Qibla direction in São Tomé and Príncipe
The Qibla in São Tomé and Príncipe lies towards the north-east. Depending on the city the angle from true north ranges from 54.6° in São Tomé to 55.5° in Santo António, and the Kaaba is between 4,141 km and 4,287 km away. The table gives the exact bearing for 2 cities.
Stand facing true north, then turn clockwise by the angle of your city. A phone compass shows magnetic north, which in São Tomé and Príncipe can differ from true north by a few degrees; our Qibla finder corrects this automatically when your phone reports true heading.
Why the Qibla changes across the country
Between the cities in the table the Qibla angle varies by 0.9°. Santo António is the closest to the Kaaba (4,141 km) and São Tomé the farthest (4,287 km). The farther apart two cities are, the more their bearings to Makkah diverge, which is why the angle of the capital, 54.6°, should not be used everywhere.
Inside a mosque, the mihrab already shows the Qibla. Elsewhere, a compass app, the position of the sun or our Qibla finder can be used; scholars agree that facing the general direction is enough when the exact angle cannot be known.
Qibla in São Tomé and Príncipe: questions
What is the Qibla direction in São Tomé?
54.6° from true north, towards the north-east, 4,287 km from the Kaaba.
Which city in São Tomé and Príncipe is closest to Makkah?
Santo António, 4,141 km from the Kaaba, among the 2 cities listed.
Does a phone compass show the right Qibla?
Only if it is calibrated and corrected for magnetic declination. Turn the phone in a figure 8 and keep it away from metal; our Qibla finder uses the true heading when the phone provides it.
| City | Qibla | Direction | Distance to Makkah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santo António | 55.5° | north-east | 4,141 km |
| São Tomé | 54.6° | north-east | 4,287 km |