Female employment rate in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Female employment rate was 20.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate in Sao Tome and Principe, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sao Tome and Principe recorded 20.6% for female employment rate in 2025.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 21.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 17.2%, in 2002.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 172nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Female employment rate in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 17.9% | — |
| 1992 | 17.9% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 17.9% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 18.0% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 18.1% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 18.1% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 18.2% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 18.4% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 18.5% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 18.7% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 17.4% | -6.8% |
| 2002 | 17.2% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 17.4% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 17.7% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 17.5% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 17.5% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 17.7% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 18.0% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 18.1% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 18.4% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 18.6% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 18.9% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 19.3% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 19.7% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 20.0% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 20.5% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 20.9% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 21.1% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 21.2% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 20.5% | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 20.8% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 20.9% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 20.8% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 20.7% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 20.6% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.1% | 17.9% | 18.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 17.7% | 17.2% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.8% | 18.4% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.7% | 20.5% | 20.9% | 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 employment rate in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Female employment rate in Sao Tome and Principe was 20.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 21.2% in 2019.
- What is the lowest female employment rate recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.2% in 2002.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for female employment rate?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 172nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. 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 employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.