Forest area (sq. km) in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Forest area (sq. km) was 552.8 sq. km in 2025. ▼ Falling
Forest area in Sao Tome and Principe, 1990–2025
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest area in Sao Tome and Principe is 552.8 sq. km, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 590.7 sq. km in 1990 and was at its lowest, 550.3 sq. km, in 2015.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 166th of 214 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Forest area (sq. km) in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 590.7 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 590.2 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 589.6 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 589.1 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 588.6 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 588.1 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 587.5 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 587 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 586.5 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 585.9 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 585.4 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 584.9 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 584.3 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 583.8 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 583.2 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 582.7 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 582.2 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 581.6 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 581.1 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 580.5 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 580 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 574.1 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 568.1 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 562.2 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 556.2 sq. km | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 550.3 sq. km | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 550.5 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 550.8 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 551 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 551.3 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 551.5 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 551.8 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 552 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 552.3 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 552.5 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 552.8 sq. km | +0.1% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 552.8 sq. km is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 37,741 sq. km, 1% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 552.8 sq. km is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 43,718 sq. km, 1% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 588.32 sq. km | 585.9 sq. km | 590.7 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 582.97 sq. km | 580.5 sq. km | 585.4 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 559.45 sq. km | 550.3 sq. km | 580 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 552.15 sq. km | 551.5 sq. km | 552.8 sq. km | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More agriculture & rural data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.7042 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1786 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.6726 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.1869 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Forest area in Sao Tome and Principe was 552.8 sq. km in 2025, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 590.7 sq. km in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 550.3 sq. km in 2015.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for forest area?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 166th out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Forest area (sq. km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Forest area is land under natural or planted stands of trees of at least 5 meters in situ, whether productive or not, and excludes tree stands in agricultural production systems (for example, in fruit plantations and agroforestry systems) and trees in urban parks and gardens.