Literacy rate vs. average years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome and Principe: Literacy rate vs. average years of schooling was 87.4% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
87.4%
World rank
80th
of 128 countries
All-time high
90.1%
in 2012
All-time low
17.5%
in 1950
Years of data
6
1950–2019

Literacy rate vs. average years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe, 1950–2019

204060801001950198420191950: 17.5 %1981: 57.3 %1991: 73.2 %2001: 84.9 %2012: 90.1 %2019: 87.4 %

Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Sao Tome and Principe recorded 87.4% for literacy rate vs. average years of schooling in 2019.

The figure is down 3.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate vs. average years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 90.1% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 17.5%, in 1950.

That places Sao Tome and Principe 80th out of 128 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

Literacy rate vs. average years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate vs. average years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe, 1950 to 2019.
Year % Change
1950 17.5%
1981 57.3% +227.5%
1991 73.2% +27.8%
2001 84.9% +15.9%
2012 90.1% +6.2%
2019 87.4% -3.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 17.5% 17.5% 17.5% 1
1980s 57.3% 57.3% 57.3% 1
1990s 73.2% 73.2% 73.2% 1
2000s 84.9% 84.9% 84.9% 1
2010s 88.8% 87.4% 90.1% 2

Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe

  1. 77 Vanuatu 88.0% compare
  2. 78 Belize 87.9% compare
  3. 79 Namibia 87.6% compare
  4. 81 Nicaragua 87.3% compare
  5. 82 Honduras 87.1% compare
  6. 83 Papua New Guinea 87.0% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More education data for Sao Tome and Principe

All data for Sao Tome and Principe →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate vs. average years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe?
Literacy rate vs. average years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe was 87.4% in 2019, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest literacy rate vs. average years of schooling recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
The highest recorded value was 90.1% in 2012.
What is the lowest literacy rate vs. average years of schooling recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
The lowest recorded value was 17.5% in 1950.
How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for literacy rate vs. average years of schooling?
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 80th out of 128 countries with data for 2019.
Is literacy rate vs. average years of schooling rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
Over the last ten years it is down 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 UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rate vs. average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate vs. average years of schooling in Sao Tome and Principe. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rates-vs-average-years-of-schooling/sao-tome-and-principe/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate vs. average years of schooling
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
128 places, 1,242 data points, 1475–2023
Last refreshed

Share of adults who can read and write a simple statement about their everyday life.