External balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: External balance on goods and services was -2.57 billion constant LCU in 2025. ▼ Falling
External balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe, 2008–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in constant LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe is -2.57 billion constant LCU, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 30.8% on the previous year and down 23.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at -1.50 billion constant LCU in 2008 and was at its lowest, -2.57 billion constant LCU, in 2025.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 80th of 162 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.
External balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | constant LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | -1.50 billion constant LCU | — |
| 2009 | -1.62 billion constant LCU | +8.3% |
| 2010 | -1.98 billion constant LCU | +22.4% |
| 2011 | -2.20 billion constant LCU | +11.0% |
| 2012 | -2.15 billion constant LCU | -2.2% |
| 2013 | -1.95 billion constant LCU | -9.2% |
| 2014 | -2.42 billion constant LCU | +23.8% |
| 2015 | -2.09 billion constant LCU | -13.8% |
| 2016 | -2.21 billion constant LCU | +5.8% |
| 2017 | -2.34 billion constant LCU | +6.2% |
| 2018 | -2.30 billion constant LCU | -1.7% |
| 2019 | -2.30 billion constant LCU | -0.1% |
| 2020 | -2.09 billion constant LCU | -9.3% |
| 2021 | -2.19 billion constant LCU | +4.6% |
| 2022 | -2.54 billion constant LCU | +16.0% |
| 2023 | -2.10 billion constant LCU | -17.1% |
| 2024 | -1.97 billion constant LCU | -6.5% |
| 2025 | -2.57 billion constant LCU | +30.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | -1.56 billion constant LCU | -1.62 billion constant LCU | -1.50 billion constant LCU | 2 |
| 2010s | -2.20 billion constant LCU | -2.42 billion constant LCU | -1.95 billion constant LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.24 billion constant LCU | -2.57 billion constant LCU | -1.97 billion constant LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 77 Kosovo -2.01 billion constant LCU compare
- 77 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) -2.01 billion constant LCU compare
- 79 Montenegro -2.05 billion constant LCU compare
- 81 South Sudan -2.80 billion constant LCU compare
- 82 Guam -3.30 billion constant LCU compare
- 83 New Zealand -3.69 billion constant LCU compare
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)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 50.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0874 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 357.06 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 42.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 1.9 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 7,745 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 21.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.0478 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe?
- External balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe was -2.57 billion constant LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was -1.50 billion constant LCU in 2008.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.57 billion constant LCU in 2025.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 80th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (constant LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in constant prices, meaning the series has been adjusted to account for price changes over time. The reference year for this adjustment varies by country. This series is expressed in local currency units.