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National Map
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Sao Tome and Principe |
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National Flag
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Sao Tome and Principe |
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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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
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Sao Tome and Principe |
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National Anthem
Of |
Sao Tome and Principe |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Sao Tome and Principe |
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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
land: 1,001 sq km
water: 0 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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Maritime claims:
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measured
from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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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: 6.25%
permanent crops: 48.96%
other: 44.79% (2001) |
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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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187,410
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 47.6% (male 45,145/female 44,007)
15-64 years: 48.6% (male 43,996/female 47,011)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,333/female 3,918)
(2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
16.12 years
male: 15.53 years
female: 16.71 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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3.16%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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40.8
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.68
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-2.51
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
43.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 45.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 66.99 years
male: 65.43 years
female: 68.59 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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5.71
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree
of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2004) |
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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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Catholic
70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist
1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census) |
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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 long form: Republica Democratica de Sao
Tome e Principe
local short form: 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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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3
September 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Maria do Carmo
SILVEIRA (since 7 June 2005); Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA
resigned 2 June 2005
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 29 July 2001 (next
to be held July 2006); prime minister chosen by the
National Assembly and approved by the president
election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected
president in Sao Tome's third multiparty presidential
election; percent of vote - NA% |
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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 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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International organization participation:
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ACCT,
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
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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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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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, 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 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, but lacking a formal
poverty reduction program with the IMF, it has not
benefited from subsequent HIPC debt reductions. Sao
Tome's external debt stands at over $300 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. The first production license
was sold to a consortium led by US-based oil firms. Much
of the 2005 budget is dependent upon the sale of
additional production licenses. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$214
million (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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6% (2004
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 16.5%
industry: 15.4%
services: 68.1% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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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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Population below poverty line:
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54% (2004
est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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14% (2004
est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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31.5% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $27.94 million
expenditures: $43.91 million, including capital
expenditures of $54 million (2004 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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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 (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 41.2%
hydro: 58.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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15.81
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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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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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Current account balance:
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$-31.5
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$6.7
million f.o.b. (2004 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 35.9%, China 12.3%, Belgium 7.4%, Germany
6.3%, Poland 5.1%, France 4.8%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)
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Imports:
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$41
million f.o.b. (2004 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
52.3%, Germany 9.5%, US 6%, Netherlands 4.8%, South
Africa 4.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$29.78
million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$318
million (2002) |
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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 (code):
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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 - 9,900.4 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3
(2002), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000) |
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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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7,000
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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4,800
(2003) |
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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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Radios:
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38,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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2 (2002)
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Televisions:
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23,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.st |
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Internet hosts:
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1,069
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2002)
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Internet users:
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15,000
(2003) |
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Highways:
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total:
320 km
paved: 218 km
unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Sao Tome
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Merchant marine:
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total:
15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490 GRT/97,077 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 11, chemical
tanker 2
foreign-owned: 2 (Egypt 1, Greece 1) (2005) |
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Airports:
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2 (2004
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 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Armed
Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast
Guard, Presidential Guard (2004) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age (est.) (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 33,438 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 25,950 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$700,000
(2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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0.8%
(2004) |
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Military - note:
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Sao Tome
and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no
resouces 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 and conditions have been a problem in
the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of
officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these
issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as
intial steps towards the improvement of the army and its
focus on realistic security concerns; command is
excersized from the president, through the Minister of
Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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