Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services was 3.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe, 1981–2023
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Sao Tome and Principe recorded 3.3% for taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in 2023. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of up 70.3% on the previous year and up 146.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 3.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 2011.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 156th out of 187 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 3.1% | — |
| 2006 | 1.8% | -42.9% |
| 2007 | 1.9% | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 1.7% | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | +51.7% |
| 2010 | 1.7% | -34.2% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | -21.2% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | +44.7% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -15.3% |
| 2020 | 2.2% | +29.9% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | -10.9% |
| 2023 | 3.3% | +70.3% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 3.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.1%, 55% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 3.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.3%, 63% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.0% | 1.7% | 2.6% | 4 |
| 2010s | 1.7% | 1.4% | 2.0% | 4 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 3.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 153 Malaysia 3.4% compare
- 154 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.4% compare
- 155 Indonesia 3.4% compare
- 157 Hong Kong, China 3.3% compare
- 158 Central African Republic 3.2% compare
- 159 Palestine, State of 3.2% 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)
- 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 taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services in Sao Tome and Principe was 3.3% in 2023, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 2011.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 156th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 146.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Taxes on income vs. taxes on goods and services. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total taxes on income (individual and corporate) vs. total taxes on goods and services (including VAT and sales taxes), as a share of GDP.