Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome and Principe: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 6.7% in 2017. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2017)
6.7%
World rank
68th
of 185 countries
All-time high
17.6%
in 2002
All-time low
0.3%
in 1984
Years of data
15
1979–2017

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sao Tome and Principe, 1979–2017

051015201979199820171979: 0.61 %1980: 0.57 %1981: 0.7 %1982: 0.56 %1983: 0.48 %1984: 0.34 %2000: 14.4 %2001: 15.7 %2002: 17.6 %2003: 16.4 %2004: 16.1 %2005: 16.5 %2006: 16.6 %2012: 13.6 %2017: 6.7 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sao Tome and Principe is 6.7%, measured in 2017.

That represents a change of down 60.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 17.6% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1984.

That places Sao Tome and Principe 68th out of 185 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 1
1980s 0.5% 0.3% 0.7% 5
2000s 16.2% 14.4% 17.6% 7
2010s 10.1% 6.7% 13.6% 2

Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe

  1. 65 Latvia 6.9% compare
  2. 65 Lithuania 6.9% compare
  3. 67 Canada 6.8% compare
  4. 70 Denmark 6.4% compare
  5. 71 Costa Rica 6.3% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Sao Tome and Principe

All data for Sao Tome and Principe →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sao Tome and Principe?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Sao Tome and Principe was 6.7% in 2017, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
The highest recorded value was 17.6% in 2002.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1984.
How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 68th out of 185 countries with data for 2017.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
Over the last ten years it is down 60.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 5,169 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.