External balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: External balance on goods and services was -20.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
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 % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe is -20.0%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 52.4% on the previous year and up 55.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at -13.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, -64.0%, in 2011.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 156th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
External balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | -54.2% | — |
| 2009 | -53.7% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | -63.1% | +17.4% |
| 2011 | -64.0% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | -61.5% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | -51.2% | -16.7% |
| 2014 | -56.7% | +10.7% |
| 2015 | -45.2% | -20.2% |
| 2016 | -36.5% | -19.2% |
| 2017 | -38.7% | +5.9% |
| 2018 | -37.1% | -4.0% |
| 2019 | -34.1% | -8.1% |
| 2020 | -27.4% | -19.6% |
| 2021 | -27.7% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | -25.6% | -7.5% |
| 2023 | -18.5% | -27.9% |
| 2024 | -13.2% | -28.8% |
| 2025 | -20.0% | +52.4% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's -20.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -9.2%, 2.2× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's -20.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -6.9%, 2.9× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | -53.9% | -54.2% | -53.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | -48.8% | -64.0% | -34.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | -22.1% | -27.7% | -13.2% | 6 |
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 external balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe?
- External balance on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe was -20.0% 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 -13.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was -64.0% in 2011.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 156th out of 193 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 up 55.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 (% of GDP). 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 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.