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. 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 two failed coup attempts
in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea
promises to attract increased attention to the small island nation.
Geography
Sao Tome and Principe
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
land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands 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 mountainous
total: 16.3 years
male: 15.8 years female: 16.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.116% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
39.12 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.98 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.97 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03
male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64
years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83
male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008
est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 38.36
deaths/1,000 live births male: 40.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 36.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68
years male: 66.35 years female: 69.69 years (2008
est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.43 children born/woman (2008
est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A,
and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
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:
Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical
3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001
census)
Languages:
Portuguese (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write total population: 84.9%
male: 92.2% female: 77.9% (2001 census)
Government
Sao Tome and Principe
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:
name: Sao Tome
geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E time
difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
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) head of
government: Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA (since 14 February 2008)
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 (eligible for a second term); election
last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen
by the National Assembly and approved by the president election
results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of vote -
Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or
Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 26 March 2006
(next to be held in March 2010) election results: percent of
vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP 28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, others
9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD 23, MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are
appointed by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Force for Change Democratic
Movement or MDFM [Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ]; Independent Democratic Action
or ADI [[Patrice TROVOADA]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and
Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Rafael BRANCO]; New Way
Movement or NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Delfim NEVES];
Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties
chief of mission: First
Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA chancery: 400 Park Avenue,
7th Floor, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580
FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348 consulate(s): Atlanta
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
Sao Tome and Principe
Economy - overview:
This small, poor island economy
has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975.
Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of
drought and mismanagement. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most
manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over
the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has
relied heavily 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, which helped bring down the
country's $300 million debt burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to
a new 3-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program
worth $4.3 million. 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 optimistic about the development of
petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of
Guinea, which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria.
The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a dispute over
licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's receipt of more than $20 million
in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP growth exceeded 6% in 2007,
as a result of increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital
investment.
Netherlands 47.9%, Belgium 19%,
Portugal 9.3% (2006)
Imports:
$73 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and electrical
equipment, food products, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Portugal 48.8%, France 19.7%,
Belgium 5.1%, US 5.1% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$31.9 million in December 2000
under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) program (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$36 million (31 December 2007
est.)
Debt - external:
$318 million (2002)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
dobra (STD)
Currency code:
STD
Exchange rates:
dobras per US dollar - 13,700
(2007), 12,050 (2006), 9,900.4 (2005), 9,902.3 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications
Sao Tome and Principe
Telephones - main lines in use:
7,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
12,000 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment:
adequate facilities domestic: minimal system
international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
38,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2001)
Televisions:
23,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.st
Internet hosts:
996 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Internet users:
23,000 (2005)
Transportation
Sao Tome and Principe
Airports:
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 1,524 to
2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 320 km
paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1999)
Armed Forces of Sao Tome and
Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda
Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP), Presidential Guard (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 42,340
females age 16-49: 43,781 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 33,735
females age 16-49: 36,779 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (2006)
Military - note:
Sao Tome and Principe's army is
a tiny force with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly
ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered
simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or
replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay, working
conditions, and alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers have been
problems in the past, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these
issues are being addressed with foreign assistance aimed at improving the
army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is exercised
from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the
Armed Forces staff (2005)
