Current account balance in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Current account balance was 5.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Current account balance in Sao Tome and Principe, 1974–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for current account balance in Sao Tome and Principe is 5.0%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 66.2% on the previous year and up 114.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current account balance in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 16.5% in 1977 and was at its lowest, -49.7%, in 2008.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 38th out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Current account balance in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 10.0% | — |
| 1975 | -0.2% | -102.4% |
| 1976 | -1.0% | +324.7% |
| 1977 | 16.5% | -1718.3% |
| 1978 | 10.3% | -37.4% |
| 1979 | 13.2% | +28.4% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | -93.7% |
| 1981 | -22.0% | -2758.3% |
| 1982 | -31.1% | +41.2% |
| 1983 | -11.8% | -62.1% |
| 1984 | -14.1% | +19.7% |
| 1985 | -19.3% | +36.8% |
| 1986 | -16.3% | -15.6% |
| 1987 | -11.2% | -31.1% |
| 1988 | -10.9% | -2.8% |
| 1989 | -11.5% | +6.0% |
| 1990 | -10.1% | -12.5% |
| 1997 | -6.9% | -32.1% |
| 1998 | -14.5% | +111.6% |
| 1999 | -22.4% | +54.2% |
| 2000 | -26.4% | +17.9% |
| 2001 | -35.5% | +34.8% |
| 2002 | -31.2% | -12.1% |
| 2003 | -27.8% | -11.1% |
| 2004 | -32.3% | +16.5% |
| 2005 | -26.5% | -17.9% |
| 2006 | -40.4% | +52.2% |
| 2007 | -43.1% | +6.8% |
| 2008 | -49.7% | +15.3% |
| 2009 | -39.3% | -21.1% |
| 2010 | -46.1% | +17.4% |
| 2011 | -46.7% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | -43.1% | -7.7% |
| 2013 | -30.4% | -29.4% |
| 2014 | -35.5% | +16.5% |
| 2015 | -26.4% | -25.5% |
| 2016 | -21.0% | -20.4% |
| 2017 | -22.7% | +8.0% |
| 2018 | -19.6% | -13.8% |
| 2019 | -21.8% | +11.3% |
| 2020 | -12.6% | -42.0% |
| 2021 | -18.2% | +43.6% |
| 2022 | -4.7% | -73.9% |
| 2023 | 3.0% | -163.9% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | +66.2% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 5.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is -1.6%. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 5.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -4.1%. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Current account balance in Sao Tome and Principe changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | -2758.3% | 0.8% | -22.0% |
| 1977 | +1718.3% | -1.0% | 16.5% |
| 1976 | -324.7% | -0.2% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.1% | -1.0% | 16.5% | 6 |
| 1980s | -14.7% | -31.1% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | -13.5% | -22.4% | -6.9% | 4 |
| 2000s | -35.2% | -49.7% | -26.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | -31.3% | -46.7% | -19.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | -5.5% | -18.2% | 5.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More economy & growth data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.41 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.35 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 3.83 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0046 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 16.27 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -16.68 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 35.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0202 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -70.83 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 27.12 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current account balance in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Current account balance in Sao Tome and Principe was 5.0% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest current account balance recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 16.5% in 1977.
- What is the lowest current account balance recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was -49.7% in 2008.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for current account balance?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 38th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is current account balance rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 114.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Current account balance (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Balance of current transactions (transactions in goods and services, earned income and transfer income) between residents and non-residents. The term current account balance is used in the external accounts and is expressed from the perspective of resident units. The term current external balance is used in the national accounts and is expressed from the perspective of the non-resident units, and therefore with the opposite sign. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.