What is the currency of São Tomé and Príncipe?

The currency of São Tomé and Príncipe is the São Tomé and Príncipe dobra. It is usually abbreviated Db and has the ISO 4217 code STN. Each dobra is divided into 100 cêntimos, and the currency is issued by the Banco Central de São Tomé e Príncipe.

The modern dobra was introduced in 1977, replacing the São Tomé and Príncipe escudo at par. Because of prolonged inflation, the currency was redenominated on 1 January 2018: 1 new dobra became equal to 1,000 old dobras. The redenomination also changed the ISO code from STD to STN.

The name comes from the Portuguese word dobra, meaning “doubloon,” a historical gold coin. São Tomé and Príncipe later linked its currency to the euro through an agreement with Portugal that took effect in 2010. The fixed rate is 1 euro to 24.5 dobras.

A common mix-up is choosing the Cape Verdean escudo, because both countries are Portuguese-speaking island nations with currencies shaped by colonial history. The dobra, however, is used specifically in São Tomé and Príncipe.