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 African 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 four failed, non-violent coup attempts in 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2009. In 2012, three opposition parties combined in a no confidence vote to bring down the majority government of former Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA, but in 2014, legislative elections returned him to the office. President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as Prime Minister TROVOADA, was elected in September 2016, marking a rare instance in which the positions of president and prime minister are held by the same party. Prime Minister TROVOADA resigned at the end of 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. New oil discoveries in the Gulf of Guinea may attract increased attention to the small island nation.
Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon
1 00 N, 7 00 E
Africa
total: 964 sq km
land: 964 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 185
more than five times the size of Washington, DC
0 km
209 km
territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: 200nm
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
volcanic, mountainous
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
fish, hydropower
agricultural land: 50.7% (2011 est.)
arable land: 9.1% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 40.6% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 1% (2011 est.)
forest: 28.1% (2011 est.)
other: 21.2% (2011 est.)
100 sq km (2012)
Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities
flooding
deforestation and illegal logging; soil erosion and exhaustion; inadequate sewage treatment in cities; biodiversity preservation
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
the second-smallest African country (after the Seychelles); the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are mountainous
204,454 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
noun: Sao Tomean(s)
adjective: Sao Tomean
mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cabo Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese), Asians (mostly Chinese)
Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4% (2012 est.)
note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census
Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe’s youthful age structure – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – and high fertility rate ensure future population growth. Although Sao Tome has a net negative international migration rate, emigration is not a sufficient safety valve to reduce already high levels of unemployment and poverty. While literacy and primary school attendance have improved in recent years, Sao Tome still struggles to improve its educational quality and to increase its secondary school completion rate. Despite some improvements in education and access to healthcare, Sao Tome and Principe has much to do to decrease its high poverty rate, create jobs, and increase its economic growth.The population of Sao Tome and Principe descends primarily from the islands’ colonial Portuguese settlers, who first arrived in the late 15th century, and the much larger number of African slaves brought in for sugar production and the slave trade. For about 100 years after the abolition of slavery in 1876, the population was further shaped by the widespread use of imported unskilled contract laborers from Portugal’s other African colonies, who worked on coffee and cocoa plantations. In the first decades after abolition, most workers were brought from Angola under a system similar to slavery. While Angolan laborers were technically free, they were forced or coerced into long contracts that were automatically renewed and extended to their children. Other contract workers from Mozambique and famine-stricken Cape Verde first arrived in the early 20th century under short-term contracts and had the option of repatriation, although some chose to remain in Sao Tome and Principe.Today’s Sao Tomean population consists of mesticos (creole descendants of the European immigrants and African slaves that first inhabited the islands), forros (descendants of freed African slaves), angolares (descendants of runaway African slaves that formed a community in the south of Sao Tome Island and today are fishermen), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (locally born children of contract laborers), and lesser numbers of Europeans and Asians.
0-14 years: 41.2%(male 42,825 /female 41,403)
15-24 years: 21.01%(male 21,767 /female 21,188)
25-54 years: 31.03%(male 31,218 /female 32,229)
55-64 years: 3.93%(male 3,708 /female 4,332)
65 years and over: 2.83%(male 2,545 /female 3,239) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:
total dependency ratio: 86.7 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 81.1 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 17.8 (2015 est.)
total: 18.7 years (2018 est.)
male: 18.3 years
female: 19.1 years
country comparison to the world: 207
1.66% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
31.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
-8.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities
urban population: 73.6% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 3.33% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)
80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
19.4 years (2008/09 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
130 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
total: 44.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.1 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 41
total population: 65.7 years (2018 est.)
male: 64.3 years
female: 67.1 years
country comparison to the world: 179
4.11 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
40.6% (2014)
improved: urban: 98.9% of population
rural: 93.6% of population
total: 97.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population
rural: 6.4% of population
total: 2.9% of population (2015 est.)
6% (2016)
2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)
improved: urban: 40.8% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 23.3% of population (2015 est.)
total: 34.7% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 59.2% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 76.7% of population (2015 est.)
total: 65.3% of population (2015 est.)
0.7% (2018)
country comparison to the world: 58
1,100 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 142
<100 (2018)
degree of risk: high (2016)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever (2016)
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)
12.4% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 133
8.8% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 68
4.9% of GDP (2017)
country comparison to the world: 68
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.9%
male: 81.8%
female: 68.4% (2015)
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2015)
total: 20.8%
male: NA
female: NA (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
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
etymology: Sao Tome was named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day; Principe is a shortening of the original Portuguese name of "Ilha do Principe" (Isle of the Prince) referring to the Prince of Portugal to whom duties on the island's sugar crop were paid
semi-presidential republic
name: Sao Tome
geographic coordinates: 0 20 N, 6 44 E
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after Saint Thomas the Apostle
6 districts (distritos, singular - distrito), 1 autonomous region* (regiao autonoma); Agua Grande, Cantagalo, Caue, Lemba, Lobata, Me-Zochi, Principe*
12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
history: approved 5 November 1975
amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the Assembly can propose to the president of the republic that an amendment be submitted to a referendum; revised several times, last in 2006 (2017)
mixed legal system of civil law based on the Portuguese model and customary law
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sao Tome and Principe
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Evaristo CARVALHO (since 3 September 2016)
head of government: Prime Minister Jorge Bom JESUS (since 3 December 2018)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 July 2016 and 7 August 2016 (next to be held in July 2021); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president
election results: Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1%; note - first round results for CARVALHO were revised downward from just over 50%, prompting the 7 August runoff; however, on 1 August 2016 DA COSTA withdrew from the runoff, citing voting irregularities, and CARVALHO was declared the winner
description: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)
election results: percent of vote by party - ADI 41.8%, MLSTP/PSD 40.3%, PCD-GR 9.5%, MCISTP 2.1%, other 6.3%; seats by party - ADI 25, MLSTP-PSD 23, PCD-MDFM-UDD 5, MCISTP 2; composition - men 45, women 10, percent of women 18.2%
highest courts: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal Justica (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 5 judges, 3 of whom are from the Supreme Court)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for 5-year terms
subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Audit Court
Force for Democratic Change Movement or MDFM [Fradique Bandeira Melo DE MENEZES]
Independent Democratic Action or ADI [vacant]
Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Aurelio MARTINS]
Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Leonel Mario D'ALVA]
other small parties
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CEMAC, CPLP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Ambassador Carlos Filomeno Azevedo Agostinho das NEVES (since 3 December 2013)
chancery: 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 651-8116
FAX: [1] (212) 651-8117
the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the US Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe
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; green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red recalls the struggle for independence, and yellow represents cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the two main islands
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
palm tree; national colors: green, yellow, red, black
name: "Independencia total" (Total Independence)
lyrics/music: Alda Neves DA GRACA do Espirito Santo/Manuel dos Santos Barreto de Sousa e ALMEIDA
note: adopted 1975
The economy of São Tomé and Príncipe is small, based mainly on agricultural production, and, since independence in 1975, increasingly dependent on the export of cocoa beans. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement. Sao Tome depends heavily on imports of food, fuels, most manufactured goods, and consumer goods, and changes in commodity prices affect the country’s inflation rate. Maintaining control of inflation, fiscal discipline, and increasing flows of foreign direct investment into the nascent oil sector are major economic problems facing the country. In recent years the government has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. In 2017, several business-related laws were enacted that aim to improve the business climate.São Tomé and Príncipe has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. In April 2011, the country completed a Threshold Country Program with The Millennium Challenge Corporation to help increase tax revenues, reform customs, and improve the business environment. In 2016, Sao Tome and Portugal signed a five-year cooperation agreement worth approximately $64 million, some of which will be provided as loans. In 2017, China and São Tomé signed a mutual cooperation agreement in areas such as infrastructure, health, and agriculture worth approximately $146 million over five years.Considerable potential exists for development of tourism, and the government has taken steps to expand tourist facilities in recent years. Potential also exists for the development of petroleum resources in São Tomé and Príncipe's territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, some of which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria, but production is at least several years off.Volatile aid and investment inflows have limited growth, and poverty remains high. Restricteded capacity at the main port increases the periodic risk of shortages of consumer goods. Contract enforcement in the country’s judicial system is difficult. The IMF in late 2016 expressed concern about vulnerabilities in the country’s banking sector, although the country plans some austerity measures in line with IMF recommendations under their three year extended credit facility. Deforestation, coastal erosion, poor waste management, and misuse of natural resources also are challenging issues.
$686 million (2017 est.)
$660.4 million (2016 est.)
$633.9 million (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 208
$393 million (2017 est.)
3.9% (2017 est.)
4.2% (2016 est.)
3.8% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
$3,200 (2017 est.)
$3,200 (2016 est.)
$3,100 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 191
18.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
21% of GDP (2016 est.)
19.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
household consumption: 81.4% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 17.6% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 33.4% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 7.9% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -40.4% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 11.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 14.8% (2017 est.)
services: 73.4% (2017 est.)
cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber
5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
72,600 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
agriculture: 26.1%
industry: 21.4%
services: 52.5% (2014 est.)
12.2% (2017 est.)
12.6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
66.2% (2009 est.)
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
30.8 (2010 est.)
32.1 (2000 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
revenues: 103 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 112.4 million (2017 est.)
26.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
-2.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
88.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
93.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
calendar year
5.7% (2017 est.)
5.4% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
16% (31 December 2009)
28% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 11
19.61% (31 December 2017 est.)
19.59% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
$75.38 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$64.95 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
$75.38 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$64.95 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
$96.03 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$73.35 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
NA
-$32 million (2017 est.)
-$23 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
$15.6 million (2017 est.)
$9.31 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
Guyana 43.7%, Germany 23.6%, Portugal 6%, Netherlands 5.5%, Poland 4.4% (2017)
cocoa 68%, copra, coffee, palm oil (2010 est.)
$127.7 million (2017 est.)
$119.1 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
Portugal 54.7%, Angola 16.5%, China 5.6% (2017)
$58.95 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$61.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
$292.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$308.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
$469.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$430.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
$3.98 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
dobras (STD) per US dollar -
22,689 (2017 est.)
21,797 (2016 est.)
22,149 (2015 est.)
22,091 (2014 est.)
18,466 (2013 est.)
electrification - total population: 68% (2017)
electrification - urban areas: 87% (2017)
electrification - rural areas: 22% (2017)
66 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
61.38 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
0 kWh (2016)
country comparison to the world: 193
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
18,100 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
88% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
0 bbl (1 January 2018)
country comparison to the world: 191
0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
1,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
1,027 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
148,100 Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
total subscriptions: 5,569
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
total subscriptions: 173,646
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 86 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
general assessment: local telephone network of adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches; mobile cellular superior choice to landland; dial-up quality low; broadband expensive (2018)
domestic: fixed-line 3 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 86 telephones per 100 persons (2018)
international: country code - 239; landing points for the Ultramar GE and ACE submarine cables from South Africa to over 20 West African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
1 government-owned TV station; 1 government-owned radio station; 3 independent local radio stations authorized in 2005 with 2 operating at the end of 2006; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available
.st
total: 50,000
percent of population: 25.8% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
total: 1,479
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (Forcas Armadas de Sao Tome e Principe, FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP; also called "Navy"), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2015)
18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2012)
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 50,716 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0mt-km (2015)
S9 (2016)
2 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 207
total: 2 (2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017)
total: 15
by type: general cargo 12, other 3 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 145
major seaport(s): Sao Tome
none