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Background:
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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. Though the first free elections were
held in 1991, the political environment has been one of
continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and
coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in
the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on
the country's economy. |
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Location:
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Western Africa,
islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of
Gabon |
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Geographic coordinates:
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1 00 N, 7 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total:
1,001 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,001 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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more than five
times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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209 km |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot,
humid; one rainy season (October to May) |
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Terrain:
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volcanic,
mountainous |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
2%
permanent crops: 41%
other: 57% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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100 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation;
soil erosion and exhaustion |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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the smallest
country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain
of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous |
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Population:
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181,565 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
47.7% (male 43,810; female 42,708)
15-64 years: 48.4% (male 42,469; female 45,456)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,275; female 3,847)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
16.1 years
male: 15.5 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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3.18% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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41.36
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.89 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-2.72 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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 (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
44.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 46.57 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 66.63 years
male: 65.11 years
female: 68.21 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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Nationality:
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noun: Sao
Tomean(s)
adjective: Sao Tomean |
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Ethnic groups:
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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) |
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Religions:
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Christian 80%
(Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day
Adventist) |
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Languages:
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Portuguese
(official) |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.3%
male: 85%
female: 62% (1991 est.) |
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Country name:
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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 |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Sao Tome |
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Administrative divisions:
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2 provinces;
Principe, Sao Tome
note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April
1995 |
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Independence:
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12 July 1975
(from Portugal) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
12 July (1975) |
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Constitution:
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approved March
1990; effective 10 September 1990 |
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Legal system:
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based on
Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court
(judges are appointed by the National Assembly) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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 |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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This small poor
island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa
since independence 29 years ago. Cocoa production has
substantially declined in recent years because of drought and
mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export
earnings in 2003. 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 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 optimistic that
substantial petroleum discoveries are forthcoming in its
territorial waters in the oil-rich waters of the Gulf of
Guinea; production could begin as early as 2004. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $200 million (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $1,200 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
25%
industry: 10%
services: 65% (1999 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% (2001 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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9% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA (1996) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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population mainly
engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing
note: shortages of skilled workers |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$58 million
expenditures: $114 million, including capital
expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.) |
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Industries:
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light
construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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17 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
41.2%
hydro: 58.8%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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15.81 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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700 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cocoa, coconuts,
palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas,
papayas, beans; poultry; fish |
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Exports:
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$6.479 million
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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cocoa 80%, copra,
coffee, palm oil |
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Exports - partners:
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Netherlands
37.5%, Belgium 12.5%, Canada 12.5%, Germany 12.5%, Spain 12.5%
(2002) |
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Imports:
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$30.03 million
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products |
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Imports - partners:
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Portugal 50.8%,
Germany 10.2%, UK 8.5%, Belgium 6.8% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$253.8 million
(2000) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$200 million in
December 2000 under the HIPC program |
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Currency:
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dobra (STD) |
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Currency code:
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STD |
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Exchange rates:
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dobras per US
dollar - 9,347.58 (2003), 9,088.32 (2002), 8,842.11 (2001),
7,978.17 (2000), 7,118.96 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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6,200 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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2,000 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: adequate facilities
domestic: minimal system
international: country code - 239; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 5,
shortwave 1 (2002) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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2 (2002) |
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Internet country code:
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.st |
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Internet hosts:
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1,069 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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11,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 320
km
paved: 218 km
unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Santo Antonio,
Sao Tome |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 24
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490 GRT/97,077 DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 14, chemical tanker 2, livestock
carrier 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: British Virgin Islands 1, Egypt 1,
Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Portugal 1, Ukraine 2 (2003 est.) |
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Airports:
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2 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army, Coast
Guard, Presidential Guard, National Guard |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 38,347 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 20,188 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$500,000 (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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0.8% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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