Headline indicators

Total renewable freshwater resources
2.18 km³/yr
2022
Where this number comes from
DerivedMedium confidence2022

Source: World BankWorld Development Indicators, World Bank WDI indicator ER.H2O.INTR.K3. Licence: Open — attribution required (attribution required).

Method: Renewable internal freshwater resources: the long-term average annual flow of rivers and recharge of groundwater generated from precipitation within the country. Internal resources exclude inflow from upstream countries, so this is the measure of self-sufficiency rather than of total availability. Originating body: FAO AQUASTAT. The World Bank publishes its datasets under CC BY 4.0, but relayed third-party material may carry the originator's own terms — verify with them before commercial reuse.

Retrieved 24 August 2026.

Renewable freshwater per person
9,633 m³/person/yr
2022
Where this number comes from
CalculatedMedium confidence2022

Source: World BankWorld Development Indicators, World Bank WDI indicator ER.H2O.INTR.PC. Licence: Open — attribution required (attribution required).

Method: Renewable internal freshwater resources divided by population. Because the population denominator updates annually while the resource figure is a long-term hydrological average, movement in this series is largely population change rather than hydrological change. Originating body: FAO AQUASTAT and World Bank population estimates. The World Bank publishes its datasets under CC BY 4.0, but relayed third-party material may carry the originator's own terms — verify with them before commercial reuse.

Retrieved 24 August 2026.

Total freshwater withdrawal
0.04 km³/yr
2022
Where this number comes from
ReportedMedium confidence2022

Source: World BankWorld Development Indicators, World Bank WDI indicator ER.H2O.FWTL.K3. Licence: Open — attribution required (attribution required).

Method: Total annual freshwater withdrawn for agricultural, industrial and domestic use. Withdrawal is not consumption: much of what is withdrawn is returned to the source catchment. Originating body: FAO AQUASTAT. The World Bank publishes its datasets under CC BY 4.0, but relayed third-party material may carry the originator's own terms — verify with them before commercial reuse.

Retrieved 24 August 2026.

Agricultural share of withdrawal
62.6%
2022
Where this number comes from
ReportedMedium confidence2022

Source: World BankWorld Development Indicators, World Bank WDI indicator ER.H2O.FWAG.ZS. Licence: Open — attribution required (attribution required).

Method: Agricultural withdrawal as a percentage of total freshwater withdrawal. Originating body: FAO AQUASTAT. The World Bank publishes its datasets under CC BY 4.0, but relayed third-party material may carry the originator's own terms — verify with them before commercial reuse.

Retrieved 24 August 2026.

Industrial share of withdrawal
1.5%
2022
Where this number comes from
ReportedMedium confidence2022

Source: World BankWorld Development Indicators, World Bank WDI indicator ER.H2O.FWIN.ZS. Licence: Open — attribution required (attribution required).

Method: Industrial withdrawal as a percentage of total freshwater withdrawal. Countries differ in whether thermoelectric cooling is counted here, and where it is the share reflects cooling arrangements rather than manufacturing intensity. Originating body: FAO AQUASTAT. The World Bank publishes its datasets under CC BY 4.0, but relayed third-party material may carry the originator's own terms — verify with them before commercial reuse.

Retrieved 24 August 2026.

Municipal share of withdrawal
35.9%
2022
Where this number comes from
ReportedMedium confidence2022

Source: World BankWorld Development Indicators, World Bank WDI indicator ER.H2O.FWDM.ZS. Licence: Open — attribution required (attribution required).

Method: Domestic and municipal withdrawal as a percentage of total freshwater withdrawal. Originating body: FAO AQUASTAT. The World Bank publishes its datasets under CC BY 4.0, but relayed third-party material may carry the originator's own terms — verify with them before commercial reuse.

Retrieved 24 August 2026.

Safely managed drinking water
36.7%
2024
Where this number comes from
ModelledMedium confidence2024

This is not a direct measurement. Output of a numerical or statistical model rather than a measurement.

Source: World BankWorld Development Indicators, World Bank WDI indicator SH.H2O.SMDW.ZS. Licence: Open — attribution required (attribution required).

Method: Population using an improved drinking water source that is accessible on premises, available when needed, and free from priority contamination — all three simultaneously. Modelled from household surveys and censuses, not counted. Originating body: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme. The World Bank publishes its datasets under CC BY 4.0, but relayed third-party material may carry the originator's own terms — verify with them before commercial reuse.

Retrieved 24 August 2026.

Safely managed sanitation
34.7%
2024
Where this number comes from
ModelledMedium confidence2024

This is not a direct measurement. Output of a numerical or statistical model rather than a measurement.

Source: World BankWorld Development Indicators, World Bank WDI indicator SH.STA.SMSS.ZS. Licence: Open — attribution required (attribution required).

Method: Population using improved sanitation facilities not shared with other households, where excreta are safely disposed of in situ or treated off site. Originating body: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme. The World Bank publishes its datasets under CC BY 4.0, but relayed third-party material may carry the originator's own terms — verify with them before commercial reuse.

Retrieved 24 August 2026.

How water is used

Freshwater withdrawal by sector — São Tomé and Príncipe
Share of total freshwater withdrawal. Withdrawal is not consumption: much of what industry and energy withdraw is returned.
Freshwater withdrawal by sector — São Tomé and PríncipeAgriculture: 62.6%. Industry: 1.47%. Municipal: 35.9%0255075%AgricultureAgriculture: 62.6%62.6IndustryIndustry: 1.47%1.5MunicipalMunicipal: 35.9%35.9

Sector shares are reported for varying reference years by country, and countries differ in whether thermoelectric cooling is counted as industrial withdrawal.

View the data behind this chart
SubjectValue (%)Notes
Agriculture62.6
Industry1.47
Municipal35.9

In regional context

Renewable freshwater per person, regional comparison
Neighbouring countries in the same region, ranked.
Renewable freshwater per person, regional comparisonGabon: 67,469 m³/person/yr. Republic of the Congo: 36,785 m³/person/yr. Central African Republic: 27,658 m³/person/yr. Equatorial Guinea: 14,416 m³/person/yr. Cameroon: 9,880 m³/person/yr. São Tomé and Príncipe: 9,633 m³/person/yr. Democratic Republic of the Congo: 8,789 m³/person/yr. Angola: 4,153 m³/person/yr and 1 more.025k50k75km³/person/yrGabonGabon: 67,469 m³/person/yr67.5kRepublic of the CongoRepublic of the Congo: 36,785 m³/person/yr36.8kCentral African RepublicCentral African Republic: 27,658 m³/person/yr27.7kEquatorial GuineaEquatorial Guinea: 14,416 m³/person/yr14.4kCameroonCameroon: 9,880 m³/person/yr9,880São Tomé and PríncipeSão Tomé and Príncipe: 9,633 m³/person/yr9,633Democratic Republic of the …Democratic Republic of the Congo: 8,789 m³/person/yr8,789AngolaAngola: 4,153 m³/person/yr4,153ChadChad: 813 m³/person/yr812.8

A national per-capita average conceals seasonal and regional distribution entirely.

View the data behind this chart
SubjectValue (m³/person/yr)Notes
Gabon67,469
Republic of the Congo36,785
Central African Republic27,658
Equatorial Guinea14,416
Cameroon9,880
São Tomé and Príncipe9,633
Democratic Republic of the Congo8,789
Angola4,153
Chad813

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