Domestic credit to private sector in Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe: Domestic credit to private sector was 7.8% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Domestic credit to private sector in Sao Tome and Principe, 1995–2023
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2023, domestic credit to private sector in Sao Tome and Principe stood at 7.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 39.2% on the previous year and down 78.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, domestic credit to private sector in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 41.0% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 1997.
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 176th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Domestic credit to private sector in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 4.5% | — |
| 1996 | 3.0% | -35.0% |
| 1997 | 2.9% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 4.5% | +58.2% |
| 1999 | 4.5% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 4.4% | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 4.4% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | +30.3% |
| 2003 | 10.0% | +76.7% |
| 2004 | 15.5% | +54.6% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | +43.2% |
| 2006 | 26.1% | +17.5% |
| 2007 | 30.8% | +17.9% |
| 2008 | 27.6% | -10.3% |
| 2009 | 32.7% | +18.4% |
| 2010 | 39.2% | +19.8% |
| 2011 | 39.7% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 41.0% | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 36.3% | -11.4% |
| 2014 | 32.7% | -9.9% |
| 2015 | 33.3% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 31.5% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 29.4% | -6.5% |
| 2018 | 24.8% | -15.9% |
| 2019 | 22.5% | -9.2% |
| 2020 | 19.9% | -11.6% |
| 2021 | 17.7% | -11.1% |
| 2022 | 12.9% | -27.3% |
| 2023 | 7.8% | -39.2% |
Sao Tome and Principe compared with similar countries
- Sao Tome and Principe's 7.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24.7%, 32% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Sao Tome and Principe's 7.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15.9%, 49% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.9% | 2.9% | 4.5% | 5 |
| 2000s | 17.9% | 4.4% | 32.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.0% | 22.5% | 41.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.6% | 7.8% | 19.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe
More financial sector data for Sao Tome and Principe
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is domestic credit to private sector in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Domestic credit to private sector in Sao Tome and Principe was 7.8% in 2023, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest domestic credit to private sector recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest recorded value was 41.0% in 2012.
- What is the lowest domestic credit to private sector recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.9% in 1997.
- How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for domestic credit to private sector?
- Sao Tome and Principe ranks 176th out of 187 countries with data for 2023.
- Is domestic credit to private sector rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 78.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sao Tome and Principe data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Domestic credit to private sector (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Domestic credit to private sector refers to financial resources provided to the private sector by financial corporations, such as through loans, purchases of nonequity securities, and trade credits and other accounts receivable, that establish a claim for repayment. For some countries these claims include credit to public enterprises. The financial corporations include monetary authorities and deposit money banks, as well as other financial corporations where data are available (including corporations that do not accept transferable deposits but do incur such liabilities as time and savings deposits). Examples of other financial corporations are finance and leasing companies, money lenders, insurance corporations, pension funds, and foreign exchange companies. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.