Languages spoken in São Tomé & Príncipe
Africa · Capital: São Tomé · Population 223,561
The official language of São Tomé & Príncipe is Portuguese. An estimated 85% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 190,027 people. The only other recorded language is French, at 20% of the population. Portuguese belongs to the Indo-European language family. In total, two languages are recorded in São Tomé & Príncipe, and their shares add up to 105% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.1 of them.
What languages are spoken in São Tomé & Príncipe?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| PortugueseIndo-European | 85% | Official | 190,027 |
| FrenchIndo-European | 20% | Spoken | 44,712 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of São Tomé & Príncipe?
The official language of São Tomé & Príncipe is Portuguese. Portuguese is spoken by an estimated 85% of the population, or roughly 190,027 people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Portuguese in São Tomé & Príncipe?
An estimated 85% of São Tomé & Príncipe's 223,561 people speak Portuguese, which works out at roughly 190,027 speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about São Tomé & Príncipe
- Capital
- São Tomé
- Population
- 223,561
- Continent
- Africa
- Area
- 964 km²
- Currency
- STN
- Languages recorded
- 2
- Land borders
- None
- ISO codes
- ST / STP / 678
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.