Key features of electoral democracy in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Key features of electoral democracy was 0.632 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key features of electoral democracy in Sao Tome and Principe, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key features of electoral democracy in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 0.632.
The figure is down 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of electoral democracy in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 0.67 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.025, in 1900.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 67th of 176 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.
Key features of electoral democracy in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.025 | — |
| 1901 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.037 | +48.0% |
| 1912 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.033 | -10.8% |
| 1927 | 0.026 | -21.2% |
| 1928 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.028 | +7.7% |
| 1941 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.026 | -7.1% |
| 1954 | 0.028 | +7.7% |
| 1955 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.041 | +46.4% |
| 1973 | 0.041 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.041 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.155 | +278.0% |
| 1976 | 0.158 | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.189 | +19.6% |
| 1988 | 0.189 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.189 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.234 | +23.8% |
| 1991 | 0.54 | +130.8% |
| 1992 | 0.623 | +15.4% |
| 1993 | 0.631 | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 0.633 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 0.64 | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 0.626 | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 0.614 | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 0.618 | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 0.642 | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 0.642 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.644 | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 0.637 | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 0.637 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.637 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.641 | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 0.642 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 0.643 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 0.643 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.643 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.653 | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 0.657 | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 0.654 | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 0.655 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 0.657 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 0.664 | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 0.658 | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 0.647 | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 0.65 | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 0.67 | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 0.66 | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 0.657 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.65 | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 0.644 | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 0.632 | -1.9% |
| 2025 | 0.632 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.025 | 0.025 | 0.025 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.0358 | 0.025 | 0.037 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.0333 | 0.026 | 0.037 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.026 | 0.026 | 0.026 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.028 | 0.028 | 0.028 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0278 | 0.026 | 0.028 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.028 | 0.028 | 0.028 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0966 | 0.028 | 0.158 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1673 | 0.158 | 0.189 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5801 | 0.234 | 0.642 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6409 | 0.637 | 0.644 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6565 | 0.647 | 0.67 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6458 | 0.632 | 0.66 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More social development data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8 (2025)
- Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 60 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key features of electoral democracy in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Key features of electoral democracy in Sao Tome and Principe was 0.632 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of electoral democracy recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 0.67 in 2019.
- What is the lowest key features of electoral democracy recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.025 in 1900.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for key features of electoral democracy?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 67th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of electoral democracy rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key features of electoral democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which political leaders are elected under comprehensive suffrage in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.