Female share of the labor force in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Female share of the labor force was 49.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female share of the labor force in Sao Tome and Principe, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female share of the labor force in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 49.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female share of the labor force in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 49.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 44.5%, in 1990.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 16th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female share of the labor force in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 44.5% | — |
| 1991 | 44.5% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 44.6% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 44.8% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 45.0% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 45.4% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 45.8% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 46.4% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 47.0% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 47.6% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 48.0% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 48.1% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 48.1% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 48.2% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 48.1% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 48.1% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 48.0% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 47.9% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 47.8% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 47.8% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 47.9% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 47.8% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 47.7% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 47.7% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 47.8% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 48.0% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 48.4% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 48.9% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 49.4% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 49.7% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 49.5% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 49.4% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 49.4% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 45.3% | 44.5% | 47.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.0% | 47.6% | 48.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.1% | 47.7% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.4% | 49.3% | 49.7% | 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 share of the labor force in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Female share of the labor force in Sao Tome and Principe was 49.4% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female share of the labor force recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 49.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest female share of the labor force recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.5% in 1990.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for female share of the labor force?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 16th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female share of the labor force rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female share of the labor force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population economically active (employed or unemployed) who are female.