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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.

Contents 1 Geography 2 People 3 Government 4 Economy 5 Communications 6 Transportation 7 Military 8 Transnational Issues

Geography

Location 

Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates 

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map references 

Africa

Area 

total: 1,001 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,001 sq km

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
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate 

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

Terrain 

volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes 

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

Natural resources 

fish, hydropower

Land use 

arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 41%
other: 57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

100 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards 

NA

Environment - current issues 

deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Environment - international agreements 

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note 

the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous

People

Population 

170,372 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 47.7% (male 41,159; female 40,125)
15-64 years: 48.3% (male 39,701; female 42,586)
65 years and over: 4% (male 3,115; female 3,686) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

3.18% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

42.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

7.32 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

-3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

47.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 65.93 years
female: 67.45 years (2002 est.)
male: 64.47 years

Total fertility rate 

5.95 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

NA

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 Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religions 

Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages 

Portuguese (official)

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.3%
male: 85%
female: 62% (1991 est.)

Government

Country name 

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe
local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

Government type 

republic

Capital 

Sao Tome

Administrative divisions 

2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
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 Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001)
election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2006); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Maria das NEVES (since 7 October 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister

Legislative branch 

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23, Ue-Kedadji coalition 8

Judicial branch 

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders 

Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement [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 [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders 

NA

International organization participation 

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, 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 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580

Diplomatic representation 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

Economy - overview 

This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence 26 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 substantial 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. Sao Tome's success in implementing structural reforms has been rewarded by international donors, who have pledged increased assistance in 2001. 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. Sao Tome is also optimistic that substantial 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.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $189 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 25%
industry: 10%
services: 65% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

7% (2001 est.)

Labor force 

NA

Labor force - by occupation 

population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing
note: shortages of skilled workers

Unemployment rate 

NA%

Budget 

revenues: $58 million
expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million

Industries 

light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber

Industrial production growth rate 

NA%

Electricity - production 

17 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 41%
hydro: 59%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

15.81 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Exports 

$4.1 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities 

cocoa 90%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Exports - partners 

Portugal 33.3%, Netherlands 8.3%, Spain 8.3% (1999)

Imports 

$40 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities 

machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products

Imports - partners 

Portugal 43%, France 15.7%, UK 13.7% (1999)

Debt - external 

$253.8 million (2000) (2000)

Economic aid - recipient 

$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Currency 

dobra (STD)

Currency code 

STD

Exchange rates 

dobras per US dollar - 9,009.1 (December 2001), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000), 7,119.0 (1999), 6,883.2 (1998), 4,552.5 (1997)

Fiscal year 

calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

4,600 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

6,942 (1997)

Telephone system 

general assessment: adequate facilities
domestic: minimal system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios 

38,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

2 (2002)

Televisions 

23,000 (1997)

Internet country code 

.st

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

1 (2002)

Internet users 

9,000 (2002)

Transportation

Railways 

0 km

Highways 

total: 320 km
paved: 218 km
unpaved: 102 km (1996)

Waterways 

none

Ports and harbors 

Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Merchant marine 

total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 169,991 GRT/245,996 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 23, chemical tanker 1, container 3, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 1, Kenya 1, Portugal 1, Syria 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)

Airports 

2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Military

Military branches 

Army, Navy, Security Police

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 35,524 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 18,727 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$400,000 (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

0.8% (FY01)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

none