Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
São Tomé and Príncipe: Poverty & Inequality
How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?
São Tomé and Príncipe is placed joint 125th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 40.73 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 3.17 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
joint125th
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place São Tomé and Príncipe on poverty & inequality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 3
Gini Index
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · São Tomé and Príncipe’s is from 2017 · CC BY 4.0
40.73
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
São Tomé and Príncipe: 40.73. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.
- World median
- 33.72
- Best in Middle Africa
- 37.36 Chad
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · São Tomé and Príncipe’s is from 2017 · CC BY 4.0
3.17
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
São Tomé and Príncipe: 3.17. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.
- World median
- 0.345
- Best in Middle Africa
- 1 Gabon
Key 3 of 3
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
51.1
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
São Tomé and Príncipe: 51.1. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Belarus) to 93.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 26.4.
- World median
- 26.4
- Best in Middle Africa
- 39.3 Gabon
02Over time
Which way São Tomé and Príncipe is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) · lower is better
São Tomé and PríncipeWorld median
São Tomé and Príncipe rose from 45 in 2017 to 51.1 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year São Tomé and Príncipe World median 2025 51.1 26.40 2024 49.1 27.10 2023 48.5 27.15 2022 47.1 27.90 2021 45.5 29.65 2020 45.0 31.80 2019 44.4 29.05 2018 44.0 29.85 2017 45.0 32.40
03In context
São Tomé and Príncipe beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.
São Tomé and Príncipe and Middle Africa
São Tomé and Príncipe has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 159; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Gini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality) | Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) | Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietShare of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gabon | 102nd | 38.02 | 1 | 39.3 |
 Equatorial Guinea | 123rd | 38.54 | 1.81 | 63.2 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | =125th | 40.73 | 3.17 | 51.1 |
 Chad | 136th | 37.36 | 12.73 | 66.6 |
 Cameroon | =138th | 42.18 | 8.15 | 55.3 |
 Angola | 152nd | 51.26 | 16.3 | 72.9 |
 Central African Republic | 153rd | 43.03 | 34.4 | 87.6 |
 DR Congo | 157th | 44.67 | 48.69 | 90.1 |
 Republic of the Congo | not placed | — | — | 77.3 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Middle Africa
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 159.
Placed either side on poverty & inequality
The countries immediately above and below São Tomé and Príncipe in the topic’s list.
- Equatorial Guinea123rd
Sierra Leone124th
Niger=125th- São Tomé and Príncipe=125th
Togo127th
Cabo Verde=128th
Nigeria=128th
04Context, no vote
Where São Tomé and Príncipe is ahead of the world, and behind
15 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median2
Statistics on which São Tomé and Príncipe does better than the middle country measured.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.2120.446No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 0.212 · world median 0.446 · Correlation between own and parents' years of schooling, born 1980–89 (0–1). World Bank Group, 2017 edition, data for 2017.
Published values in that edition run from 0.123 to 0.66; lower is better.
Position 149th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.240.25▲ Improved since 2014
São Tomé and Príncipe: 0.24 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Behind the world median10
Statistics on which São Tomé and Príncipe does worse than the middle country measured.
Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.0480.039▼ Worsened since 2018
São Tomé and Príncipe: 0.048 · world median 0.039 · MPI (0–1). Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.517; lower is better.
Position 54th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.3750.529No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 0.375 · world median 0.529 · Adjusted wealth parity index, lower secondary completion (poorest vs richest fifth; 1 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.032 to 1.022; higher is better.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.2622.3221.26No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 22.32 · world median 21.26 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at most 2 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.169 to 63.08; lower is better.
Position 51st of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.5080.413▲ Improved since 2013
São Tomé and Príncipe: 0.508 · world median 0.413 · Exclusion by socio-economic group index (0–1; higher = more exclusion). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.014 to 0.969; lower is better.
Position 69th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.0523.6517.05▼ Worsened since 2013
São Tomé and Príncipe: 23.65 · world median 17.05 · Coefficient of Human Inequality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.865 to 43.08; lower is better.
Position 60th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.4780.609▼ Worsened since 2013
São Tomé and Príncipe: 0.478 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.
Position 115th of 169 · derived.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,8006,02212,800▲ Improved since 2017
São Tomé and Príncipe: 6,022 · world median 12,800 · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 688.7 to 52,654; higher is better.
Position 122nd of 173 · derived.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.113.162.1▼ Worsened since 2014
São Tomé and Príncipe: 13.16 · world median 2.1 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP, World Bank line-up estimate (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 89.54; lower is better.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.25237.954.252No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 37.95 · world median 4.252 · Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.96; lower is better.
Position 39th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour BenefitsWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 18.654.6818.65No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 4.68 · world median 18.65 · Benefits received as a share of beneficiaries' total income or consumption (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.455 to 90.86; higher is better.
No better end3
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.855.521.8No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 55.5 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.554.914.55Moved since 2017
São Tomé and Príncipe: 4.91 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.884.8286.88No earlier reading
São Tomé and Príncipe: 4.828 · world median 6.88 · Population in households spending more than 10% of their budget on health out of pocket (%). World Bank Group, 2019 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 0.133 to 31.21.
No current reading for São Tomé and Príncipe
Gini Index (last 2017), Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID) (last 2017), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings (last 2017), Income Growth of the Poorest 40%, Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2017), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2017), Low Pay Rate, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2017), Palma Ratio (last 2017), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2017), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2017), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2017), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2017), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2017), Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity (last 2022), Prosperity Gap (last 2017), Societal Poverty Rate (last 2017) and Working Poverty Rate. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Poverty & Inequality among São Tomé and Príncipe’s 15 topics
Poverty & Inequality is São Tomé and Príncipe’s 11th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability2nd of 1863/4 keys
- Peace & Security37th of 1773/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 59th of 1933/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 62nd of 1984/4 keys
- Gender & Equality61st of 1833/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 110th of 2003/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 114th of 1984/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 127th of 1944/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture121st of 1843/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 136th of 1963/3 keys
- Poverty & Inequalityjoint 125th of 1593/3 keys
- Economy & Innovation149th of 1762/4 keys
- Work & Labour165th of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technology181st of 1983/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade174th of 1772/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on poverty & inequality
The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders São Tomé and Príncipe can most readily be measured against.
1
BelarusEastern Europe
1st of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
SloveniaSouthern Europe
2nd of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
=3
UkraineEastern Europe
Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Africa
Tunisia43rd3/3 keysHighest in Middle Africa
Gabon102nd3/3 keysThis page
São Tomé and Príncipe=125th3/3 keys
Positions out of 159 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
São Tomé and Príncipe on poverty & inequality: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does São Tomé and Príncipe rank on poverty & inequality?
São Tomé and Príncipe is placed joint 125th of 159 countries on Poverty & Inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Gini Index, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Gini Index figure for São Tomé and Príncipe?
40.73 in 2023 (gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 33.72.
What is the latest Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day figure for São Tomé and Príncipe?
3.17 in 2023 (poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.345.
How have São Tomé and Príncipe’s poverty & inequality figures changed?
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet rose from 45 in 2017 to 51.1 in 2025.
Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for São Tomé and Príncipe?
No current reading is published for São Tomé and Príncipe on Gini Index, Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Income Growth of the Poorest 40%, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Low Pay Rate, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person, Palma Ratio, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity, Prosperity Gap, Societal Poverty Rate and Working Poverty Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
These figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than every year. So the subject's standing is read from each country's most recent survey of the last decade, with the year of every reading shown, rather than from one year in which only a minority of countries were surveyed. Two readings decide it — how unequally income is shared and how deep extreme poverty runs — because the other poverty and inequality measures here largely repeat one of those two or repeat average income, which already counts under Economy and Development. Countries with no survey in the last decade have no standing here. What work pays is under Work & Labour; wealth, as opposed to income, has no global source this site is permitted to republish.
How the Poverty & Inequality standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.
The poverty & inequality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Gini Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 15 statistics on this page come from 7 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
São Tomé and Príncipe’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Belarus — zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Slovenia — Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 3.0
- Ukraine — uploaded by Chern038, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). São Tomé and Príncipe: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/sao-tome-and-principe/poverty