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Coordinates : 1°N 7°E / 1°N 7°E / 1; 7 Democratic
Republic
Flag Coat of arms MOTTO: "Unidade, Disciplina, Trabalho" (Portuguese) "Unity, Discipline, Work" ANTHEM: _ Independência total _ _Total Independence_ Location of São Tomé and Príncipe (dark blue) – in
Africa
Capital and largest city São Tomé 0°20′N 6°44′E / 0.333°N 6.733°E / 0.333; 6.733 OFFICIAL LANGUAGES Portuguese RECOGNISED REGIONAL LANGUAGES * Forro * Angolar * Principense DEMONYM * São Toméan (Sao Tomean) * Santomean GOVERNMENT Unitary semi-presidential republic • PRESIDENT Evaristo Carvalho • PRIME MINISTER Patrice Trovoada LEGISLATURE National Assembly INDEPENDENCE • FROM PORTUGAL 12 July 1975 AREA • TOTAL 964 km2 (372 sq mi) (171th ) • WATER (%) Negligible POPULATION • 2014 ESTIMATE 190,428 • 2013 CENSUS 192,993 • DENSITY 187.17/km2 (484.8/sq mi) (69th ) GDP (PPP ) 2017 estimate • TOTAL $685 million • PER CAPITA $3,220 GDP (NOMINAL) 2017 estimate • TOTAL $355 million • PER CAPITA $1,668 GINI (2010) 33.9 medium HDI (2015) 0.574 medium · 142nd CURRENCY Dobra (STD ) TIME ZONE GMT (UTC +0) DRIVES ON THE right CALLING CODE +239 ISO 3166 CODE ST INTERNET TLD .st SãO TOMé AND PRíNCIPE (/ˌsaʊ təˈmeɪ ən ˈprɪnsᵻpə,
-ˈprɪnsᵻpeɪ/ _SOW tə-MAY ən PRIN-sip-ə, -PRIN-sip-ay_ ;
Portuguese: ), officially the DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF SãO TOMé AND
PRíNCIPE, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of
Guinea
The islands were uninhabited until their discovery by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century . Gradually colonized and settled by the Portuguese throughout the 16th century, they collectively served as a vital commercial and trade center for the Atlantic slave trade . The rich volcanic soil and close proximity to the equator made São Tomé and Príncipe ideal for sugar cultivation, followed later by cash crops such as coffee and cocoa ; the lucrative plantation economy was heavily dependent upon imported African slaves. Cycles of social unrest and economic instability throughout the 19th and 20th centuries culminated in peaceful independence in 1975. São Tomé and Príncipe has since remained one of Africa\'s most stable and democratic countries. With a population of 192,993 (2013 Census),
São Tomé and Príncipe
is the second-smallest African country after
Seychelles
CONTENTS * 1 History * 1.1
Independence
* 2 Politics * 2.1 Political culture * 2.2 Foreign relations * 2.3 Military * 2.4 Administrative divisions * 3 Geography * 3.1 Climate * 3.2 Wildlife * 4 Economy * 4.1 Petroleum exploration * 4.2 Banking * 5 Society * 5.1 Demographics * 5.2 Ethnic groups * 5.3 Languages * 5.4 Religion * 5.5 Health * 5.6 Education * 6
Culture
* 6.1 Music * 6.2 Cuisine * 7 See also * 8 References * 9 External links HISTORY _ This section NEEDS ADDITIONAL CITATIONS FOR VERIFICATION . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2017)_ _(Learn how and when to remove this template message )_ Main article: History of São Tomé and Príncipe The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe were uninhabited when the Portuguese arrived sometime around 1470. The islands were discovered by João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar . Portuguese navigators explored the islands and decided that they would be good locations for bases to trade with the mainland. The dates of discovery are sometimes given as 21 December (St
Thomas\'s Day ), 1471 for São Tomé, and 17 January (St Anthony\'s
Day ), 1472 for Príncipe, though other sources give different nearby
years.
Príncipe was initially named _Santo Antão_ ("Saint Anthony"),
changing its name in 1502 to _Ilha do Príncipe_ ("Prince's Island"),
in reference to the Prince of
Portugal
The first successful settlement of
São Tomé was established in 1493
by
Álvaro Caminha , who received the land as a grant from the crown.
Príncipe was settled in 1500 under a similar arrangement. Attracting
settlers proved difficult, however, and most of the earliest
inhabitants were "undesirables" sent from Portugal, mostly
Jews
By 1515, São Tomé and Príncipe had become slave depots for the coastal slave trade centered at Elmina . The cultivation of sugar was a labour-intensive process and the Portuguese began to enslave large numbers of Africans from the mainland. By the mid-16th century the Portuguese settlers had turned the islands into Africa's foremost exporter of sugar. São Tomé and Príncipe were taken over and administered by the Portuguese crown in 1522 and 1573, respectively. However, competition from sugar-producing colonies in the Western
Hemisphere began to hurt the islands. The large enslaved population
also proved difficult to oppress, with
Portugal
In the early 19th century, two new cash crops, coffee and cocoa , were introduced. The rich volcanic soils proved well suited to the new cash crop industry, and soon extensive plantations (known as "roças"), owned by Portuguese companies or absentee landlords, occupied almost all of the good farmland. By 1908, São Tomé had become the world's largest producer of cocoa, which remains the country's most important crop. The roças system, which gave the plantation managers a high degree
of authority, led to abuses against the African farm workers. Although
Portugal
In the early 20th century, an internationally publicized controversy arose over charges that Angolan contract workers were being subjected to forced labour and unsatisfactory working conditions. Sporadic labor unrest and dissatisfaction continued well into the 20th century, culminating in an outbreak of riots in 1953 in which several hundred African laborers were killed in a clash with their Portuguese rulers. This " Batepá Massacre " remains a major event in the colonial history of the islands, and its anniversary is officially observed by the government. INDEPENDENCE (1975) The cathedral of São Tomé . By the late 1950s, when other emerging nations across the African
Continent demanded their independence, a small group of São Toméans
had formed the Movement for the Liberation of
São Tomé and Príncipe
(MLSTP), which eventually established its base in nearby Gabon.
Picking up momentum in the 1960s, events moved quickly after the
overthrow of the Caetano dictatorship in
Portugal
The new Portuguese regime was committed to the dissolution of its
overseas colonies – in November 1974, their representatives met with
the MLSTP in Algiers and worked out an agreement for the transfer of
sovereignty. After a period of transitional government,
São Tomé and
Príncipe achieved independence on 12 July 1975, choosing as the first
president the MLSTP Secretary General
Manuel Pinto da Costa
In 1990, São Tomé became one of the first African countries to undergo democratic reform , and changes to the constitution – the legalization of opposition political parties – led to elections in 1991 that were nonviolent, free, and transparent. Miguel Trovoada , a former prime minister who had been in exile since 1986, returned as an independent candidate and was elected president. Trovoada was re-elected in São Tomé's second multi-party presidential election in 1996. The Party of Democratic Convergence (PCD) won a majority of seats in the National Assembly , with the MLSTP becoming an important and vocal minority party. Municipal elections followed in late 1992, in which the MLSTP won a majority of seats on five of seven regional councils. In early legislative elections in October 1994, the MLSTP won a plurality of seats in the Assembly. It regained an outright majority of seats in the November 1998 elections. Presidential elections were held in July 2001. The candidate backed by the Independent Democratic Action party, Fradique de Menezes , was elected in the first round and inaugurated on 3 September. Parliamentary elections were held in March 2002. For the next four years, a series of short-lived opposition-led governments were formed. The army seized power for one week in July 2003, complaining of corruption and that forthcoming oil revenues would not be divided fairly. An accord was negotiated under which President de Menezes was returned to office. The cohabitation period ended in March 2006, when a pro-presidential coalition won enough seats in National Assembly elections to form a new government. In the 30 July 2006 presidential election, Fradique de Menezes easily won a second five-year term in office, defeating two other candidates Patrice Trovoada (son of former President Miguel Trovoada) and independent Nilo Guimarães . Local elections, the first since 1992, took place on 27 August 2006 and were dominated by members of the ruling coalition. On 12 February 2009, there was an attempted coup d\'état to overthrow President Fradique de Menezes. The coup plotters were imprisoned, but later received a pardon from President de Menezes. POLITICS Main article: Politics of
São Tomé and
Príncipe Former
President
Manuel Pinto da Costa
The president of the republic is elected to a five-year term by direct universal suffrage and a secret ballot , and must gain an outright majority to be elected. The president may hold up to two consecutive terms. The prime minister is appointed by the president, and the fourteen members of cabinet are chosen by the prime minister. The National Assembly , the supreme organ of the state and the highest legislative body, is made up of 55 members, who are elected for a four-year term and meet semiannually. Justice is administered at the highest level by the Supreme Court. The judiciary is independent under the current constitution. POLITICAL CULTURE São Tomé has functioned under a multiparty system since 1990. With regards to human rights in São Tomé , there are freedom of speech and the freedom to form opposition political parties. São Tomé and Príncipe finished 11th out of the African countries measured by the Ibrahim Index of African Governance in 2010, a comprehensive reflection of the levels of governance in Africa. FOREIGN RELATIONS Further information: Foreign relations of São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and
Príncipe has embassies in Angola, Gabon, Portugal,
Belgium
MILITARY Further information: Military of São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe's military is small and consists of four branches: the Army (_Exército_), Coast Guard (_Guarda Costeira_ also called "Navy"), Presidential Guard (_Guarda Presidencial_), and the National Guard. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS Main articles: Provinces of São Tomé and Príncipe and Districts of São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe is divided into 2 provinces: Príncipe and São Tomé . The provinces are further divided into seven districts, six on São Tomé and one on Príncipe (with Príncipe having self-government since 29 April 1995). GEOGRAPHY Main article: Geography of São Tomé and Príncipe A map of São Tomé and Príncipe. The Pico Cão Grande . The islands of
São Tomé and Príncipe, situated in the equatorial
Atlantic and
Gulf of Guinea about 300 and 250 kilometres (190 and 160
mi), respectively, off the northwest coast of
Gabon
São Tomé is 50 km (30 mi) long and 30 km (20 mi) wide and the more mountainous of the two islands. Its peaks reach 2,024 m (6,640 ft) – Pico de São Tomé . Príncipe is about 30 km (20 mi) long and 6 km (4 mi) wide. Its peaks reach 948 m (3,110 ft) – Pico de Príncipe . Swift streams radiating down the mountains through lush forest and cropland to the sea cross both islands. The equator lies immediately south of São Tomé Island, passing through an islet Ilhéu das Rolas . The Pico Cão Grande (Great Dog Peak) is a landmark volcanic plug peak, located at 0°7′0″N 6°34′00″E / 0.11667°N 6.56667°E / 0.11667; 6.56667 in southern São Tomé. It rises over 300 m (1,000 ft) above the surrounding terrain and the summit is 663 m (2,175 ft) above sea level. CLIMATE Main article: Climate of São Tomé and Príncipe At sea level, the climate is tropical—hot and humid with average yearly temperatures of about 27 °C (80.6 °F) and little daily variation. The temperature rarely rises beyond 32 °C (89.6 °F). At the interior's higher elevations, the average yearly temperature is 20 °C (68 °F), and nights are generally cool. Annual rainfall varies from 5,000 mm (196.9 in) on the southwestern slopes to 1,000 mm (39.4 in) in the northern lowlands. The rainy season is from October to May. WILDLIFE Main article: Wildlife of São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe does not have a large number of native mammals (although the São Tomé shrew and several bat species are endemic ). The islands are home to a larger number of endemic birds and plants, including the world's smallest ibis (the São Tomé ibis ), the world's largest sunbird (the giant sunbird ), the rare São Tomé fiscal , and several giant species of _ Begonia _. São Tomé and Principe is an important marine turtle nesting site, including the hawksbill turtles (_Eretmochelys imbricata_). ECONOMY Main article: Economy of São Tomé and Príncipe Ossame fruit in São Tomé and Príncipe Since the 19th century, the economy of São Tomé and Príncipe has been based on plantation agriculture. At the time of independence, Portuguese-owned plantations occupied 90% of the cultivated area. After independence, control of these plantations passed to various state-owned agricultural enterprises. The main crop on São Tomé is cocoa, representing about 95% of agricultural exports. Other export crops include copra, palm kernels, and coffee. Domestic food-crop production is inadequate to meet local consumption, so the country imports most of its food. In 1997 it was estimated that approximately 90% of the country's food needs are met through imports. Efforts have been made by the government in recent years to expand food production, and several projects have been undertaken, largely financed by foreign donors. A market place located in the city of São Tomé . A proportional representation of São Tomé's exports. Other than agriculture, the main economic activities are fishing and a small industrial sector engaged in processing local agricultural products and producing a few basic consumer goods. The scenic islands have potential for tourism, and the government is attempting to improve its rudimentary tourist industry infrastructure. The government sector accounts for about 11% of employment. Following independence, the country had a centrally directed economy with most means of production owned and controlled by the state. The original constitution guaranteed a mixed economy , with privately owned cooperatives combined with publicly owned property and means of production. In the 1980s and 1990s, the economy of São Tomé encountered major difficulties. Economic growth stagnated, and cocoa exports dropped in both value and volume, creating large balance-of-payments deficits. Efforts to redistribute plantation land resulted in decreased cocoa production. At the same time, the international price of cocoa slumped. In response to its economic downturn, the government undertook a series of far-reaching economic reforms. In 1987, the government implemented an International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural adjustment program, and invited greater private participation in management of the parastatals, as well as in the agricultural, commercial, banking, and tourism sectors. The focus of economic reform since the early 1990s has been widespread privatization, especially of the state-run agricultural and industrial sectors. The São Toméan Government has traditionally obtained foreign
assistance from various donors, including the UN Development Programme
, the
World Bank
In late 2000, São Tomé qualified for significant debt reduction under the IMF–World Bank's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The reduction is being reevaluated by the IMF, due to the attempted coup d\'état in July 2003 and subsequent emergency spending. Following the truce, the IMF decided to send a mission to São Tomé to evaluate the macroeconomic state of the country. This evaluation is ongoing, reportedly pending oil legislation to determine how the government will manage incoming oil revenues which are still poorly defined, but in any case expected to change the economic situation dramatically. In parallel, some efforts have been made to incentivize private tourism initiatives, but their scope remains limited.
São Tomé also hosts a broadcasting station of the American
International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) for the
Voice of America
Portugal
São Tomé and Príncipe was ranked the 174th-safest investment destination in the world in the March 2011 Euromoney Country Risk rankings. PETROLEUM EXPLORATION In 2001,
São Tomé and
Nigeria
BANKING Banco Central de Sāo Tomé e Príncipe is the central bank, responsible for monetary policy and bank supervision. There are six banks in the country. The largest and oldest is Banco Internacional de São Tomé e Príncipe , which is a subsidiary of Portugal's government-owned Caixa Geral de Depósitos . It had a monopoly on commercial banking until a change in the banking law in 2003 led to the entry of several other banks. SOCIETY DEMOGRAPHICS Main article: Demographics of São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe's population in thousands between 1961 and 2003.
The first ever census was carried out in 2011 with the help of the
National Statistic Institute (INE) of
Cape Verde
The total population is estimated at 163,784 in 2010 by the government agency. Approximately 157,000 people live on São Tomé and 6,000 on Príncipe. All are descended from people from different countries taken to the islands by the Portuguese from 1470 onwards. In the 1970s, there were two significant population movements—the exodus of most of the 4,000 Portuguese residents and the influx of several hundred São Tomé refugees from Angola. ETHNIC GROUPS Distinct ethnic groups on São Tomé and Príncipe include: * _Mestiços_, or mixed-blood, descendants of Portuguese colonists
and African slaves brought to the islands during the early years of
settlement from
Benin
LANGUAGES Further information: Languages of São Tomé and Príncipe Religion in
São Tomé and
Príncipe
Catholic Church
Portuguese is the official and the de facto national language of São Tomé and Príncipe, with about 98.4% speaking it in the country, a significant share of it as their native language, and it has been spoken in the islands since the end of the 15th century. Restructured variants of Portuguese or Portuguese creoles are also spoken: Forro , a creole language (36.2%), Cape Verdean Creole (8.5%), Angolar (6.6%) and Principense (1%). French (6.8%) and English (4.9%) are foreign languages taught in schools. RELIGION Almost all residents belong to the
Roman Catholic
HEALTH There was a resurgence of malaria in the country in 2010, but the exact cause is unknown. Female life expectancy at birth was 65.1 years in between 2005 and 2010, and male life expectancy at 62.8 for the same time period. Healthy life expectancy at birth was at 64.7 years in 2011. A Cuban medical team of seven doctors, nurses and other health workers is working on the main island, with occasional visits to Principe. Government health expenditure per capita was at US$90.73 (current US$) in 2009. According to WHO, São Tomé and Príncipe is also home to the largest documented amount of iron-deficiency anemia amongst any country's population. EDUCATION Education in São Tomé and Príncipe is compulsory for four years. Primary school enrollment and attendance rates were unavailable for São Tomé and Principe as of 2001. The educational system has a shortage of classrooms, insufficiently trained and underpaid teachers, inadequate textbooks and materials, high rates of repetition, poor educational planning and management, and a lack of community involvement in school management. Domestic financing of the school system is lacking, leaving the system highly dependent on foreign financing. Tertiary institutions are the National Lyceum ( São Tomé and Príncipe) and the University of São Tomé and Príncipe . CULTURE Further information: List of writers from São Tomé and Príncipe Lagoa Azul Lighthouse São Toméan culture is a mixture of African and Portuguese influences. MUSIC Further information: Music of São Tomé and Príncipe São Toméans are known for ússua and socopé rhythms , while Príncipe is home to the dêxa beat. Portuguese ballroom may have played an integral part in the development of these rhythms and their associated dances. Tchiloli is a musical dance performance that tells a dramatic story. The danço-Congo is similarly a combination of music, dance and theatre. CUISINE Further information: Cuisine of São Tomé and Príncipe
Staple foods include fish , seafood , beans , maize and cooked banana
. Tropical fruits such as pineapple , avocado and bananas are a
significant component of the cuisine. The use of hot spices is
prominent in São Tomése cuisine.
Coffee
SEE ALSO *
São Tomé and
Príncipe portal
* Islands portal
*
Africa
* Outline of
São Tomé and
Príncipe
*
Bight of Bonny
REFERENCES * ^ "Nationality". _
The World Factbook
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