Share of the population using the Internet in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Share of the population using the Internet was 59.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Sao Tome and Principe, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population using the internet in Sao Tome and Principe is 59.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 142.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 59.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
That places Sao Tome and Principe 151st out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1998 | 0.3% | — |
| 1999 | 0.4% | +22.6% |
| 2000 | 4.6% | +1177.8% |
| 2001 | 6.3% | +36.1% |
| 2002 | 7.6% | +20.1% |
| 2003 | 10.2% | +34.0% |
| 2004 | 13.3% | +31.1% |
| 2005 | 13.8% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 14.2% | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 14.6% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 15.5% | +6.1% |
| 2009 | 16.4% | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 18.8% | +14.3% |
| 2011 | 20.2% | +7.5% |
| 2012 | 21.6% | +7.0% |
| 2013 | 23.0% | +6.6% |
| 2014 | 24.4% | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 25.8% | +5.8% |
| 2016 | 28.0% | +8.4% |
| 2017 | 32.6% | +16.5% |
| 2018 | 38.0% | +16.5% |
| 2019 | 44.3% | +16.5% |
| 2020 | 51.6% | +16.5% |
| 2021 | 54.9% | +6.6% |
| 2022 | 58.6% | +6.6% |
| 2023 | 58.7% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 59.1% | +0.7% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 59.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 55.8%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 59.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.5%, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet in Sao Tome and Principe changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +1177.8% | 0.4% | 4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 3 |
| 2000s | 11.6% | 4.6% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.7% | 18.8% | 44.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.6% | 51.6% | 59.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More science & technology data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 62.44 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.6244 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 147,061 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 152.6 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -1.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.385 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 5 (2023)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 5 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population using the internet in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Share of the population using the internet in Sao Tome and Principe was 59.1% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 59.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 151st out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 142.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.