Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 18.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
18.1%
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
31st
of 197 countries
All-time high
20.6%
in 2009
All-time low
5.9%
in 2004
Years of data
23
2002–2024
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sao Tome and Principe, 2002–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
In 2024, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 18.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and up 46.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 20.6% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 5.9%, in 2004.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 31st of 197 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 6.6% | — |
| 2003 | 6.7% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 5.9% | -12.5% |
| 2005 | 12.1% | +107.1% |
| 2006 | 14.1% | +16.2% |
| 2007 | 16.7% | +18.3% |
| 2008 | 18.2% | +9.6% |
| 2009 | 20.6% | +12.7% |
| 2010 | 19.3% | -6.0% |
| 2011 | 11.4% | -41.1% |
| 2012 | 13.7% | +20.6% |
| 2013 | 18.8% | +37.2% |
| 2014 | 12.3% | -34.5% |
| 2015 | 11.3% | -8.3% |
| 2016 | 16.0% | +41.3% |
| 2017 | 18.4% | +15.2% |
| 2018 | 20.1% | +9.3% |
| 2019 | 17.6% | -12.5% |
| 2020 | 16.1% | -8.3% |
| 2021 | 16.6% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 17.1% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | +7.4% |
| 2024 | 18.1% | -1.4% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 18.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.3%, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 18.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.2%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.6% | 5.9% | 20.6% | 8 |
| 2010s | 15.9% | 11.3% | 20.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 16.1% | 18.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 28 Iran, Islamic Republic of 18.8% compare
- 29 Micronesia, Federated States of 18.6% compare
- 30 Chile 18.4% compare
- 32 Benin 18.0% compare
- 33 Madagascar 18.0% compare
- 34 Zimbabwe 17.9% compare
More education data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 936 (2016)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 4,544 (2017)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4,458 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4,769 (2016)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25,875 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 37,172 (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.14 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1796 units per person (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Sao Tome and Principe was 18.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 20.6% in 2009.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.9% in 2004.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 31st out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure (%) (UIS calculation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release