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Employment in services — all countries

Employment in services — Sao Tome and Principe

Employment in services in Sao Tome and Principe in 2025 — 65.4%. Ranked 75 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has risen by 10.9 pp.

2025 65.4% +0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank 75of 182
Period maximum 65.4%2025
Period minimum 54.5%1991

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Employment in services — Sao Tome and Principe, 1991–2025505560657019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 54.5%1992: 54.7%1993: 54.9%1994: 55.2%1995: 55.3%1996: 55.6%1997: 55.9%1998: 56.2%1999: 56.5%2000: 56.7%2001: 56.9%2002: 57.2%2003: 57.6%2004: 57.4%2005: 60.6%2006: 60.9%2007: 61.2%2008: 62.3%2009: 62.5%2010: 62.9%2011: 63.3%2012: 63.6%2013: 63.9%2014: 64.1%2015: 64.3%2016: 64.6%2017: 64.9%2018: 65.1%2019: 65.3%2020: 64.6%2021: 64.4%2022: 64.6%2023: 64.9%2024: 65.2%2025: 65.4%
Change over the period: +10.9 pp Annual average: 0.32 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome and Principe 65.4%
World 50.6%
Sub-Saharan Africa 38.5%
Middle Africa computed 35.5%
Lower-middle-income countries computed 39%
Employment in services — Sao Tome and Principe, by year Sao Tome and Principe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 65.4 +0.2 pp
2024 65.2 +0.3 pp
2023 64.9 +0.3 pp
2022 64.6 +0.3 pp
2021 64.4 −0.2 pp
2020 64.6 −0.7 pp
2019 65.3 +0.2 pp
2018 65.1 +0.2 pp
2017 64.9 +0.3 pp
2016 64.6 +0.3 pp
2015 64.3 +0.3 pp
2014 64.1 +0.2 pp
2013 63.9 +0.2 pp
2012 63.6 +0.3 pp
2011 63.3 +0.4 pp
2010 62.9 +0.4 pp
2009 62.5 +0.3 pp
2008 62.3 +1 pp
2007 61.2 +0.3 pp
2006 60.9 +0.3 pp
2005 60.6 +3.2 pp
2004 57.4 −0.2 pp
2003 57.6 +0.3 pp
2002 57.2 +0.3 pp
2001 56.9 +0.2 pp
2000 56.7 +0.2 pp
1999 56.5 +0.3 pp
1998 56.2 +0.3 pp
1997 55.9 +0.3 pp
1996 55.6 +0.3 pp
1995 55.3 +0.1 pp
1994 55.2 +0.3 pp
1993 54.9 +0.1 pp
1992 54.7 +0.3 pp
1991 54.5 —

Middle Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

ST Sao Tome and Principe 65.4 GA Gabon 52.3 CG Republic of the Congo 44.2 CM Cameroon 43.5 AO Angola 40.9 GQ Equatorial Guinea 34.7 CD Democratic Republic of the Congo 33.5 CF Central African Republic 20.5 TD Chad 19.8
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The share of total employment in the service sector: trade, transport, communications, finance, business services, public administration, education, health care. In high-income countries it exceeds 70–80%; the rise of this share is the main line of structural change in labor markets over the past half century.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.

Other indicators for Sao Tome and Principe

Economy Services share of GDP

The contribution of trade, transport, finance, IT and public administration to value added.

Sao Tome and Principe by year Labor Employment in industry

The share of workers employed in mining, manufacturing, utilities and construction.

Sao Tome and Principe by year Labor Employment in agriculture

The share of workers employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Sao Tome and Principe by year Labor Unemployment rate (IMF)

Unemployment as estimated by the IMF — with a forecast, for countries with reliable labor market statistics.

Sao Tome and Principe by year Labor Unemployment rate

The share of the labor force that is looking for work and available to start.

Sao Tome and Principe by year Labor Youth unemployment

The unemployment rate at ages 15–24 — almost always two to three times the overall rate.

Sao Tome and Principe by year
All indicators for Sao Tome and Principe