Youth unemployment rate in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Youth unemployment rate was 8.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Youth unemployment 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 8.8% for youth unemployment rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.7% on the previous year and down 31.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth unemployment rate in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 24.3% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 2018.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 130th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Youth unemployment rate in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 19.9% | — |
| 1992 | 20.1% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 19.9% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 19.8% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 19.7% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 19.6% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 19.7% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 19.7% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 19.6% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 19.6% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 21.6% | +10.0% |
| 2002 | 24.3% | +12.2% |
| 2003 | 22.7% | -6.3% |
| 2004 | 22.5% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 23.1% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 23.5% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 22.7% | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 21.9% | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 21.5% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 20.8% | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 20.3% | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 19.4% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | -11.9% |
| 2014 | 14.9% | -13.1% |
| 2015 | 12.8% | -13.8% |
| 2016 | 10.6% | -17.1% |
| 2017 | 8.4% | -20.9% |
| 2018 | 8.3% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 8.4% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 9.4% | +12.1% |
| 2021 | 9.1% | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 8.5% | -6.6% |
| 2023 | 8.5% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 8.6% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 8.8% | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.8% | 19.6% | 20.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 22.3% | 19.6% | 24.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.1% | 8.3% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.8% | 8.5% | 9.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 127 Switzerland 9.0% compare
- 128 Hong Kong, China 9.0% compare
- 129 Netherlands 8.8% compare
- 131 Comoros 8.8% compare
- 132 Iceland 8.7% compare
- 133 Honduras 8.5% compare
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 youth unemployment rate in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Youth unemployment rate in Sao Tome and Principe was 8.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest youth unemployment rate recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 24.3% in 2002.
- What is the lowest youth unemployment rate recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 2018.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for youth unemployment rate?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 130th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is youth unemployment rate rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Youth unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the labor force aged 15-24 without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.