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.

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N 7 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 1,001 km²
Land: 1,001 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: more than five times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 209 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Terrain: volcanic mountainous

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources: fish hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 36%
Permanent pastures: 1%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 61% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Population: 165,034 (July 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 3.18% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Sao Tomean
Adjective: Sao Tomean

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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 47.7% (male 39,857; female 38,859)
15-64 years: 48.28% (male 38,430; female 41,246)
65 years and over: 4.02% (male 3,034; female 3,608) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.18% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 42.74 births/1000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 7.54 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.38 migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 est.)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male/female
Total population: 0.97 male/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 48.96 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.59 years
Male: 64.15 years
Female: 67.07 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.02 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 73%
Male: 85%
Female: 62% (1991 est.)

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
Note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991)
Head of government: Prime Minister Guilherma Posser da COSTA (since 30 December 1998)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 June and 21 July 1996 (next to be held NA July 2001); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president
Election results: Miguel TROVOADA reelected president in Sao Tome's second multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - Miguel TROVOADA 52.74%, Manuel Pinto da COSTA 47.26%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 8 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003)
Election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP-PSD 56%, PCD 14.5%, ADI 29%; seats by party - MLSTP-PSD 31, ADI 16, PCD 8

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

Political parties and leaders: 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 [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; 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 WCL WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO (observer)

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

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. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. 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. At the same time progress in the economic reform program has attracted international financial institutions' support and GDP growth will likely rise to at least 4% in 2001-02.

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (2000 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1100 (2000 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 23%
Industry: 19%
Services: 58% (1997 est.)

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 note: shortages of skilled workers

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $58 million
Expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5% (2000 est.)

Exports: $3.2 million (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: cocoa 90% copra coffee palm oil
Partners: Netherlands 18% Germany 9% Portugal 9% (1998)

Imports: $40 million (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment food products petroleum products
Partners: Portugal 42% US 20% South Africa 6% (1998)

Debt external: $268 million (2000)

Exchange rates: dobras per US dollar - 2,390 (December 2000) 7,119 (1999) 6,883 (1998) 4,553 (1997) 2,203 (1996)

Electricity
Production: 17 million kWh (1999)
Production by source fossil fuel: 41.18%
Production by source hydro: 58.82%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1999)
Consumption: 15.8 million kWh (1999)
Exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 3,000 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 6,942 (1997)

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate facilities
Domestic: minimal system
International: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Internet
Country code: .st
Service providers isps: 2 (2000)
Users: 500 (2000)

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

Airports: 2 (2000 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Waterways: none

Merchant marine
Total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 130,843 GRT/149,048 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 21, chemical tanker 1, container 3, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.)