Background: Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited islands in the late 15th century, setting up a sugar-based economy that gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with African plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling between the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and four failed, non-violent coup attempts in 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2009. In 2012, three opposition parties combined in a no confidence vote to bring down the majority government of former Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA, but in 2014, legislative elections returned him to the office. President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as Prime Minister TROVOADA, was elected in September 2016, marking a rare instance in which the positions of president and prime minister are held by the same party. Prime Minister TROVOADA resigned at the end of 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. Carlos Vila NOVA was elected president in early September 2021 and was inaugurated 2 October 2021. New oil discoveries in the Gulf of Guinea may attract increased attention to the small island nation.

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 964 km²
Land: 964 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 209 km

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

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

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

Elevation
Highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower

Land use
Agricultural land: 50.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 40.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 1% (2018 est.)
Forest: 28.1% (2018 est.)
Other: 21.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 km² (2012)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 14.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Industrial: 600,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 25.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 2.18 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding

Geography
Note: the second-smallest African country (after the Seychelles); the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are mountainous

Population
Distribution: Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities : 213,948 (July 2021 est.)
Growth rate: 1.5% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: 66.7% (2017 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Sao Tomean(s)
Adjective: Sao Tomean

Ethnic groups: Mestico, Angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), Forros (descendants of freed slaves), Servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cabo Verde), Tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese), Asians (mostly Chinese)

Languages: Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4%; note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.)

Religions: Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est.)

Demographic profile: Sao Tome and Principe’s youthful age structure - more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 - and high fertility rate ensure future population growth. Although Sao Tome has a net negative international migration rate, emigration is not a sufficient safety valve to reduce already high levels of unemployment and poverty. While literacy and primary school attendance have improved in recent years, Sao Tome still struggles to improve its educational quality and to increase its secondary school completion rate. Despite some improvements in education and access to healthcare, Sao Tome and Principe has much to do to decrease its high poverty rate, create jobs, and increase its economic growth.

Age structure
0-14 years: 39.77% (male 42,690/female 41,277)
15-24 years: 21.59% (male 23,088/female 22,487)
25-54 years: 31.61% (male 32,900/female 33,834)
55-64 years: 4.17% (male 4,095/female 4,700)
65 years and over: 2.87% (male 2,631/female 3,420) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 81
Youth dependency ratio: 75.6
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.4
Potential support ratio: 18.4 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 19.3 years
Male: 18.9 years
Female: 19.7 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.5% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 28.94 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 6.33 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.57 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution: Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities

Urbanization
Urban population: 75.1% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation and illegal logging; soil erosion and exhaustion; inadequate sewage treatment in cities; biodiversity preservation
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 25.66 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.12 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.04 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 19.4 years (2008/09 est.)
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio: 130 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 45.3 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 48.72 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 41.77 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 66.72 years
Male: 65.14 years
Female: 68.36 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.69 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 49.7% (2019)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 88.4% of population
Improved total: 96.8% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 11.6% of population
Unimproved total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 6.3% (2018)

Physicians density: 0.05 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density: 2.9 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 54.4% of population
Improved rural: 35.3% of population
Improved total: 49.1% of population
Unimproved urban: 45.6% of population
Unimproved rural: 64.7% of population
Unimproved total: 50.9% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2020)
People living with hivaids: <1,000 (2020)
Deaths: <100 (2020)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high (2020)
Food or water borne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vector borne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
Watercontactdiseases: schistosomiasis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 12.4% (2016)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5.4% (2019)

Education expenditures: 5.9% of GDP (2019)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 92.8%
Male: 96.2%
Female: 89.5% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 13 years (2015)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 20.8%
Rate ages 15-24 male: NA
Rate ages 15-24 female: NA (2012 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
Etymology: Sao Tome was named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day; Principe is a shortening of the original Portuguese name of 'Ilha do Principe' (Isle of the Prince) referring to the Prince of Portugal to whom duties on the island's sugar crop were paid

Government type: semi-presidential republic

Capital
Name: Sao Tome
Geographic coordinates: 0 20 N, 6 44 E
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: named after Saint Thomas the Apostle

Administrative divisions: 6 districts (distritos, singular - distrito), 1 autonomous region* (regiao autonoma); Agua Grande, Cantagalo, Caue, Lemba, Lobata, Me-Zochi, Principe*

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution
History: approved 5 November 1975
Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the Assembly can propose to the president of the republic that an amendment be submitted to a referendum; revised several times, last in 2006

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law based on the Portuguese model and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descentonly: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sao Tome and Principe
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Jorge BOM JESUS (since 3 December 2018)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president
Elections and appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 18 July 2021 and runoff on 5 September 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president 
Election results:

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)
Election results: percent of vote by party - ADI 41.8%, MLSTP/PSD 40.3%, PCD-GR 9.5%, MCISTP 2.1%, other 6.3%; seats by party - ADI 25, MLSTP-PSD 23, PCD-MDFM-UDD 5, MCISTP 2; composition - men 45, women 10, percent of women 18.2%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal Justica (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 5 judges, 3 of whom are from the Supreme Court)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for 5-year terms
Subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Audit Court

Political parties and leaders: Force for Democratic Change Movement or MDFM [Fradique Bandeira Melo DE MENEZES]
Independent Democratic Action or ADI [vacant]
Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Aurelio MARTINS]
Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Leonel Mario D'ALVA]
other small parties

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CEMAC, CPLP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Filomeno Azevedo Agostinho das NEVES (since 3 December 2013)
In the us chancery: 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 651-8,116
In the us FAX: [1] (212) 651-8,117
In the us email address and website: rdstppmun@gmail.com
From the us embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the US Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe
From the us mailing address: 2,290 Sao Tome Place, Washington DC  20,521-2,290

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; green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red recalls the struggle for independence, and yellow represents cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the two main islands
Note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National symbols: palm tree; national colors: green, yellow, red, black

National anthem
Name: 'Independencia total' (Total Independence)
Lyrics and music: Alda Neves DA GRACA do Espirito Santo/Manuel dos Santos Barreto de Sousa e ALMEIDA
Note: adopted 1975

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 3.9% (2017 est.)

4.2% (2016 est.)

3.8% (2015 est.)

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 81.4% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 17.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 33.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 7.9% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -40.4% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 11.8% (2017 est.)
Industry: 14.8% (2017 est.)
Services: 73.4% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: plantains, oil palm fruit, coconuts, taro, bananas, fruit, cocoa, yams, cassava, maize

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

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 72,600 (2017 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 26.1%
By occupation industry: 21.4%
By occupation services: 52.5% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12.2% (2017 est.)

12.6% (2016 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 20.8%
Rate ages 15-24 male: NA
Rate ages 15-24 female: NA (2012 est.)

Population below poverty line: 66.7% (2017 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 56.3 (2017 est.)

32.1 (2000 est.)

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

Budget
Revenues: $103 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $112.4 million (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $-2.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 26.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 88.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

93.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 1.9% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7.8% (2018 est.)

5.6% (2017 est.)

5.7% (2017 est.)

Current account balance: -$32 million (2017 est.)

-$23 million (2016 est.)

Exports: $50 million note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$70 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$100 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: Singapore 30%, Switzerland 24%, France 11%, Poland 7%, Belgium 7%, United States 5% (2019)
Commodities: gas turbines, cocoa beans, aircraft parts, iron products, chocolate (2019)

Imports: $160 million note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

$190 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$200 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: Portugal 41%, Angola 17%, China 8% (2019 )
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, rice, flavored water, postage stamps (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $58.95 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$61.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external: $292.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$308.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 71% (2019)
Access electrification urban areas: 87% (2019)
Access electrification rural areas: 25% (2019)
Production: 66 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption: 61.38 million kWh (2016 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2016)
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 18,100 kW (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 88% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 1,027 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,720 (2020)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.24 (2020 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 174,203 (2020)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 79.49 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media: 1 government-owned TV station; 1 government-owned radio station; 3 independent local radio stations authorized in 2005 with 2 operating at the end of 2006; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available

Internet
Country code: .st
Users total: 65,000 (2020 est.)
Users percent of population: 29.93% (2019 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 2,512 (2020)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.15 (2020 est.)

Military and security forces: Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (Forcas Armadas de Sao Tome e Principe, FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2021)

Military service age and obligation: 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2019)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: S9

Airports
Total: 2 (2013)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2019)

Roadways
Total: 1,300 km (2018)
Paved: 230 km (2018)
Unpaved: 1,070 km (2018)

Merchant marine
Total: 22
By type: general cargo 13, oil tanker 2, other 7 (2021)

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Sao Tome

Disputes international: none