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

Area
Total: total:960 km²; land:960 km²
Comparative: 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; Lowest point:Atlantic Ocean 0 m; Highest point:Pico de São Tomé 2,024 m

Elevation

Natural resources: Fish

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

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: Roads on Principe are mostly unpaved and in need of repair


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Population: 144,128 (July 1996 est.); 140,423 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.58% (1996 est.); 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% (male 29,103; female 28,633) (July 1996 est.) 40% (male 28,452; female 27,995) (July 1995 est.); 15-64 years:55% (male 39,749; female 39,960) (July 1996 est.); 55% (male 38,619; female 38,846) (July 1995 est.); 65 years and over:5% (male 2,973; female 3,710) (July 1996 est.); 5% (male 2,896; female 3,615) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.58% (1996 est.); 2.62% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 34.39 births/1000 population (1996 est.); 34.94 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 8.55 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.); 8.7 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.); 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, Desertification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio: at birth:1.03 male(s)/female; under 15 years:1.02 male(s)/female; 15-64 years:1 male(s)/female; 65 years and over:0.8 male(s)/female; all ages:0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:61.1 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.); 62.1 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth: total population:63.87 years (1996 est.), 63.65 years (1995 est.); male:61.95 years (1996 est.), 61.76 years (1995 est.); female:65.83 years (1996 est.), 65.59 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.33 children born/woman (1996 est.); 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: definition:age 15 and over that 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 São Tomé and Principe; conventional short form: São Tomé and Principe; local long form: Republica Democratica de São Tomé e Principe; local short form: São Tomé e Principe

Government type: Republic

Capital: São Tomé

Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular_concelho); Principe, São Tomé

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) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 3 March 1991 (next to be held 30 June 1996); results_Miguel TROVOADA was elected without opposition in Sao Tome's first multiparty presidential election; head of government:Prime Minister Armindo UAZ de ALMEIDA (since 29 December 1995) was appointed by the president; 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, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation

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 3 to 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 has hovered around 1.5% since 1991.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.5% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity_ $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: 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:$58 million (1993 est.), $10.2 million (1989 est.); expenditures:$114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.), $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: total value. $7.1 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.); $5.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities: Cocoa 85%-90%; Copra; Coffee; Palm oil
Partners: Netherlands; Germany; China; Portugal

Imports: total value:$23.8 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.); $31.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodities: Machinery and electrical equipment; Food products; Petroleum
Partners: France; Japan; Belgium; Italy; Angola; U.S.

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $250 million (1995 est.); $237 million (1993)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Dobras (Db) per US$1_1,610 (May 1995), 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: 2,200 telephones (1986 est.); 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

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: 2; 1,524 to 2,437 m:1; 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs