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Sao Tome and Principe vs South Africa

Sao Tome and Principe and South Africa side by side across 202 indicators — each row links to the full 54-country ranking, with sources and the API call behind every figure.

GDP$1.16B vs $479.96BSao Tome and Principe vs South Africa
GDP per Capita$4,739 vs $7,503Sao Tome and Principe vs South Africa
Population240.25K vs 64.75MSao Tome and Principe vs South Africa

Indicator by indicator

202 indicators

Each country shows its latest available year, which can differ by indicator. Rows where the two sides are 5+ years apart are marked ⚠ in the Period column.

Indicator Sao Tome and Principe South AfricaPeriod
GDPEconomy$1.16B$479.96B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$4,739$7,5032026
Inflation RateEconomy9.6%5%2026
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy—7%2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy20.98 LCU/USD16.37 LCU/USD2026-05
Budget BalanceEconomy1%-4.9%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy9.1%32.4%2025
Public DebtEconomy50.4%78.9%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$-196.66M$8.16B2025
GDP GrowthEconomy3.4%1%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$3,800$6,2702025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$6,920$15,6002025
GDP (PPP)Economy$1.53B$1.03T2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy12.2%2.8%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy2.2%24.1%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy0.6%12.3%2025
Services (% of GDP)Economy81.4%63.1%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy8.7%13.9%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$80.14M$1B2024/2025
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy9.7%0.2%2024/2025
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy42.7%44.8%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$58.79M$76.02B2024/2025
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy7.8%89.4%2023/2024
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy—25.9%2024
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy23.3%55.6%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy22.7%49.9%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy40.754.12017/2022 ⚠
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy13%17.4%2017/2022 ⚠
Account OwnershipEconomy—81.1%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy43.8%34.6%2017/2024 ⚠
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy—0.7%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy46.6%60.9%2025
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy11.9%2.8%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$71.9M$2.72B2018/2020
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy33.4K3.89M2018/2020
Current Account BalanceEconomy-4.7%-0.9%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$21.87M$2.47B2024
FDI (% of GDP)Economy2.6%0.6%2024
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy—27.2%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy—33%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy18.5%60.1%2017/2024 ⚠
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy38.451.72024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy1.9%7.3%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0.4%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%3.8%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy11.5%0.4%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$376$242023
Lending Interest RateEconomy17.8%10.7%2024/2025
Real Interest RateEconomy0.1%7.7%2024/2025
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy9%12.9%2024/2025
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$1,919$5,5212021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy12.1%5.4%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy22.5%20.8%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy65.4%73.8%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy35%11.7%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy101%65.8%2025
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy6.4%3.7%2017/2022 ⚠
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy1382024
ATMs per 100,000Economy30.7462024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy-1%-0%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy0.6%5.7%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy30.5%30.2%2017/2022 ⚠
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy70%59.6%2017/2022 ⚠
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$130.16M$134.18B2025
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$326.82M$126.02B2025
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.7540.5532024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.4020.1452024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade4.939.12021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade0%8.2%2022/2025
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade1.5%38.3%2023/2025
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade98.2%12.8%2023/2025
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade29.3%5.7%2023/2024
Exports (% of GDP)Trade13.3%31.4%2025
Imports (% of GDP)Trade33.3%29.5%2025
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.6370.7412023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.4920.3882023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.4780.4762023
PopulationDemographics240.25K64.75M2025
Population GrowthDemographics2%1.1%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics69.9 years66.3 years2024
Median AgeDemographics19.7 years28.9 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics3.62.212024
Rural PopulationDemographics30.8%36.2%2025
Population Under 15Demographics37.5%25.7%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics69.2%63.8%2025
Population DensityDemographics255.2/km²53.6/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics27.717.82026
Death RateDemographics5.459.312026
Net Migration RateDemographics-2.822.012026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics73.9 years69.8 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics66.4 years62.8 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics2.4%1.3%2025
Infant MortalityHealth9.224.22024
HIV PrevalenceHealth—17.2%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health5.8%8.9%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health0.460.792022
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth60742023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth11.724.52021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth19.5%22.7%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth16.7%6.7%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth34.7%73.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth75.4117.62023
Under-Five MortalityHealth13.934.72023
Neonatal MortalityHealth6.7611.72023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth873892024
Measles ImmunizationHealth87%66%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth87%65%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth41.3%22.2%2024
Basic SanitationHealth14%3.6%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth12.1%7.2%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health2.912.252019/2010 ⚠
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth49.7%54.6%2019/2016
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth96.8%96.7%2019/2016
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health2.176.392022
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth85.251.82024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$171$5372023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth59.3%37.2%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth8.3%23.7%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth98.1%93.7%2019/2016
Child StuntingChild Welfare10%24.4%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare4.1%3.6%2019/2017
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare98.6%88.6%2019/2017
Child MarriageChild Welfare28%3.6%2019/2016
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare4.5%11.8%2019/2017
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education5%6%2023/2024
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation12.8%23.5%2015/2023 ⚠
Adult Literacy RateEducation87.4%91.2%2019/2024 ⚠
Youth Literacy RateEducation95.5%97.2%2019/2024 ⚠
Primary Completion RateEducation87.1%97.6%2019/2024 ⚠
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation60%92.5%2019/2024 ⚠
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation97.1%93.9%2017/2023 ⚠
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation91.3%90.4%2015/2023 ⚠
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation81.5%86.9%2015/2023 ⚠
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation8.4%62.2%2014/2024 ⚠
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation27.4%77.9%2017/2002 ⚠
Secondary EnrollmentEducation90.4%104.1%2017/2023 ⚠
UndernourishmentFood Security17.4%10%2023
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture44.8%79.4%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture107.3113.22022
Cassava ProductionAgriculture1.43K t—2024
Coffee ProductionAgriculture7.27 t—2024
Cocoa ProductionAgriculture4K t—2024
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture—98K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture—6.33K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture796.13 t12.85M t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture—3.08K t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture—1.92M t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture2,004 kg/ha4,874 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture—2,912 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture—3,809 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture1.6K head12.1M head2024
Homicide RateGovernance3.243.72011/2022 ⚠
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance45412024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.6320.7432025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.5190.6332025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.2890.5382025
Control of CorruptionGovernance0.18-0.192024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-0.72-0.232024
Rule of LawGovernance-0.350.022024
Political StabilityGovernance0.49-0.622024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-0.89-0.062024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance0.160.612024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian—55.18K2025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian—02025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian—82.36K2025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian—02025
Internet UsersTechnology59.1%78.4%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology62.4179.32024
4G CoverageTechnology96%99.4%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology35.32024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology4.4%1.3%2025
3G CoverageTechnology96%99.9%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology12.5%3.4%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology2.9%1.1%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology—0.6%2022
Electricity AccessInfrastructure77.7%90.2%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure38.77K15.45M2023
Slum PopulationInfrastructure82.4%24.2%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy5.1 MW16.6K MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy1.7 MW11.3K MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy—4.3K MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy1.9 MW751.7 MW2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy42.5%9.7%2022/2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy4.6%89.8%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy—3,247 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy—10.2%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy0 MW14.1 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy75.1%86.3%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy0%8%2023/2025
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy0%4.7%2023/2025
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy11.1%0.8%2023/2025
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy88.9%82.2%2023/2025
Electricity DemandEnergy0.1 TWh237 TWh2023/2025
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy556 gCO₂/kWh699 gCO₂/kWh2023/2025
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy2,601 kWh21,287 kWh2023/2024
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate0.63 t6.88 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate6.1%6.4%2021
Forest AreaClimate52.1%14%2023
Protected AreasClimate0.2%12.9%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate1.9%47.1%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate15.1 µg/m³27.7 µg/m³2023

Get this comparison via API

GET /v1/data

One call returns both countries' latest value for any indicator — JSON, with source metadata.

curl "https://api.africa-api.com/v1/data?metric_key=gdp_current_usd&latest=true&country_codes=ST,ZA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"
Sao Tome and Principe profileSouth Africa profileGet a free API key

Frequently asked questions

Does Sao Tome and Principe or South Africa have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $1.16B for Sao Tome and Principe versus $479.96B for South Africa (GDP, current US$).

How do Sao Tome and Principe and South Africa compare across indicators?

This page compares Sao Tome and Principe and South Africa on 202 indicators — economy, demographics, health, governance and more — each with its latest value, source, and a link to the full 54-country ranking.

How do I get this comparison via the API?

Call GET /v1/data?metric_key=<key>&latest=true&country_codes=ST,ZA with a free Africa API key to get both countries' latest values as JSON.

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