What the United States ships to São Tomé and Príncipe
U.S. goods exports to São Tomé and Príncipe totaled $13.4 million in 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, up 1226% on 2024.
By U.S. goods exports, São Tomé and Príncipe ranks 48th of 53 in Africa on our list, between the Central African Republic ($14.2 million) and Guinea Bissau ($8.4 million).
The largest increases from 2024 to 2025 were in drilling & oilfield equipment (up $5.7 million), industrial machines, other (up $3.5 million) and finished metal shapes (up $1.4 million).
In 2025, monthly U.S. exports to São Tomé and Príncipe peaked in August at $8.1 million and were lowest in March at $2,761. July to December accounted for 99% of the year's exports. The third quarter (July to September) was the busiest, with $13 million.
Show the numbers
| Month | U.S. exports | Share of the year |
|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | $94,767 | 0.7% |
| February 2025 | $0 | 0% |
| March 2025 | $2,761 | 0% |
| April 2025 | $0 | 0% |
| May 2025 | $0 | 0% |
| June 2025 | $34,086 | 0.3% |
| July 2025 | $2.497 million | 18.7% |
| August 2025 | $8.148 million | 61% |
| September 2025 | $2.389 million | 17.9% |
| October 2025 | $34,494 | 0.3% |
| November 2025 | $45,556 | 0.3% |
| December 2025 | $108,793 | 0.8% |
From 2016 to 2025, U.S. exports to São Tomé and Príncipe rose from $2 million to $13.4 million, and U.S. imports went from $464,514 to $198,225. The biggest one-year rise in exports came in 2025, up $12.3 million (1226%). The 10-year average was $3.8 million a year.
Show the numbers
| Year | U.S. exports | Change | U.S. imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13.35 million | +1226% | $198,225 |
| 2024 | $1.007 million | -32.5% | $572,291 |
| 2023 | $1.493 million | -81.9% | $1.752 million |
| 2022 | $8.267 million | +153.7% | $876,281 |
| 2021 | $3.258 million | +344.5% | $1.16 million |
| 2020 | $733,002 | -72.8% | $905,286 |
| 2019 | $2.697 million | +30.4% | $1.526 million |
| 2018 | $2.068 million | -34.1% | $710,264 |
| 2017 | $3.141 million | +57.5% | $909,851 |
| 2016 | $1.994 million | n/a | $464,514 |
Drilling & oilfield equipment, industrial machines, other and finished metal shapes were the three largest, at 83% of the total. Two of the 20 categories shrank from 2024, led by medicinal Equipment.
| Category | 2025 | Share | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drilling & oilfield equipment | $6.145 million | 46% | $464,792 | +1222.2% |
| Industrial machines, other | $3.557 million | 26.6% | $47,999 | +7310.2% |
| Finished metal shapes | $1.385 million | 10.4% | $13,568 | +10108.2% |
| Excavating machinery | $912,432 | 6.8% | n/a | n/a |
| Materials handling equipment | $534,235 | 4% | $11,537 | +4530.6% |
| Minimum value shipments | $166,504 | 1.2% | $31,692 | +425.4% |
| Industrial engines | $143,003 | 1.1% | n/a | n/a |
| Meat, poultry, etc. | $120,665 | 0.9% | n/a | n/a |
| Telecommunications equipment | $100,555 | 0.8% | $5,867 | +1613.9% |
| Measuring, testing, control instruments | $85,202 | 0.6% | n/a | n/a |
Show all 20 rows
| Category | 2025 | Share | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo, service industry machinery | $75,518 | 0.6% | n/a | n/a |
| Other industrial supplies | $69,526 | 0.5% | n/a | n/a |
| Televisions and video equipment | $13,010 | 0.1% | n/a | n/a |
| Chemicals-other | $12,398 | 0.1% | n/a | n/a |
| Industrial rubber products | $8,164 | 0.1% | n/a | n/a |
| Computers | $8,120 | 0.1% | n/a | n/a |
| Pleasure boats and motors | $4,800 | 0% | n/a | n/a |
| Nursery stock, etc. | $3,876 | 0% | $26,210 | -85.2% |
| Medicinal Equipment | $3,432 | 0% | $255,433 | -98.7% |
| Electric apparatus | $2,979 | 0% | n/a | n/a |
The United States imported $198,225 of goods from São Tomé and Príncipe in 2025, led by agricultural machinery, equipment, minimum value shipments and bakery products (73.9% together).
| Category | 2025 | Share | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural machinery, equipment | $55,772 | 28.1% | n/a | n/a |
| Minimum value shipments | $49,509 | 25% | $44,396 | +11.5% |
| Bakery products | $41,295 | 20.8% | $72,368 | -42.9% |
| Other (movies, miscellaneous imports, and special transactions) | $19,600 | 9.9% | $4,709 | +316.2% |
| Iron and steel, advanced | $12,240 | 6.2% | $2,620 | +367.2% |
| Recorded media | $8,775 | 4.4% | $6,791 | +29.2% |
| Tea, spices, etc. | $5,840 | 2.9% | n/a | n/a |
| Computers | $4,664 | 2.4% | $3,320 | +40.5% |
| Industrial supplies, other | $530 | 0.3% | $43,965 | -98.8% |
