Number of airline passengers per year in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Number of airline passengers per year was 38,767 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of airline passengers per year in Sao Tome and Principe, 1985–2023
Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of airline passengers per year in Sao Tome and Principe is 38,767, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and down 23.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of airline passengers per year in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 51,921 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 9,000, in 1986.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 159th of 183 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Number of airline passengers per year in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 9,500 | — |
| 1986 | 9,000 | -5.3% |
| 1987 | 22,000 | +144.4% |
| 1988 | 22,000 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 22,300 | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 22,300 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 22,300 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 22,300 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 22,300 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 22,300 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 22,300 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 23,000 | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 24,600 | +7.0% |
| 1998 | 24,500 | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 33,500 | +36.7% |
| 2000 | 35,054 | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 35,054 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 34,496 | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 35,680 | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 40,076 | +12.3% |
| 2005 | 43,282 | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 47,585 | +9.9% |
| 2007 | 50,440 | +6.0% |
| 2008 | 51,921 | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 50,716 | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 36,660 | -27.7% |
| 2019 | 41,933 | +14.4% |
| 2020 | 20,703 | -50.6% |
| 2021 | 28,019 | +35.3% |
| 2022 | 38,672 | +38.0% |
| 2023 | 38,767 | +0.2% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 38,767 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 690,677, 6% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 38,767 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 109,542, 35% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of airline passengers per year 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +144.4% | 9,000 | 22,000 |
| 2020 | -50.6% | 41,933 | 20,703 |
| 2022 | +38.0% | 28,019 | 38,672 |
| 1999 | +36.7% | 24,500 | 33,500 |
| 2021 | +35.3% | 20,703 | 28,019 |
| 2018 | -27.7% | 50,716 | 36,660 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16,960 | 9,000 | 22,300 | 5 |
| 1990s | 23,940 | 22,300 | 33,500 | 10 |
| 2000s | 42,430 | 34,496 | 51,921 | 10 |
| 2010s | 39,296 | 36,660 | 41,933 | 2 |
| 2020s | 31,540 | 20,703 | 38,767 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More reference data data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0038 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.006 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0003 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0126 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.014 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0319 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0601 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0015 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of airline passengers per year in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Number of airline passengers per year in Sao Tome and Principe was 38,767 in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of airline passengers per year recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 51,921 in 2008.
- What is the lowest number of airline passengers per year recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,000 in 1986.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for number of airline passengers per year?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 159th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of airline passengers per year rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of airline passengers per year. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This represents the total rather than unique passenger activity: this means a person who makes multiple trips is counted multiple times.