1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

1 00 N, 7 00 E -- Western Africa, island in the Atlantic Ocean, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon Flag ----

Area

comparative area

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

land area

960 sq km

total area

960 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

209 km

Environment

current issues

deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

international agreements

party to - Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

1 00 N, 7 00 E

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

1%

forest and woodland

75%

meadows and pastures

1%

other

3%

permanent crops

20%

Location

Western Africa, island in the Atlantic Ocean, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

highest point

Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 40% (male 29,103; female 28,633) 15-64 years: 55% (male 39,749; female 39,960) 65 years and over: 5% (male 2,973; female 3,710) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

34.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.55 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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)

Infant mortality rate

61.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Portuguese (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

65.83 years (1996 est.)

male

61.95 years

total population

63.87 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)

female

62%

male

85%

total population

73%

Nationality

adjective

Sao Tomean

noun

Sao Tomean(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

144,128 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.58% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist

Sex ratio

all ages

0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

4.33 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Principe, Sao Tome

Capital

Sao Tome

Constitution

approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

Data code

TP

Diplomatic representation in US

Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone [1] (212) 697-4211

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister

chief of state

President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 3 March 1991 (next to be held 30 June 1996); results - Miguel TROVOADA was elected without opposition in Sao Tome's first multiparty presidential election

head of government

Prime Minister Armindo UAZ de ALMEIDA (since 29 December 1995) was appointed by the president

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)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the National Peoples Assembly

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

National People's Assembly

(Assembleia Popular Nacional) parliament dissolved by President TROVOADA in July 1994; early elections held 2 October 1994 (next to be held NA); results - MLSTP 27%, PCD-GR 25.5%, ADI 25.5%; seats - (55 total) MLSTP 27, PCD-GR 14, ADI 14

Political parties and leaders

Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group (PCD-GR), Daniel Lima Dos Santos DAIO, secretary general; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe (MLSTP), Carlos da GRACA; Christian Democratic Front (FDC), Alphonse Dos SANTOS; Democratic Opposition Coalition (CODO), leader NA; Independent Democratic Action (ADI), Patrice TROVOADA; other small parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Agriculture

cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papaya, beans; poultry; fish

Budget

expenditures

$114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)

revenues

$58 million

Currency

1 dobra (Db) = 100 centimos

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic overview

This small poor island economy has remained dependent on cocoa since independence 20 years ago. Since then, however, cocoa production has gradually declined because of drought and mismanagement, so that by 1987 annual output had fallen from 10,000 tons to 3,900 tons. 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 3 to 1 or more. 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 and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. 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 and to encourage market-based mechanisms, e.g., to facilitate the distribution of imported food. Annual GDP growth has hovered around 1.5% since 1991.

Electricity

capacity

5,000 kW

consumption per capita

105 kWh (1993)

production

17 million kWh

Exchange rates

dobras (Db) per US$1 - 1,610 (May 1995), 129.59 (1 July 1993), 230 (1992), 260.0 (November 1991), 122.48 (December 1988), 72.827 (1987)

Exports

$7.1 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities

cocoa 85%-90%, copra, coffee, palm oil

partners

Netherlands, Germany, China, Portugal

External debt

$250 million (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $138 million (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

28%

industry

14%

services

58% (1994 est.)

GDP per capita

$1,000 (1994 est.)

GDP real growth rate

1.5% (1994 est.)

Imports

$23.8 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities

machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum

partners

France, Belgium, Japan, Angola, Italy, US

Industrial production growth rate

1% (1991)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

38% (1994 est.)

Labor force

most of population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of plantation labor and of skilled workers

Unemployment rate

NA%

Branches

Army, Navy, Security Police

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

34,986

males fit for military service

18,343 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

33,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic

minimal system

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

2,200 (1986 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1992 est.)

Televisions

NA Defense

Airports

total

2

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

note

roads on Principe are mostly unpaved and in need of repair

paved

198 km

total

298 km

unpaved

100 km (1987 est.)

Merchant marine

total

1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,096 GRT/1,105 DWT (1995 est.)

Ports

Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Railways

0 km