Government and power in São Tomé and Príncipe
Who leads São Tomé and Príncipe, how the World Bank's governance indicators score it, how many women sit in parliament and government, what the state spends and taxes, and the official bodies that hold power to account. System of government: Unitary semi-presidential republic.
Who leads São Tomé and Príncipe?
- Head of state: Carlos Manuel Vila Nova (Président de la République démocratique de Sao Tomé et Principe)
- Head of government: Américo d'Oliveira dos Ramos (Premier Ministre et Chef du Gouvernement de la République démocratique de Sao Tomé et Principe)
- Foreign minister: Ilza Maria dos Santos Amado Vaz (Ministre d'État et des Affaires étrangères, de la Coopération et des Communautés de la République démocratique de Sao Tomé et Principe)
Source: Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs: Public List (United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service), list dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Governance scores
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators combine surveys of households and firms with assessments by public, private and non-governmental bodies. Each score runs from 0 to 100; higher means the sources rate governance better. They measure perceptions, and each has a margin of error.
- Voice and accountability
- Measures how far citizens can choose their government, and freedom of expression, association and the media.
- Political stability and absence of violence
- Measures the likelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence, including terrorism.
- Government effectiveness
- Measures the quality of public services and the civil service, and how independent they are from political pressure.
- Regulatory quality
- Measures the government's ability to make and carry out policies that let the private sector develop.
- Rule of law
- Measures confidence in and respect for the rules of society, including contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts.
- Control of corruption
- Measures how far public power is used for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and "capture" of the state by elites.
How does São Tomé and Príncipe score on voice and accountability?
Voice and accountability: 61.3 out of 100 in 2025, 84th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 41.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 62.8.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does São Tomé and Príncipe score on political stability?
Political stability and absence of violence: 75.2 out of 100 in 2025, 66th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 56.4). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 72.4.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does São Tomé and Príncipe score on government effectiveness?
Government effectiveness: 36.7 out of 100 in 2025, 150th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 36.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 38.5.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does São Tomé and Príncipe score on regulatory quality?
Regulatory quality: 39.3 out of 100 in 2025, 162nd highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 42.9). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 42.6.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does São Tomé and Príncipe score on the rule of law?
Rule of law: 51.2 out of 100 in 2025, 115th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 44.6). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 49.3.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does São Tomé and Príncipe score on control of corruption?
Control of corruption: 50.6 out of 100 in 2025, 75th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 32.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 46.9.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many women are in São Tomé and Príncipe's parliament?
Women held 14.5% of seats in the national parliament (single or lower chamber) in 2025, 147th highest of 184 countries with data. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, via the World Bank.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many of São Tomé and Príncipe's ministers are women?
Women held 40.0% of ministerial posts in 2025, 25th highest of 190.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow good are São Tomé and Príncipe's official statistics?
The World Bank's Statistical Performance Indicator, which scores how well a country's official statistics system works, was 53 out of 100 in 2024, 154th highest of 187.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many births are registered in São Tomé and Príncipe?
98.6% of births of children under 5 were registered with a civil authority (2019).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many people in São Tomé and Príncipe use the internet?
59.1% of people used the internet in 2024.
Source: World Bank · saved copyOfficial bodies that hold power in São Tomé and Príncipe
Government
- Citizen's Portal of São Tomé and PríncipeGovernment services, ministry information and official announcements.
Government below the national level
- Autonomous Region of Príncipe (1): Regional Assembly directly elected; Regional Government formed from it, headed by a president
- Districts on São Tomé island (6): District Assembly elected by universal, direct and secret ballot; it oversees a collegial executive, the District Council (câmara distrital)
How local power works in São Tomé and Príncipe
Places in São Tomé and Príncipe
Sources
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Voice and accountability (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70f2804fd1e2…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Political stability and absence of violence (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1317de0c85e1…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Government effectiveness (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a775e808dc65…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Regulatory quality (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83b57e36ff8c…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Rule of law (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0bccc3c054e8…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Control of corruption (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3b15a5340cdd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Seats held by women in national parliament (SG.GEN.PARL.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ae1dc13981a…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Women in ministerial positions (SG.GEN.MNST.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a4e448a5b8bd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Statistical Performance Indicator (overall score) (IQ.SPI.OVRL), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08ac7cde9129…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Births registered (SP.REG.BRTH.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f8d443034ba7…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: People using the internet (IT.NET.USER.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d78dc658329…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.