Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited Sao Tome and Principe islands in the late 15th century, setting up a sugar-based economy that gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century -- all grown with African 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 among the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and failed, non-violent coup attempts in 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2009.
- Capital
- Sao Tome
- Government
- semi-presidential republic
- Population
- 223,561
- Area
- 964 sq km
- Location
- Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon
- Climate
- tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
- Natural resources
- fish; hydropower
- Languages
- Portuguese 98.4% (official); Forro 36.2%; Cabo Verdian 8.5%; French 6.8%…
- Religions
- Catholic 55.7%; Adventist 4.1%; Assembly of God 3.4%; New Apostolic 2.9%…
- Independence
- 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
- Administrative divisions
- 6 districts (distritos, singular - distrito), 1 autonomous region* (regiao autonoma);
- Currency
- dobras (STD)
- Export partners
- Pakistan 54%; Germany 11%; Netherlands 7%; France 5%…
- Import partners
- Portugal 35%; Angola 13%; Gabon 11%; Japan 8%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain