Female labor force participation rate in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Female labor force participation rate was 22.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in Sao Tome and Principe, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sao Tome and Principe recorded 22.7% for female labor force participation rate in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 23.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 21.7%, in 1992.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 171st of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 21.7% | — |
| 1991 | 21.7% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 21.7% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 21.7% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 21.7% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 21.8% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 21.9% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 22.0% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 22.1% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 22.3% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 22.5% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 22.6% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 22.7% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 22.7% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 22.7% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 22.7% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 22.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 22.7% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 22.7% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 22.7% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 22.7% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 22.8% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 22.8% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 22.7% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 22.7% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 22.8% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 22.8% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 23.0% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 23.1% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 23.2% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 22.6% | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 22.9% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 23.0% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 22.9% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 22.8% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 22.7% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.9% | 21.7% | 22.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.7% | 22.5% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.9% | 22.7% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.8% | 22.6% | 23.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More work & labour data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2544 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.2707 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2382 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0643 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.73 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 323.75 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 56 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 271.01 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 263 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 534.01 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Female labor force participation rate in Sao Tome and Principe was 22.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 23.2% in 2019.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.7% in 1992.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 171st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).