Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita was 11.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in Sao Tome and Principe, 1980–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in Sao Tome and Principe is 11.5%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.1% on the previous year and down 39.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 19.0% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1996.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 149th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 15.1% | — |
| 1981 | 9.9% | -34.4% |
| 1982 | 15.1% | +51.9% |
| 1983 | 9.9% | -34.2% |
| 1984 | 11.8% | +18.7% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | -4.3% |
| 1986 | 8.0% | -29.0% |
| 1987 | 6.1% | -24.0% |
| 1988 | 8.1% | +33.8% |
| 1989 | 6.1% | -24.5% |
| 1990 | 4.5% | -26.9% |
| 1991 | 5.4% | +19.8% |
| 1992 | 6.3% | +17.8% |
| 1993 | 4.9% | -22.7% |
| 1994 | 3.8% | -22.1% |
| 1995 | 4.2% | +11.2% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | -30.1% |
| 1997 | 5.1% | +70.3% |
| 1998 | 7.3% | +44.9% |
| 1999 | 9.8% | +33.3% |
| 2000 | 9.7% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 12.1% | +24.6% |
| 2002 | 12.9% | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 12.5% | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 13.8% | +10.8% |
| 2005 | 13.4% | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 15.3% | +14.3% |
| 2007 | 16.0% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 14.9% | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 15.2% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 17.7% | +16.8% |
| 2011 | 17.7% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 16.0% | -9.4% |
| 2013 | 19.0% | +18.6% |
| 2014 | 13.6% | -28.1% |
| 2015 | 14.3% | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 12.3% | -13.8% |
| 2017 | 12.7% | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 13.7% | +7.8% |
| 2019 | 12.7% | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 13.2% | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 12.1% | -8.1% |
| 2022 | 10.6% | -12.3% |
| 2023 | 11.5% | +8.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.1% | 6.1% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.4% | 3.0% | 9.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.6% | 9.7% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.0% | 12.3% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.8% | 10.6% | 13.2% | 4 |
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 tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in Sao Tome and Principe was 11.5% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 19.0% in 2013.
- What is the lowest tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1996.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 149th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tax revenue as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Taxes include direct and indirect taxes as well as social contributions. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.