São Tomé and Principe's net foreign assets (current LCU) was 1.56 billion in 2023, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is down 5.75% from 1.66 billion in 2013 (0.59% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 1.56 billion | 2023 |
| Five years earlier | 1.64 billion | 2018 |
| Ten years earlier | 1.66 billion | 2013 |
| Highest | 2.53 billion | 2015 |
| Lowest | 10.02 million | 1995 |
| Average since 2014 | 1.74 billion | 2014–2023 |
| First recorded | 10.02 million |
What the numbers say
In 2023, São Tomé and Principe's net foreign assets (current LCU) rose 38.8% on 2022 (from 1.13 billion to 1.56 billion).
Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1996 to 2022), the average change was +32.4% and a typical year strayed about 84.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 391% in 1997 and the biggest yearly fall was 24.9% in 2017. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is downward, about 118 million a year. A straight line explains 70% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2023, São Tomé and Principe had the 14th highest value of the 16 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
Closest to São Tomé and Principe in the 2023 ranking
What this measures
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.
All 29 values
| Year | Net foreign assets (current LCU) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,563,798,811 |
| 2022 | 1,126,370,626 |
| 2021 | 1,285,588,762 |
| 2020 | 1,590,641,247 |
| 2019 | 1,760,142,424 |
| 2018 | 1,639,671,800 |
| 2017 | 1,582,104,511 |
| 2016 | 2,105,608,855 |
| 2015 | 2,526,747,607 |
| 2014 | 2,198,522,980 |
| 2013 |
Net foreign assets (current LCU) in nearby economies
- Angola — 12.83 trillion (2025)
- Benin — 2.24 trillion (2025)
- Botswana — 60.03 billion (2025)
- Burkina Faso — 3.31 trillion (2025)
- Burundi — -2.26 trillion (2025)
- Cabo Verde — 118.67 billion (2025)
- Cameroon — 2.35 trillion (2019)
- Central African Republic — 15.18 billion (2022)
- Chad — -347.79 billion (2021)
- Comoros — 126.48 billion (2024)
- Congo, Dem. Rep.
More financial sector data for São Tomé and Principe
- DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) — US$21.69 (2025)
- Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) — US$21.75 (2025)
- GDP deflator (base year varies by country) — 497.42 (2025)
- Inflation, GDP deflator (annual % growth) — 11.94% (2025)
- Inflation, GDP deflator, linked series (annual % growth) — 11.94% (2025)
- GDP deflator, linked series (base year varies by country) — 497.42 (2025)
- Domestic credit to private sector by banks (% of GDP) — 6.68% (2025)
- Broad money (current LCU) — 4.55 billion (2025)
- Broad money (% of GDP)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is São Tomé and Principe's net foreign assets (current LCU)?
- 1.56 billion in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1995?
- It is up 15,505% from 10.02 million in 1995 (19.77% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 2.53 billion in 2015 and the lowest 10.02 million in 1995.
- How does São Tomé and Principe rank?
- 14th highest of 16 economies with data for 2023.
- Is the latest change in net foreign assets (current LCU) unusual for São Tomé and Principe?
- In 2023, São Tomé and Principe's net foreign assets (current LCU) rose 38.8% on 2022 (from 1.13 billion to 1.56 billion). Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1996 to 2022), the average change was +32.4% and a typical year strayed about 84.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator FM.AST.NFRG.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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