1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Coastline
209 km
Comparative area
slightly less than 5.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Environment
deforestation; soil erosion
Extended economic zone
200 nm;
Land boundaries
none
Land use
1% arable land; 20% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 75% forest and woodland; 3% other
Maritime claims
(measured from claimed archipelagic baselines);
Natural resources
fish
Note
located south of Nigeria and west of Gabon near the Equator in the North Atlantic Ocean
Terrain
volcanic, mountainous
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
960 km2; land area: 960 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
38 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
mestico, angolares (descendents of Angolan slaves), forros (descendents of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), and Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Infant mortality rate
61 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
21,096 (1981); most of population engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; labor shortages on plantations and of skilled workers; 56% of population of working age (1983)
Language
Portuguese (official)
Life expectancy at birth
64 years male, 67 years female (1990)
Literacy
50% (est.)
Nationality
noun--Sao Tomean(s); adjective--Sao Tomean
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
NA
Population
124,765 (July 1990), growth rate 3.0% (1990)
Religion
Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist
Total fertility rate
5.4 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
2 districts (concelhos, singular--concelho); Principe, Sao Tome
Capital
Sao Tome
Constitution
5 November 1975, approved 15 December 1982
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Joaquim Rafael BRANCO; Chancery (temporary) at 801 Second Avenue, Suite 1504, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 697-4211; US--the US Ambassador in Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
Elections
President--last held 30 September 1985 (next to be held September 1990); results--President Dr. Manuel Pinto da Costa was reelected without opposition by the National People's Assembly; National People's Assembly--last held 30 September 1985 (next to be held September 1990); results--MLSTP is the only party; seats--(40 total) MLSTP 40 (indirectly elected)
Executive branch
president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
Flag
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; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Independence
12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Leaders
Chief of State--President Dr. Manuel Pinto da COSTA (since 12 July 1975); Head of Government--Prime Minister Celestino Rocha da COSTA (since 8 January 1988)
Legal system
based on Portuguese law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral National People's Assembly, sometimes referred to as the National Popular Assembly (Assembleia Popular Nacional)
Long-form name
Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
Member of
ACP, AfDB, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Political parties and leaders
only party--Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe (MLSTP), Dr. Manuel Pinto da Costa
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
republic
Economy
Agriculture
dominant sector of economy, primary source of exports; cash crops--cocoa (90%), coconuts, palm kernels, coffee; food products--bananas, papaya, beans, poultry, fish; not self-sufficient in food grain and meat
Aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $7 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), 41.9 million
Budget
revenues $19.2 million; expenditures $25.1 million, including capital expenditures of $19.9 million (1987)
Currency
dobra (plural--dobras); 1 dobra (Db) = 100 centimos
Electricity
6,000 kW capacity; 12 million kWh produced, 100 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
dobras (Db) per US$1--122.48 (December 1988), 72.827 (1987), 36.993 (1986), 41.195 (1985)
Exports
$9.1 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--cocoa 90%, copra, coffee, palm oil; partners--FRG, GDR, Netherlands, China
External debt
$95 million (1988)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$37.9 million, per capita $340; real growth rate 1.8% (1986)
Imports
$17.3 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities--machinery and electrical equipment 59%, food products 32%, fuels 9%; partners--Portugal, GDR, Angola, China
Industrial production
growth rate 7.1% (1986)
Industries
light construction, shirts, soap, beer, fisheries, shrimp processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.2% (1986)
Overview
The economy has remained dependent on cocoa since the gained independence nearly 15 years ago. Since then, however, cocoa production has gradually deteriorated because of drought and mismanagement, so that by 1987 output had fallen to less than 50% of its former levels. As a result, a shortage of cocoa for export has created a serious balance-of-payments problem. Production of less important crops, such as coffee, copra, and palm kernels, has also declined. The value of imports generally exceeds that of exports by a ratio of 4 to 1. The emphasis on cocoa production at the expense of other food crops has meant that Sao Tome has to import 90% of food needs. It also has to import all fuels and most manufactured goods. Over the years, Sao Tome has been unable to service its external debt, which amounts to roughly 80% of export earnings. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also implemented a Five-Year Plan covering 1986-90 to restructure the economy and reschedule external debt service payments in cooperation with the International Development Association and Western lenders.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
8 major transport aircraft
Highways
300 km (two-thirds are paved); roads on Principe are mostly unpaved and in need of repair
Ports
Sao Tome, Santo Antonio
Telecommunications
minimal system; 2,200 telephones; stations--1 AM, 2 FM, no TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy
Defense expenditures
1.6% of GDP (1980)
Military manpower
males 15-49, 27,805; 14,662 fit for military service