Economic Indicator
2020(a) | 2021(a) | 2022(b) | 2023(b) | |
Population (thousand) | 218 | 223 | 227 | 232 |
GDP (US$ million) | 477 | 518 | 506 | 534 |
Real GDP Growth Rate (%) | 3.0 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 2.6 |
Total Export of Goods (US$ million) | 23.8 | 20.9 | 18.9 | 23.8 |
Total Import of Goods (US$ million) | 138.1 | 166.3 | 173.3 | 179.0 |
Total Export of Services (US$ million) | 35.4 | 54.5 | 62.8(c) | 67.2(c) |
Total Import of Services (US$ million) | 43.4 | 49.1 | 59.6(c) | 69.6(c) |
Consumer Price Index (%) | 9.8 | 8.1 | 15.0 | 11.2 |
Current Account Balance (US$ million) | -53 | -59- | -70 | -59 |
Exchange Rate (São Tomé and Príncipe dobra STD: US dollars USD, Period Average) | 21.5 | 20.7 | 23.3(c) | 23.3(c) |
Remarks: (a) actual value; (b) estimated value of International Monetary Fund (IMF); (c) estimated value of Oxford Economics
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF), Oxford Economics “Country Economic Forecast – São Tomé and Príncipe (Sep 2022)”
Main export and import goods destinations
Main export destinations (2021) | Proportion in total value of exports goods (%) |
The Netherlands | 41.4 |
Belgium | 19.6 |
Portugal | 12.0 |
Germany | 8.3 |
Others | 18.7 |
Main source of import (2021) | Proportion in total value of imports goods (%) |
Portugal | 49.3 |
Angola | 12.0 |
Togo | 9.4 |
China | 7.2 |
Others | 22.1 |
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Main export and import goods
Major export goods (2021) | Proportion in total value of exports goods (%) |
Cocoa and cocoa products | 60.5 |
Animal or vegetable fats and oil and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes | 32.9 |
Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts | 2.4 |
Others | 4.2 |
Major import goods (2021) | Proportion in total value of imports goods (%) |
Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes | 19.6 |
Drinks, wine and vinegar | 8.0 |
Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles | 6.7 |
Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock and parts | 6.1 |
Others | 59.6 |
Source: International Trade Center (ITC)
Statistics on Trade in Services
Main Exports Services (2021) | Proportion in total value of exports services (%) |
Tourism | 54.4 |
Government goods and services n.i.e. | 33.3 |
Telecommunications, computer and information services | 3.5 |
Other | 8.8 |
Main Imports Services (2021) | Proportion in total value of imports services (%) |
Transport | 44.0 |
Other business service | 18.0 |
Government goods and services n.i.e. | 6.0 |
Other | 32.0 |
Remarks：The above content is the estimated data of UNCTAD, WTO and ITC.
Source: International Trade Centre
Statistics on the trade in goods between Mainland China and São Tomé and Príncipe (US$ ten thousands)
Year | Total trade | Total exports value* | Total imports value ** |
2022 | 1,543.8 | 1,528.8 | 1.5 |
2021 | 1,507.7 | 1,494.5 | 13.3 |
2020 | 2,033.2 | 2,028.6 | 4.7 |
2019 | 893.4 | 892.1 | 1.4 |
2018 | 730.5 | 725.5 | 5 |
Remarks: * Value of goods exported to São Tomé and Príncipe from Mainland China; **Value of goods imported from São Tomé and Príncipe to Mainland China
Source of Data: General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China
Statistics on the Trade of Goods between the Macao SAR and São Tomé and Príncipe (US$) (USD 1 » MOP 8)
Year | Total Trade | Total Exports* | Total Imports** |
2022 | 740 | – | 740 |
Remarks: *Value of goods exported to São Tomé and Príncipe from Macao; **Value of goods imported from São Tomé and Príncipe to Macao.
Source of Data: Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), Macao SAR Government
Source of Data:
- People’s Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China
- Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
- “2021 Statistical Bulletin of China’s Outward Foreign Direct Investment” by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, National Bureau of Statistics and State Administration of Foreign Exchange
- SinoMaps Press
- Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), Macao SAR Government
- International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- International Trade Center (ITC)
- “2022 World Investment Report” by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
- “Country Economic Forecast – São Tomé and Príncipe (Sep 2022)” by Oxford Economics
Updated in June 2023.
