Participatory Democracy Index in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.391 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.391
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
65th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.421
in 2019
All-time low
0.011
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Participatory Democracy Index in Sao Tome and Principe, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for participatory democracy index in Sao Tome and Principe is 0.391, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 0.421 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.011, in 1900.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 65th 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.
Participatory Democracy Index in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.011 | — |
| 1901 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.014 | +27.3% |
| 1912 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.011 | -21.4% |
| 1928 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.013 | +18.2% |
| 1952 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.014 | +7.7% |
| 1973 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.048 | +242.9% |
| 1976 | 0.048 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.048 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.048 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.048 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.089 | +85.4% |
| 1981 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.096 | +7.9% |
| 1988 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.175 | +82.3% |
| 1991 | 0.351 | +100.6% |
| 1992 | 0.409 | +16.5% |
| 1993 | 0.414 | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 0.416 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 0.412 | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 0.401 | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 0.4 | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 0.4 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.414 | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 0.412 | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 0.411 | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 0.405 | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 0.403 | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 0.399 | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 0.404 | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 0.402 | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 0.4 | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 0.398 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 0.396 | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 0.404 | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 0.407 | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 0.399 | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 0.402 | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 0.403 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 0.409 | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 0.403 | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 0.402 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 0.405 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 0.421 | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 0.415 | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 0.411 | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 0.408 | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 0.403 | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 0.392 | -2.7% |
| 2025 | 0.391 | -0.3% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 0.391 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2215, 1.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 0.391 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2095, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.011 | 0.011 | 0.011 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.0137 | 0.011 | 0.014 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.0131 | 0.011 | 0.014 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.011 | 0.011 | 0.011 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.011 | 0.011 | 0.011 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0128 | 0.011 | 0.013 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.013 | 0.013 | 0.013 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0308 | 0.013 | 0.048 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0911 | 0.089 | 0.096 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3792 | 0.175 | 0.416 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.403 | 0.396 | 0.412 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4055 | 0.399 | 0.421 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4033 | 0.391 | 0.415 | 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 participatory democracy index in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Participatory democracy index in Sao Tome and Principe was 0.391 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 0.421 in 2019.
- What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.011 in 1900.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for participatory democracy index?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 65th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.4%. 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 Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.