Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 40.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sao Tome and Principe, 1970–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 40.5%.
The figure is up 53.9% on the previous year and down 30.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 68.8% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 1983.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 70th out of 201 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 22.6% | — |
| 1973 | 16.8% | -25.7% |
| 1974 | 14.7% | -12.4% |
| 1975 | 17.0% | +15.4% |
| 1976 | 15.2% | -10.5% |
| 1977 | 23.2% | +52.6% |
| 1981 | 21.4% | -7.4% |
| 1982 | 22.0% | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 8.3% | -62.2% |
| 1984 | 10.6% | +26.7% |
| 1985 | 14.1% | +33.9% |
| 1986 | 9.4% | -33.8% |
| 1987 | 12.2% | +30.8% |
| 1988 | 37.2% | +204.0% |
| 1989 | 41.3% | +10.9% |
| 1990 | 37.9% | -8.2% |
| 1991 | 31.1% | -18.0% |
| 1992 | 35.7% | +14.9% |
| 1993 | 31.3% | -12.3% |
| 1994 | 40.1% | +27.9% |
| 1995 | 41.0% | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 25.6% | -37.5% |
| 1997 | 44.9% | +75.3% |
| 1998 | 67.0% | +49.1% |
| 1999 | 68.8% | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 39.0% | -43.3% |
| 2001 | 37.4% | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 40.0% | +9.7% |
| 2004 | 35.9% | -10.2% |
| 2005 | 36.5% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 49.3% | +35.3% |
| 2007 | 53.1% | +7.7% |
| 2008 | 60.0% | +13.0% |
| 2009 | 50.6% | -15.6% |
| 2010 | 58.6% | +15.7% |
| 2011 | 59.0% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 61.6% | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 56.9% | -7.5% |
| 2014 | 57.9% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 54.6% | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 47.8% | -12.3% |
| 2017 | 46.8% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 38.6% | -17.5% |
| 2019 | 35.8% | -7.5% |
| 2020 | 29.3% | -18.0% |
| 2021 | 32.0% | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 35.6% | +11.2% |
| 2023 | 26.3% | -26.0% |
| 2024 | 40.5% | +53.9% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 40.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 30.3%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 40.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.2%, 1.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Value of imported goods as a share of GDP 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +204.0% | 12.2% | 37.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.2% | 14.7% | 23.2% | 6 |
| 1980s | 19.6% | 8.3% | 41.3% | 9 |
| 1990s | 42.3% | 25.6% | 68.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.8% | 35.9% | 60.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.8% | 35.8% | 61.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.7% | 26.3% | 40.5% | 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 value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe was 40.5% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 68.8% in 1999.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 1983.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 70th out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Value of a country’s total goods imports, including freight and insurance costs, as a percentage of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP).