Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 45.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sao Tome and Principe, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 45.5%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 75.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 45.5%, in 2024.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 19th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 75.0% | — |
| 2001 | 73.7% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 72.2% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 70.8% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 69.4% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 68.0% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 66.6% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 65.2% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 63.7% | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 62.3% | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 60.9% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 59.5% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 58.1% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 56.7% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 55.3% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 54.0% | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 52.6% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 51.2% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 49.9% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 48.5% | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 47.2% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 45.8% | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 45.7% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 45.6% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 45.5% | -0.2% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 45.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 26.4%, 1.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 45.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 68.7% | 62.3% | 75.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.7% | 48.5% | 60.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.0% | 45.5% | 47.2% | 5 |
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 share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sao Tome and Principe was 45.5% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 75.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.5% in 2024.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 19th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.