Map of São Tomé and Príncipe | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | 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 area: 960 km²; land:960 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

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: NA

Geography


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Population: 136,780 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 2.63% (1994 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% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 35.2 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 8.88 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 63.5 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population:63.33 years; male:61.48 years; female:65.24 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.52 children born/woman (1994 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: 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: new constitution approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

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

Executive branch: chief of state:President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991); election 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; head of government:Prime Minister Noberto Jose D'Alva COSTA ALEGRE (since 16 May 1992)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, National Police

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, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
From the us:

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 tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also implemented a Five-Year Plan covering 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 ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 25% of GDP; 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: 1% (1991); accounts for 7% of GDP

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

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

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: $5.4 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities: cocoa 78%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Partners: Netherlands, Germany, China, Portugal

Imports: $31.5 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 44%, food products 18%, petroleum 11%
Partners: Portugal, Japan, Spain, France, Angola

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $163.6 million (1992)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: dobras (Db) per US$1 - 129.59 (1 July 1993), 230 (1992), 260.0 (November 1991), 122.48 (December 1988), 72.827 (1987), 36.993 (1986)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 10 million kWh

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 80 kWh (1991)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $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

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

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