Map of São Tomé and Príncipe | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975 democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The first free elections were held in 1991.


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Location: Western Africa, in the Atlantic Ocean, 340 km off the coast of; Gabon straddling the equator

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: total: 960 km²; land: 960 km²

Land boundaries

Coastline: 209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines; exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

Elevation

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 1%; permanent crops: 20%; meadows and pastures: 1%; forest and woodland: 75%; other: 3%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 133,225 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.63% (1993 est.)

Nationality: noun: Sao Tomean(s)

Ethnic groups: mestico, angolares (descendents of Angolan slaves), forros (descendents of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from; Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Languages: Portuguese (official)

Religions: Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.63% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: 35.39 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 9.06 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 64.9 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.02 years; male: 61.19 years; female: 64.9 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.6 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1981); total population: 57%; male: 73%; female: 42%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe; conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe; local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe; local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Government type: republic

Capital: Sao Tome

Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho);; Principe, Sao Tome

Dependent areas

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution: 5 November 1975, approved 15 December 1982

Legal system: based on Portuguese law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; President: last held 3 March 1991 (next to be held NA March 1996); results - Miguel TROVOADA was elected without opposition in Sao Tome's first multiparty presidential election; National People's Assembly: last held 20 January 1991 (next to be held NA; January 1996); results - PCD-GR 54.4%, MLSTP 30.5%, CODO 5.2%, FDC 1.5%, other 8.4%; seats - (55 total) PCD-GR 33, MLSTP 21, CODO 1; note - this was the first multiparty election in Sao Tome and Principe

Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia Popular Nacional)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO,; IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,; UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Joaquim Rafael BRANCO; chancery: (temporary) 801 Second Avenue, Suite 603, New York, NY 10,017; telephone: (212) 697-4,211
From the us: ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao; Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy has remained dependent on cocoa since the country gained independence nearly 15 years ago. Since then, however, cocoa production has gradually deteriorated because of drought and mismanagement, so that by 1987 output had fallen to less than 50% of its former levels. As a result, a shortage of cocoa for export has created a serious balance-of-payments problem. Production of less important crops, such as coffee, copra, and palm kernels, has also declined. The value of imports generally exceeds that of exports by a ratio of 4:1. The emphasis on cocoa production at the expense of other food crops has meant that Sao Tome has to import 90% of food needs. It also has to import all fuels and most manufactured goods. Over the years, Sao Tome has been unable to service its external debt, which amounts to roughly 80% of export earnings. Considerable potential exists for development of a 1986-90 to restructure the economy and reschedule external debt service payments in cooperation with the International Development Association and Western lenders.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.5% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $315 (1992 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: dominant sector of economy, primary source of exports; cash crops - cocoa (85%), coconuts, palm kernels, coffee; food products - bananas, papaya, beans, poultry, fish; not self-sufficient in food grain and meat

Industries: light construction, shirts, soap, beer, fisheries, shrimp processing

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 7.1% (1986)

Labor force: 21,096 (1981); most of population engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; labor shortages on plantations and of skilled workers; 56% of population of working age (1983)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $10.2 million; expenditures $36.8 million, including capital expenditures of $22.5 million (1989)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $5.5 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
Commodoties: cocoa 85%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Partners: Germany, Netherlands, China

Imports: $24.5 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: machinery and electrical equipment 54%, food products 23%, other 23%
Partners: Portugal, Germany, Angola, China

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: dobras (Db) per US$1 - 230 (1992), 260.0 (November 1991), 122.48 (December 1988), 72.827 (1987), 36.993 (1986)


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Electricity
Production: 5,000 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1991)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $N/A, NA% of GDP

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: total: 2; usable: 2; with permanent-surface runways: 2; with runways over 3,659 m: 0; with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0; with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,096 GRT/1,105; DWT

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs