Agricultural land in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Agricultural land was 44.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Agricultural land in Sao Tome and Principe, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural land in Sao Tome and Principe is 44.8%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 44.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 28.1%, in 1997.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 79th out of 210 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 36.5% | — |
| 1962 | 36.5% | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 36.5% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 36.5% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 37.5% | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 37.5% | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 37.5% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 37.5% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 37.5% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 37.5% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 38.5% | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 34.4% | -10.8% |
| 1983 | 35.4% | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 30.2% | -14.7% |
| 1985 | 31.2% | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 31.2% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 31.2% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 32.3% | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 31.2% | -3.2% |
| 1990 | 30.2% | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 31.2% | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 31.2% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 31.2% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 32.3% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 29.2% | -9.7% |
| 1996 | 29.2% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 28.1% | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 32.3% | +14.8% |
| 1999 | 36.5% | +12.9% |
| 2000 | 37.5% | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 37.5% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 37.5% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 37.5% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 36.5% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 35.4% | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 35.4% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 35.4% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 35.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 35.4% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 34.4% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 35.4% | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 36.5% | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 36.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 38.5% | +5.7% |
| 2015 | 38.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 41.7% | +8.1% |
| 2017 | 42.7% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 43.8% | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 43.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 43.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 44.8% | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 44.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 44.8% | +0.0% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 44.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 44.6%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 44.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.4%, 97% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 37.0% | 36.5% | 37.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 38.4% | 37.5% | 38.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.4% | 30.2% | 38.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.1% | 28.1% | 36.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.4% | 35.4% | 37.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.2% | 34.4% | 43.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.5% | 43.8% | 44.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More agriculture & rural data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 16.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1219 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 497.9 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3083 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 12.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 12.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.1% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Agricultural land in Sao Tome and Principe was 44.8% in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest agricultural land recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 44.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.1% in 1997.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for agricultural land?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 79th out of 210 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Agricultural land (% of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.