Introduction

Background: 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.

 

Geography

 

Location: Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

 

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 7 00 E

 

Map references: Africa

 

Area: total: 1,001 sq km; land: 1,001 sq km; water: 0 sq km

 

Area - comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC

 

Land boundaries: 0 km

 

Coastline: 209 km

 

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines; territorial sea: 12 nm; exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

 

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

 

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

 

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m; highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

 

Natural resources: fish, hydropower

 

Land use: arable land: 6.25%; permanent crops: 48.96%; other: 44.79% (2001)

 

Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

 

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

 

Environment - international agreements: 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

 

Geography - note: the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous

 

People

 

Population: 187,410 (July 2005 est.)

 

Age structure: 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.)

 

Median age: total: 16.12 years; male: 15.53 years; female: 16.71 years (2005 est.)

 

Population growth rate: 3.16% (2005 est.)

 

Birth rate: 40.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

 

Death rate: 6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

 

Net migration rate: -2.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

 

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female; under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female; total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

 

Infant mortality rate: 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.)

 

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.99 years; male: 65.43 years; female: 68.59 years (2005 est.)

 

Total fertility rate: 5.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

 

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

 

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
 

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

 

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high; food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever; vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

 

Nationality: noun: Sao Tomean(s); adjective: Sao Tomean

 

Ethnic groups: mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

 

Religions: Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

 

Languages: Portuguese (official)

 

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write; total population: 79.3%; male: 85%; female: 62% (1991 est.)

 

Government

 

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe; conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe; local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe; local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

 

Government type: republic

 

Capital: Sao Tome

 

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome; note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

 

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

 

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

 

Constitution: approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

 

Legal system: based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

 

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

 

Executive branch: chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001)

head of government: Prime Minister 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%

 

Legislative branch: 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

 

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

 

Economy

 

Economy - overview: This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, 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.

 

GDP: purchasing power parity - $214 million (2003 est.)

 

GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2004 est.)

 

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)

 

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.5%; industry: 15.4%; services: 68.1% (2004 est.)

 

Labor force: NA

 

Labor force - by occupation: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; note: shortages of skilled workers

 

Unemployment rate: NA

 

Population below poverty line: 54% (2004 est.)

 

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA; highest 10%: NA

 

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (2004 est.)

 

Investment (gross fixed): 31.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

 

Budget: revenues: $27.94 million; expenditures: $43.91 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (2004 est.)

 

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

 

Industries: light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber

 

Industrial production growth rate: NA

 

Electricity - production: 17 million kWh (2002)

 

Electricity - consumption: 15.81 million kWh (2002)

 

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

 

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

 

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

 

Oil - consumption: 700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

 

Oil - exports: NA

 

Oil - imports: NA

 

Current account balance: $-31.5 million (2004 est.)

 

Exports: $6.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

 

Exports - commodities: cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

 

Exports - partners: Netherlands 39.1%, China 11.8%, Germany 8.6%, Belgium 6.9%, Philippines 6.7%, France 4.5% (2004)

 

Imports: $41 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

 

Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products

 

Imports - partners: Portugal 50.5%, Germany 10%, US 5.1%, Netherlands 4.5%, South Africa 4.2% (2004)

 

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $29.78 million (2004 est.)

 

Debt - external: $318 million (2002)

 

Economic aid - recipient: $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

 

Currency (code): dobra (STD)

 

Exchange rates: dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000)

 

Fiscal year: calendar year

 

Communications

 

Telephones - main lines in use: 7,000 (2003)

 

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,800 (2003)

 

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate facilities; domestic: minimal system; international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

 

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

 

Television broadcast stations: 2 (2002)

 

Internet country code: .st

 

Internet hosts: 1,069 (2003)