Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP (%) in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP (%) was 22.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP in Sao Tome and Principe, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 22.1%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.5% on the previous year and down 65.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 66.5% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 22.1%, in 2024.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 211th of 220 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP (%) in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 43.3% | — |
| 2001 | 40.8% | -5.8% |
| 2002 | 42.3% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 47.0% | +11.2% |
| 2004 | 40.1% | -14.6% |
| 2005 | 41.8% | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 55.3% | +32.5% |
| 2007 | 57.7% | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 66.5% | +15.3% |
| 2009 | 55.3% | -16.8% |
| 2010 | 64.7% | +17.0% |
| 2011 | 64.0% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 61.8% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 63.8% | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 58.8% | -7.8% |
| 2016 | 52.3% | -11.0% |
| 2017 | 50.3% | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 42.7% | -15.0% |
| 2019 | 39.0% | -8.8% |
| 2020 | 32.3% | -17.3% |
| 2021 | 35.7% | +10.6% |
| 2022 | 40.3% | +13.0% |
| 2023 | 30.1% | -25.3% |
| 2024 | 22.1% | -26.5% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 22.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 56.4%, 39% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 22.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 43.1%, 51% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 49.0% | 40.1% | 66.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.1% | 39.0% | 64.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.1% | 22.1% | 40.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 208 Central African Republic 23.8% compare
- 209 Kenya 23.5% compare
- 210 Niger 22.6% compare
- 212 Argentina 22.0% compare
- 213 Afghanistan 21.4% compare
- 214 United States 18.9% compare
More economy & growth data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 198.39 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 94.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0073 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 29.83 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 85.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0053 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 21.78 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp in Sao Tome and Principe was 22.1% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 66.5% in 2008.
- What is the lowest merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.1% in 2024.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 211th out of 220 countries with data for 2024.
- Is merchandise trade as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 65.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Merchandise trade as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).