Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 15.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sao Tome and Principe, 1976–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 15.7%. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 29.7% on the previous year and up 323.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 15.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2002.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 124th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 13.1% | — |
| 1977 | 6.7% | -49.1% |
| 1982 | 1.5% | -77.3% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | +66.9% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | +7.8% |
| 1987 | 7.4% | +171.4% |
| 1988 | 1.3% | -82.4% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | -60.7% |
| 1990 | 0.5% | +6.2% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | +252.1% |
| 1992 | 3.7% | +93.2% |
| 1993 | 3.3% | -10.1% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | -63.7% |
| 1995 | 8.2% | +578.5% |
| 1996 | 4.4% | -45.9% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | -41.6% |
| 1998 | 1.1% | -56.0% |
| 1999 | 1.7% | +47.1% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -84.4% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 0.0% | -97.1% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +5376.1% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | +336.8% |
| 2005 | 5.3% | +190.5% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | -47.1% |
| 2007 | 3.3% | +18.4% |
| 2008 | 5.0% | +51.3% |
| 2009 | 13.2% | +163.1% |
| 2010 | 4.1% | -69.3% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | +94.0% |
| 2012 | 6.3% | -20.3% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | -40.9% |
| 2014 | 4.6% | +22.9% |
| 2015 | 6.3% | +37.9% |
| 2016 | 8.1% | +29.4% |
| 2017 | 10.0% | +22.7% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | +20.1% |
| 2019 | 12.0% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 13.5% | +12.1% |
| 2021 | 14.5% | +7.7% |
| 2022 | 12.1% | -16.5% |
| 2023 | 15.7% | +29.7% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 15.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 29.9%, 53% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 15.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.0%, 48% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +5376.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| 1995 | +578.5% | 1.2% | 8.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.9% | 6.7% | 13.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 2.7% | 0.5% | 7.4% | 6 |
| 1990s | 2.9% | 0.5% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.2% | 0.0% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.5% | 3.7% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.9% | 12.1% | 15.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
- 121 Jamaica 16.3% compare
- 122 North Macedonia 15.9% compare
- 123 Czechia 15.8% compare
- 125 Cape Verde 15.5% compare
- 126 Portugal 15.5% compare
- 127 Bosnia and Herzegovina 15.5% compare
More private sector data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Merchandise trade 22.5% (2025)
- Food imports 31.8% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 37.1% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 183.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 98.2% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 1.5% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 38.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 158.17 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0387 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 31.03 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sao Tome and Principe was 15.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 15.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2002.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 124th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 323.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from other low- and middle-income economies in other World Bank regions according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.