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 islands in the Gulf of Guinea straddling the Equator west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N 7 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Comparative: more than five times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

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

Terrain: volcanic mountainous

Elevation

Natural resources: fish hydropower

Land use

Irrigated land: 100 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography


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Population: 159,883 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 3.16% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: mestico angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves) forros (descendants 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: Christian 80% (Roman Catholic Evangelical Protestant Seventh-Day Adventist)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.16% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 42.98 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 7.76 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.62 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 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: 50.41 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 6.08 children born/woman (2000 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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: republic

Capital: Sao Tome

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; 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 legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court judges are appointed by the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Front or FDC [Alphonse Dos SANTOS]; Democratic Opposition Coalition or CODO [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Armindo AGUIAR secretary general]; other small parties

International organization participation: ACCT 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 WIPO WMO WToO WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Sao Tome and Principe does not have an 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) 317-0533
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the 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 become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence 25 years ago. However cocoa production has substantially declined because of drought and mismanagement. The resulting shortage of cocoa for export has created a persistent balance-of-payments problem. Sao Tome has to import all fuels most manufactured goods consumer goods and a significant amount of food. Over the years it 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 but economic growth has remained sluggish. Sao Tome is also optimistic that significant petroleum discoveries are forthcoming in its territorial waters in the oil-rich waters of the Gulf of Guinea. Corruption scandals continue to weaken the economy.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.5% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1100 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: cocoa coconuts palm kernels copra cinnamon pepper coffee bananas papayas beans; poultry; fish

Industries: light construction textiles soap beer; fish processing; timber

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA
By occupation: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing

Unemployment rate: 50% in the formal business sector (1998 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 10.5% (yearend 1999 est.)

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: $4.9 million (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: cocoa 90% copra coffee palm oil (1997)
Partners: Netherlands 51% Germany 6% Portugal 6% (1997)

Imports: $19.5 million (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment food products petroleum products
Partners: Portugal 26% France 18% Angola Belgium Japan (1997)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $274 million (1998)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: dobras (Db) per US$1 - 7,200 (October 1999) 7,104 (1998) 4,553 (1997) 2,203 (1996) 1420.3 (1995)


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Electricity
Production: 15 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 14 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 3,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1 million (FY94)
Percent of gdp: 1.5% (FY94)

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 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs