List of Sao Tome and Principe Districts and Capitals

Written and Fact-checked by Whereig Editors | Last Updated On: May 22, 2026

São Tomé and Príncipe is a small island nation located in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western coast of Central Africa. The country is divided into two provinces, which are further subdivided into seven districts. Here are the districts of São Tomé and Príncipe:

São Tomé and Príncipe is an island country in the Gulf of Guinea off the western coast of Central Africa. The country is divided into 2 provinces and 7 administrative districts for governance and local administration. São Tomé is the national capital and also the largest city in São Tomé and Príncipe.

The country includes volcanic islands, tropical rainforests, coastal plains, mountains, beaches, and cocoa-growing regions surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Different districts are known for cocoa production, fishing, tourism, forestry, and biodiversity.

Key Facts

National capital: São Tomé
Total population: 240,000 (Official estimate 2025)
Total area: 964 km² (372 sq miles)
Currency: São Tomé and Príncipe Dobra (STN)
Total Provinces: 2
Total Districts: 7
Region: Central Africa

Administrative Structure of São Tomé and Príncipe

Province	Main Island	Total Districts	Administrative Center
São Tomé Province	São Tomé Island	6	São Tomé
Príncipe Autonomous Province	Príncipe Island	1	Santo António

List of Districts and Administrative Centers

Total administrative divisions shown: 7 | Combined population: 240,000 | Combined area: 964 km²

#	District Name	Administrative Center	Island Region	Area (km²)	Population (Latest Estimate)
1	Água Grande	São Tomé	Northeastern São Tomé	17	75,000
2	Cantagalo	Santana	Eastern Coast	119	20,000
3	Caué	São João dos Angolares	Southern São Tomé	267	8,000
4	Lembá	Neves	Western Coast	229	18,000
5	Lobata	Guadalupe	Northern São Tomé	105	22,000
6	Mé-Zóchi	Trindade	Central Highlands	122	55,000
7	Pagué	Santo António	Príncipe Island	105	12,000

Largest Districts by Area

Caué - 103 sq mi (267 km²)
Lembá - 88 sq mi (229 km²)
Mé-Zóchi - 47 sq mi (122 km²)
Cantagalo - 46 sq mi (119 km²)
Lobata - 41 sq mi (105 km²)
Pagué - 41 sq mi (105 km²)
Água Grande - 7 sq mi (17 km²)

Most Populous Districts

Água Grande - Population: 75,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
Mé-Zóchi - Population: 55,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
Lobata - Population: 22,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
Cantagalo - Population: 20,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
Lembá - Population: 18,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
Pagué - Population: 12,000 (Official Estimate 2025)
Caué - Population: 8,000 (Official Estimate 2025)

Smallest Districts by Area

Água Grande - 7 sq mi (17 km²)
Lobata - 41 sq mi (105 km²)
Pagué - 41 sq mi (105 km²)
Cantagalo - 46 sq mi (119 km²)
Mé-Zóchi - 47 sq mi (122 km²)
Lembá - 88 sq mi (229 km²)

Districts by Geographic Grouping

Central Highlands: Mé-Zóchi
Eastern Coast: Cantagalo
Northeastern São Tomé: Água Grande
Northern São Tomé: Lobata
Príncipe Island: Pagué
Southern São Tomé: Caué
Western Coast: Lembá

Districts with Coastline

Água Grande
Cantagalo
Caué
Lembá
Lobata
Pagué

Landlocked Districts

Mé-Zóchi

Major Economic Activities by District

District	Main Economic Activity	Known For
Água Grande	Government and trade	Capital city and port facilities
Mé-Zóchi	Agriculture and commerce	Cocoa plantations and highland farming
Pagué	Tourism and fishing	Príncipe Island biodiversity
Lembá	Fishing and forestry	Coastal villages and forests
Cantagalo	Agriculture	Cocoa and tropical crops
Caué	Eco-tourism and fishing	Rainforests and remote coastlines

Natural Features and Tourist Areas

Ôbo National Park: Caué and Mé-Zóchi
Pico Cão Grande: Caué
São Tomé City Waterfront: Água Grande
Bom Bom Island Resort: Pagué
Volcanic Highlands: Mé-Zóchi
Príncipe Biosphere Reserve: Pagué

Sources

World Countries and Capitals

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