kosovo | 102.5 |
123 | Lebanon | 104.4 |
World Avg | 86.55 | |
q=199. |
The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway19. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, N. Korea and Afghanistan19.
21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe19, whereas the worst are Africa, The Middle East and Asia19.
For more, see:
Human Rights & Tolerance:
Freedom in the World Lower is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2024 Score | |
1= | Norway | 1.0 |
1= | Canada | 1.0 |
1= | Cape Verde | 1.0 |
... | ||
55 | Argentina | 2.0 |
56= | Greece | 2.0 |
56= | Antigua & Barbuda | 2.0 |
56= | Sao Tome & Principe | 2.0 |
56= | Suriname | 2.0 |
56= | Vanuatu | 2.0 |
56= | Seychelles | 2.0 |
56= | Bulgaria | 2.0 |
Africa Avg | 4.8 | |
World Avg | 3.7 | |
q=205. |
Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better20 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2009 Treaties20 | |
1 | Argentina | 24 |
2= | Chile | 23 |
2= | Costa Rica | 23 |
... | ||
175 | Eritrea | 8 |
176 | Indonesia | 7 |
177= | N. Korea | 7 |
177= | Sao Tome & Principe | 7 |
177= | Grenada | 7 |
177= | UAE | 7 |
181 | St Lucia | 6 |
182= | Brunei | 6 |
Africa Avg | 14.8 | |
World Avg | 15.1 | |
q=194. |
HR Treaties Lag Lower is better21 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty21 | |
1 | Ecuador | 2.15 |
2 | Uruguay | 2.25 |
3 | Tunisia | 3.65 |
... | ||
188 | Kiribati | 15.80 |
189 | Solomon Islands | 15.81 |
190 | Nauru | 16.16 |
191 | Sao Tome & Principe | 16.17 |
192 | Tuvalu | 16.33 |
193 | Palau | 16.34 |
194 | Marshall Islands | 16.34 |
195 | Palestine | 17.21 |
Africa Avg | 9.88 | |
World Avg | 10.02 | |
q=195. |
Gender Equality:
See:
Year Women Can Vote Lower is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Year | |
1 | New Zealand | 1893 |
2 | Australia | 1902 |
3 | Finland | 1906 |
... | ||
163= | Andorra | 1973 |
164 | Jordan | 1974 |
165= | Solomon Islands | 1974 |
166 | Sao Tome & Principe | 1975 |
167= | Cape Verde | 1975 |
167= | Angola | 1975 |
167= | Mozambique | 1975 |
170 | Portugal | 1976 |
Africa Avg | 1961 | |
World Avg | 1930 | |
q=189. |
Prejudice:
LGBT Equality Higher is better22 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Score22 | |
1 | Netherlands | 103 |
2 | Belgium | 90 |
3 | Sweden | 86 |
... | ||
82= | Paraguay | 20 |
82= | Philippines | 20 |
82= | Central African Rep. | 20 |
82= | Sao Tome & Principe | 20 |
82= | Palau | 20 |
82= | Nauru | 20 |
82= | Marshall Islands | 20 |
82= | Guinea-Bissau | 20 |
Africa Avg | -10.4 | |
World Avg | 12.6 | |
q=196. |
Freedom of Thought Lower is better23 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202123 | |
1= | Belgium | 1.0 |
1= | Taiwan | 1.0 |
1= | Netherlands | 1.0 |
4 | Ecuador | 1.3 |
5= | Bolivia | 1.3 |
5= | Sao Tome & Principe | 1.3 |
5= | Nauru | 1.3 |
5= | France | 1.3 |
9 | Sweden | 1.5 |
10= | Iceland | 1.5 |
10= | Norway | 1.5 |
10= | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 1.5 |
Africa Avg | 3.1 | |
World Avg | 3.0 | |
q=196. |
#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines
Compared to Africa (2025)24 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank24 | |
1 | Tunisia | 69.2 |
2 | Mauritius | 69.2 |
3 | Seychelles | 84.8 |
... | ||
12 | Eritrea | 130.2 |
13 | Lesotho | 131.8 |
14 | Rwanda | 134.4 |
15 | Sao Tome & Principe | 134.9 |
16 | Ghana | 135.9 |
17 | Mauritania | 140.8 |
18 | Comoros | 141.5 |
19 | Namibia | 141.7 |
20 | Gambia | 141.9 |
Africa Avg | 111.13 | |
q=54. |
Health (2025)24 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank24 | |
1 | Monaco | 14.3 |
2 | Liechtenstein | 30.1 |
3 | Isle of Man | 32.1 |
... | ||
165 | Nauru | 133.3 |
166 | Papua New Guinea | 133.4 |
167 | Rwanda | 134.4 |
168 | Sao Tome & Principe | 134.9 |
169 | Laos | 135.6 |
170 | Ghana | 135.9 |
171 | Iraq | 139.7 |
172 | Mauritania | 140.8 |
World Avg | 96.74 | |
q=212. |
The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man25. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria25.
21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans25, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia25.
For more, see:
Health:
Sao Tome & Principe has some poor policies and cultural issues which cause some public health problems. Sao Tome & Principe does better than average when it comes to its smoking rate26 and in its immunizations take-up27. When it comes to most other metrics, Sao Tome & Principe does not do well. It does worse than average when it comes to its alcohol consumption rate28, its average life expectancy11 (still good for Africa), its adolescent birth rate29 and in its fertility rate14 (still low for Africa). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Sao Tome and Principe improved by +7.1yrs in the 30 years from 1990, on par with the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Sao Tome and Principe's peak fertility rate was 6.53 in 1974.Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
131 | Nepal | 68.4 |
132 | Laos | 68.1 |
133 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 67.7 |
134 | Sao Tome & Principe | 67.6 |
135 | Indonesia | 67.6 |
136 | Kiribati | 67.4 |
137 | India | 67.2 |
138 | Fiji | 67.1 |
Africa Avg | 62.79 | |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Alcohol Consumption Lower is better28 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per Capita28 | |
1 | Bangladesh | 0.0 |
2 | Kuwait | 0.0 |
3 | Libya | 0.0 |
... | ||
100 | Philippines | 6.6 |
101 | Cambodia | 6.7 |
102= | Belize | 6.8 |
102= | Sao Tome & Principe | 6.8 |
104 | Dominican Rep. | 6.9 |
105= | Antigua & Barbuda | 7.0 |
105= | Niue | 7.0 |
107 | China | 7.2 |
Africa Avg | 4.8 | |
World Avg | 6.2 | |
q=189. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
168 | Vanuatu | 3.70 |
169 | Yemen | 3.72 |
170 | Rwanda | 3.75 |
171 | Sao Tome & Principe | 3.75 |
172 | Eritrea | 3.79 |
173 | Madagascar | 3.79 |
174 | Malawi | 3.85 |
175 | Samoa | 3.88 |
Africa Avg | 3.97 | |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Smoking Rates Lower is better26 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201426 | |
1 | Guinea | 15 |
2 | Solomon Islands | 26 |
3 | Kiribati | 28 |
... | ||
20 | Tanzania | 101 |
21 | Liberia | 104 |
22 | Niger | 105 |
23 | Sao Tome & Principe | 111 |
24 | India | 111 |
25 | Eritrea | 114 |
26 | Haiti | 114 |
27 | Peru | 116 |
Africa Avg | 340 | |
World Avg | 819 | |
q=182. |
Overweight Adults Lower is better30 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 %30 | |
1 | Vietnam | 18.3 |
2 | India | 19.7 |
3 | Bangladesh | 20.0 |
... | ||
57 | Cameroon | 33.6 |
58 | Mauritania | 34.4 |
59 | Cape Verde | 34.8 |
60 | Sao Tome & Principe | 35.4 |
61 | Seychelles | 36.8 |
62 | Zimbabwe | 38.2 |
63 | Swaziland | 38.4 |
64 | Djibouti | 38.6 |
Africa Avg | 33.3 | |
World Avg | 49.0 | |
q=191. |
Children's Health:
Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better29 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Per 100029 | |
1 | Hong Kong | 1.6 |
2 | Denmark | 1.8 |
3 | S. Korea | 2.1 |
... | ||
160 | Bangladesh | 73.3 |
161 | Mauritania | 76.8 |
162 | Togo | 77.0 |
163 | Sao Tome & Principe | 77.4 |
164 | Sudan | 77.6 |
165 | Afghanistan | 79.7 |
166 | Venezuela | 82.0 |
167 | Nicaragua | 84.0 |
Africa Avg | 84.6 | |
World Avg | 43.8 | |
q=195. |
Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better27 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2015 Avg %27 | |
1= | Hungary | 99.0 |
1= | China | 99.0 |
3 | Uzbekistan | 98.9 |
... | ||
46 | Maldives | 96.2 |
47 | Tajikistan | 96.1 |
48 | Rwanda | 96.1 |
49 | Sao Tome & Principe | 96.0 |
50 | Malaysia | 96.0 |
51 | Croatia | 95.9 |
52 | Nicaragua | 95.9 |
53 | Tunisia | 95.7 |
Africa Avg | 81.7 | |
World Avg | 88.3 | |
q=194. |
Sao Tome and Principe was amongst 49 countries in the 1990s who had an adolescent birth rate of over 100 (per 1000 girls aged 15-19); in the 2000s it was getting worse, but it saw significant improvements from the 2010s onwards.
#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism
Compared to Africa (2025)31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank31 | |
1 | Morocco | 46.5 |
2 | Burundi | 47.8 |
3 | Mali | 51.0 |
... | ||
39 | Gabon | 87.9 |
40 | Equatorial Guinea | 91.2 |
41 | S. Africa | 92.2 |
42 | Sao Tome & Principe | 92.7 |
43 | Mozambique | 93.9 |
44 | Liberia | 94.2 |
45 | Sudan | 97.8 |
46 | Comoros | 99.1 |
47 | Mauritania | 101.2 |
Africa Avg | 80.07 | |
q=53. |
Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank31 | |
1 | Sri Lanka | 34.9 |
2 | Uruguay | 43.2 |
3 | Switzerland | 45.0 |
... | ||
128= | Moldova | 92.1 |
129 | S. Africa | 92.2 |
130 | Malta | 92.2 |
131 | Sao Tome & Principe | 92.7 |
132 | Palestine | 92.7 |
133 | Vanuatu | 93.0 |
134 | Mozambique | 93.9 |
135 | Qatar | 94.1 |
World Avg | 84.93 | |
q=199. |
All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.
The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.
For more, see:
With regard to its responsibility towards the environment, Sao Tome & Principe comes 131st in the world. This rank is calculated from 5 data sets. Sao Tome & Principe does better than average for reducing annual meat consumption per person32 (but bad for Africa) and in energy to GDP efficiency33 (but bad for Africa). Sao Tome & Principe does worse than average in terms of its environmental performance34 (still good for Africa) and in its forested percent change 2000-202035. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 for its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment.Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better35 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total35 | |
1 | Guernsey | 82.6% |
2 | Bahrain | 75.2% |
3 | Iceland | 64.7% |
... | ||
197 | Brazil | -10.1% |
198 | Guinea | -11.0% |
199 | Mozambique | -11.1% |
200 | Sao Tome & Principe | -11.1% |
201 | Mayotte | -11.6% |
202 | Congo, DR | -12.7% |
203 | Belize | -12.9% |
204 | Nigeria | -13.6% |
Africa Avg | -8.7% | |
World Avg | -0.1% | |
q=234. |
From 2010 to 2020, Sao Tome and Principe destroyed 11% of its forest cover, falling from 58 thousand hectares to 52.
Environmental Performance Higher is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201834 | |
1 | Switzerland | 87.4 |
2 | France | 84.0 |
3 | Denmark | 81.6 |
... | ||
101 | Kazakhstan | 54.6 |
102 | Samoa | 54.5 |
103 | Suriname | 54.2 |
104 | Sao Tome & Principe | 54.0 |
105 | Paraguay | 53.9 |
106 | El Salvador | 53.9 |
107 | Fiji | 53.1 |
108 | Turkey | 53.0 |
Africa Avg | 46.4 | |
World Avg | 56.4 | |
q=180. |
Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Avg33 | |
1 | Rwanda | 0.25 |
2 | Chad | 0.26 |
3 | Tanzania | 0.31 |
... | ||
56 | Morocco | 0.86 |
57 | Turkey | 0.86 |
58 | Senegal | 0.87 |
59 | Sao Tome & Principe | 0.88 |
60 | Germany | 0.91 |
61 | Palestine | 0.91 |
62 | Cyprus | 0.92 |
63 | Tunisia | 0.93 |
Africa Avg | 0.83 | |
World Avg | 1.23 | |
q=165. |
International Accords on the Environment Higher is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Avg Rate | |
1 | Sweden | 83% |
2 | Canada | 82% |
3 | Norway | 81% |
... | ||
181 | Grenada | 41% |
182 | Afghanistan | 41% |
183 | Tuvalu | 40% |
184 | Sao Tome & Principe | 40% |
185 | Brunei | 39% |
186 | Nauru | 39% |
187 | S. Sudan | 37% |
188 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 36% |
Africa Avg | 56.4% | |
World Avg | 57.5% | |
q=197. |
Meat Consumption Lower is better32 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 kg32 | |
1 | Congo, DR | 03.0 |
2 | Burundi | 03.5 |
3 | Bangladesh | 04.3 |
... | ||
49 | Swaziland | 27.1 |
50 | Malawi | 27.4 |
51 | Tunisia | 27.8 |
52 | Sao Tome & Principe | 28.3 |
53 | Maldives | 28.8 |
54 | Egypt | 29.1 |
55 | Laos | 29.8 |
56 | Botswana | 30.1 |
Africa Avg | 24.9 | |
World Avg | 52.5 | |
q=185. |
#capitalism #corruption #economics #education #health #inequality #life_expectancy #modernity #politics #poverty #social_development #technology #the_internet
Compared to Africa (2020)36 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank36 | |
1 | S. Africa | 56.9 |
2 | Tunisia | 70.8 |
3= | Mauritius | 79.6 |
... | ||
22 | Guinea-Bissau | 124.4 |
23 | Malawi | 125.4 |
24 | Togo | 125.8 |
25 | Sao Tome & Principe | 126.0 |
26 | Ethiopia | 128.3 |
27 | Ivory Coast | 132.4 |
28 | Senegal | 132.6 |
29 | Lesotho | 133.7 |
30 | Angola | 133.8 |
Africa Avg | 120.19 | |
q=53. |
Modernity & Learning (2020)36 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank36 | |
1 | Finland | 7.1 |
2 | Belgium | 12.9 |
3 | Denmark | 13.6 |
... | ||
147 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 125.5 |
148 | Vanuatu | 125.6 |
149 | Togo | 125.8 |
150 | Sao Tome & Principe | 126.0 |
151 | Syria | 126.9 |
152 | Kiribati | 127.3 |
153 | Ethiopia | 128.3 |
154 | Honduras | 132.2 |
World Avg | 86.31 | |
q=190. |
The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark37. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone37. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots38.
“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)39
15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe37, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia37.
For more, see:
Modernity and Education:
In the 2010s, Sao Tome and Principe increased its expected duration of education by over 3 years, one of only five countries to do so in that decade. 40
Secondary Education Higher is better41 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201841 | |
1= | Luxembourg | 100.0% |
1= | Estonia | 100.0% |
1= | Austria | 100.0% |
... | ||
123 | El Salvador | 42.8% |
124 | Namibia | 41.1% |
125 | Syria | 41.0% |
126 | Sao Tome & Principe | 40.8% |
127 | Togo | 40.5% |
128 | Laos | 40.4% |
129 | Algeria | 38.9% |
130 | Guatemala | 37.8% |
Africa Avg | 34.4% | |
World Avg | 63.0% | |
q=169. |
Length of Schooling Higher is better42 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years42 | |
1 | Australia | 21.1 |
2 | New Zealand | 20.3 |
3 | Greece | 20.0 |
... | ||
94 | Macedonia | 13.6 |
95 | Azerbaijan | 13.5 |
96 | Jamaica | 13.4 |
97 | Sao Tome & Principe | 13.4 |
98 | Palestine | 13.4 |
99 | Malaysia | 13.3 |
100 | Dominica | 13.3 |
101 | Andorra | 13.3 |
Africa Avg | 11.0 | |
World Avg | 13.5 | |
q=193. |
Technology and Information:
Internet Users Higher is better43 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201643 | |
1 | Iceland | 100% |
2 | Faroe Islands | 99% |
3 | Norway | 98% |
... | ||
137 | Swaziland | 28% |
138 | Guatemala | 27% |
139 | Sudan | 26% |
140 | Sao Tome & Principe | 26% |
141 | Yemen | 25% |
142 | Senegal | 23% |
143 | Angola | 23% |
144 | Ivory Coast | 22% |
Africa Avg | 18.4% | |
World Avg | 48.1% | |
q=201. |
IPv6 Uptake Higher is better44 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Ratio44 | |
1 | Belgium | 55.4 |
2 | Germany | 41.8 |
3 | Switzerland | 35.1 |
... | ||
137= | Nicaragua | 0.0 |
137= | Solomon Islands | 0.0 |
137= | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 0.0 |
137= | Sao Tome & Principe | 0.0 |
137= | Kiribati | 0.0 |
137= | Ivory Coast | 0.0 |
137= | Mauritania | 0.0 |
137= | Iraq | 0.0 |
Africa Avg | 0.04 | |
World Avg | 3.82 | |
q=176. |
National Culture:
Corruption Higher is better45 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Points45 | |
1 | Denmark | 90.0 |
2= | Finland | 87.0 |
2= | New Zealand | 87.0 |
... | ||
63 | Armenia | 46.0 |
64= | Romania | 46.0 |
65 | China | 45.0 |
66= | Sao Tome & Principe | 45.0 |
66= | Montenegro | 45.0 |
66= | Cuba | 45.0 |
69 | Jamaica | 44.0 |
70= | Oman | 44.0 |
Africa Avg | 32.31 | |
World Avg | 42.98 | |
q=180. |
Economic Inequality and Poverty:
Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better46 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201946 | |
1 | Iceland | 2.40 |
2= | Singapore | 2.50 |
2= | Hong Kong | 2.50 |
... | ||
118 | Micronesia | 16.10 |
119 | Tajikistan | 16.70 |
120= | Dominican Rep. | 17.00 |
120= | Sao Tome & Principe | 17.00 |
122 | Bhutan | 17.10 |
123= | Venezuela | 17.10 |
124 | Bangladesh | 17.30 |
125 | Nepal | 17.50 |
Africa Avg | 26.10 | |
World Avg | 14.59 | |
q=184. |
Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better47 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 %47 | |
1 | Slovakia | 24.1%48 |
2 | Slovenia | 24.3%48 |
3 | Belarus | 24.4%49 |
... | ||
121 | Tanzania | 40.5%50 |
122 | Uruguay | 40.6%51 |
123= | Argentina | 40.7%51 |
123= | Sao Tome & Principe | 40.7%52 |
123= | Philippines | 40.7%48 |
123= | Malaysia | 40.7%48 |
127 | Bolivia | 40.9%48 |
128 | Haiti | 41.1%53 |
Africa Avg | 40.7% | |
World Avg | 36.5% | |
q=167. |
Income inequality data is rarely available for Sao Tome and Principe - only for 3 years between 1980 and 2019.
Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better54 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 Severity54 | |
1 | Armenia | .001 |
2 | Ukraine | .001 |
3 | Serbia | .001 |
... | ||
46 | Swaziland | .081 |
47 | Morocco | .085 |
48 | Honduras | .090 |
49 | Sao Tome & Principe | .092 |
50 | Bolivia | .094 |
51 | Laos | .108 |
52 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | .112 |
53 | India | .123 |
Africa Avg | .264 | |
World Avg | .154 | |
q=101. |
#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism
Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below55:
Christian | 82.2% |
Muslim | 0.1% |
Hindu | 0.1% |
Buddhist | 0.1% |
Folk Religion | 2.9% |
Jewish | 0.1% |
Unaffiliated | 12.6% |
The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)56.
Links: