Sao Tome and Principe

<p>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. <br><br>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. In 2012, three opposition parties combined in a no-confidence vote to bring down the majority government of former Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA, but legislative elections returned him to the office two years later. President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as TROVOADA, was elected in 2016, marking a rare instance in which the same party held the positions of president and prime minister. TROVOADA resigned in 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. Carlos Vila NOVA was elected president in 2021. TROVOADA began his fourth stint as prime minister in 2022, after his party's victory in legislative elections. </p>

Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Africa

more than five times the size of Washington, D.C.

209 km

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

volcanic, mountainous

fish, hydropower

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, as shown in this population distribution map

flooding

the second-smallest African country (after the Seychelles); the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes, and both are mountainous

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%; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.)

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.)

1.39% (2025 est.)

25.87 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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, as shown in this population distribution map

80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018)

19.4 years (2008/09 est.)

75 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

3.18 children born/woman (2025 est.)

1.57 (2025 est.)

0.46 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

12.4% (2016)

5.4% (2019 est.)

53.1% (2019 est.)

deforestation and illegal logging; soil erosion and exhaustion; inadequate sewage treatment in cities; biodiversity&nbsp;

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

29 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

2.18 billion cubic meters (2022)

semi-presidential republic

6 districts (<em>distritos</em>, singular - <em>distrito</em>), 1 autonomous region* (<em>regiao autonoma</em>); Agua Grande, Cantagalo, Caue, Lemba, Lobata, Me-Zochi, Principe*

mixed 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

18 years of age; universal

BASTA Movement <br>Independent Democratic Action or ADI <br>Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD <br>Movement of Independent Citizens of São Tomé and Príncipe - Socialist Party or MCI-PS <br>National Unity Party or PUN

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)

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

<strong>description:</strong> three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double-width), and green with two five-pointed black stars in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the left side<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red for the struggle for independence, and yellow for cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the main islands<br><br><strong>history:</strong> uses the colors of the Pan-African movement

palm tree

green, yellow, red, black

lower middle-income Central African island economy; falling cocoa production due to drought and mismanagement; joint oil venture with Nigeria; government owns 90% of land; high debt, partly from fuel subsidies; tourism gutted by COVID-19

$764.274 million (2024 est.)

plantains, oil palm fruit, taro, bananas, fruits, cocoa beans, yams, coconuts, cassava, vegetables (2023)

light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber

3.2% (2024 est.)

34,500 (2024 est.)

55.5% (2017 est.)

Pakistan 54%, Germany 11%, Netherlands 7%, France 5%, UAE 3% (2023)

crude petroleum, cocoa beans, vehicle parts/accessories, palm oil, aircraft parts (2023)

Portugal 35%, Angola 13%, Gabon 11%, Japan 8%, China 6% (2023)

ships, refined petroleum, rice, electric generating sets, cars (2023)

1 state-owned TV station; 2 state-owned radio stations; 7 independent local radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available

.st

S9

2 (2025)

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), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2025)

approximately 500 active Armed Forces (2023)

the FASTP is lightly armed and has a small inventory of mostly older weapons and equipment (2023)

limited information; 18 is the minimum age for compulsory military service (reportedly not enforced) and 17 years of age (with parental permission) for voluntary service (2024)

the FASTP is one of the smallest militaries in Africa and consists of only a few companies of ground troops and some small patrol boats (2024)