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, island in the Atlantic Ocean, straddling the equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: total area: 960 km²; land area: 960 km²; comparative area: slightly less than 5.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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

Geography


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Population: 140,423 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.62% (1995 est.)

Nationality: noun:Sao Tomean(s); adjective:Sao Tomean

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: 0-14 years:40% (female 27,995; male 28,452); 15-64 years:55% (female 38,846; male 38,619); 65 years and over:5% (female 3,615; male 2,896) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.62% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 34.94 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 8.7 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion; natural hazards:NA; international agreements:party to - Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 62.1 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population:63.65 years; male:61.76 years; female:65.59 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.44 children born/woman (1995 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 (1991); total population:73%; male:85%; female:62%

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: 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 Carlos da GRACA (since 25 October 1994); cabinet:Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral; National People's Assembly:(Assembleia Popular Nacional) parliament dissolved by President TROVOADA in July 1994; early elections held 2 October 1994; results - MLSTP 27%, PCD-GR 25.5%, ADI 25.5%; seats - (55 total) MLSTP 27, PCD-GR 14, ADI 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Sao Tome and Principe has no embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10,168, telephone [1] (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: This small poor island economy has remained dependent on cocoa since independence 20 years ago. Since then, however, cocoa production has gradually declined because of drought and mismanagement, so that by 1987 annual output had fallen from 10,000 tons to 3,900 tons. 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 or more. 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 and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies and to encourage market-based mechanisms, e. g., to facilitate the distribution of imported food. Annual GDP growth is estimated in the 3%-4% range for 1994-96.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $1,000 (1993 est.)

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, 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: most of population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; labor shortages on plantations and of skilled workers

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 est.)

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., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: cocoa 78%, copra, coffee, palm oil (1992)
Partners: Netherlands, Germany, China, Portugal

Imports: $31.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: machinery and electrical equipment 44%, food products 18%, petroleum 11% (1992)
Partners: Portugal, Japan, Spain, France, Angola

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $237 million (1993)

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)


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Electricity
Capacity: 5,000 kW
Production: 17 million kWh; consumption per capita:105 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: NA; minimal system; local:NA; intercity:NA; international:1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: $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; with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:1; with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: total: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