2019 Edition

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 African plantation 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 between the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and four 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 in 2014, legislative elections returned him to the office. President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as Prime Minister TROVOADA, was elected in September 2016, marking a rare instance in which the positions of president and prime minister are held by the same party. Prime Minister TROVOADA resigned at the end of 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. New oil discoveries in the Gulf of Guinea may attract increased attention to the small island nation.

Area

Land

964 sq km

Total

964 sq km

Water

0 sq km

Area Comparative

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

209 km

Elevation

Highest Point

Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Lowest Point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment Current Issues

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

Environment International Agreements

Party To

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Signed But Not Ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic Coordinates

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Geography Note

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

Irrigated Land

100 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

50.7% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

9.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

40.6% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

1% (2011 est.)

Forest

28.1% (2011 est.)

Other

21.2% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map References

Africa

Maritime Claims

Exclusive Economic Zone

200 nm

Territorial Sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

flooding

Natural Resources

fish, hydropower

Population Distribution

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

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Age Structure

0 14 Years

41.2% (male 42,825 /female 41,403)

15 24 Years

21.01% (male 21,767 /female 21,188)

25 54 Years

31.03% (male 31,218 /female 32,229)

55 64 Years

3.93% (male 3,708 /female 4,332)

65 Years And Over

2.83% (male 2,545 /female 3,239) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

31.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

8.8% (2014)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

40.6% (2014)

Current Health Expenditure

6% (2016)

Death Rate

6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

Sao Tome and Principe’s youthful age structure – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – and high fertility rate ensure future population growth. Although Sao Tome has a net negative international migration rate, emigration is not a sufficient safety valve to reduce already high levels of unemployment and poverty. While literacy and primary school attendance have improved in recent years, Sao Tome still struggles to improve its educational quality and to increase its secondary school completion rate. Despite some improvements in education and access to healthcare, Sao Tome and Principe has much to do to decrease its high poverty rate, create jobs, and increase its economic growth.The population of Sao Tome and Principe descends primarily from the islands’ colonial Portuguese settlers, who first arrived in the late 15th century, and the much larger number of African slaves brought in for sugar production and the slave trade. For about 100 years after the abolition of slavery in 1876, the population was further shaped by the widespread use of imported unskilled contract laborers from Portugal’s other African colonies, who worked on coffee and cocoa plantations. In the first decades after abolition, most workers were brought from Angola under a system similar to slavery. While Angolan laborers were technically free, they were forced or coerced into long contracts that were automatically renewed and extended to their children. Other contract workers from Mozambique and famine-stricken Cape Verde first arrived in the early 20th century under short-term contracts and had the option of repatriation, although some chose to remain in Sao Tome and Principe.Today’s Sao Tomean population consists of mesticos (creole descendants of the European immigrants and African slaves that first inhabited the islands), forros (descendants of freed African slaves), angolares (descendants of runaway African slaves that formed a community in the south of Sao Tome Island and today are fishermen), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (locally born children of contract laborers), and lesser numbers of Europeans and Asians.

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

5.6 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

17.8 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

86.7 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

81.1 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

93.6% of population

Improved Total

97.1% of population

Improved Urban

98.9% of population

Unimproved Rural

6.4% of population

Unimproved Total

2.9% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

1.1% of population

Education Expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic Groups

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)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.7% (2018)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<100 (2018)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

1,100 (2018)

Hospital Bed Density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

42.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

46 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

44.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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% (2012 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

67.1 years

Male

64.3 years

Total Population

65.7 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

68.4% (2015)

Male

81.8%

Total Population

74.9%

Major Infectious Diseases

Degree Of Risk

high (2016)

Food Or Waterborne Diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

Vectorborne Diseases

malaria and dengue fever (2016)

Water Contact Diseases

schistosomiasis (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

130 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

19.1 years

Male

18.3 years

Total

18.7 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

19.4 years (2008/09 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Sao Tomean

Noun

Sao Tomean(s)

Net Migration Rate

-8.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

12.4% (2016)

Population

204,454 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.66% (2018 est.)

Religions

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.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

23.3% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

34.7% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

40.8% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

76.7% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

65.3% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

59.2% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

13 years (2015)

Male

12 years

Total

12 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.03 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.03 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

0.97 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.86 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.79 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Total Population

1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

4.11 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

NA (2012 est.)

Total

20.8%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

3.33% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

73.6% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

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

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

0 20 N, 6 44 E

Name

Sao Tome

Time Difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

no

Citizenship By Descent Only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Sao Tome and Principe

Dual Citizenship Recognized

no

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

5 years

Constitution

Amendments

proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the Assembly can propose to the president of the republic that an amendment be submitted to a referendum; revised several times, last in 2006 (2017)

History

approved 5 November 1975

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

Conventional Short Form

Sao Tome and Principe

Etymology

Sao Tome was named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day; Principe is a shortening of the original Portuguese name of "Ilha do Principe" (Isle of the Prince) referring to the Prince of Portugal to whom duties on the island's sugar crop were paid

Local Long Form

Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

Local Short Form

Sao Tome e Principe

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the US Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807, New York, NY 10017

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Carlos Filomeno Azevedo Agostinho das NEVES (since 3 December 2013)

Fax

[1] (212) 651-8117

Telephone

[1] (212) 651-8116

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president

Chief Of State

President Evaristo CARVALHO (since 3 September 2016)

Election Results

Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1%; note - first round results for CARVALHO were revised downward from just over 50%, prompting the 7 August runoff; however, on 1 August 2016 DA COSTA withdrew from the runoff, citing voting irregularities, and CARVALHO was declared the winner

Elections Appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 July 2016 and 7 August 2016 (next to be held in July 2021); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Jorge Bom JESUS (since 3 December 2018)

Flag 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; green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red recalls the struggle for independence, and yellow represents cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the two main islands

Government Type

semi-presidential republic

Independence

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

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)

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal Justica (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 5 judges, 3 of whom are from the Supreme Court)

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

Supreme Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for 5-year terms

Subordinate Courts

Court of First Instance; Audit Court

Legal System

mixed legal system of civil law based on the Portuguese model and customary law

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

Election Results

percent of vote by party - ADI 41.8%, MLSTP/PSD 40.3%, PCD-GR 9.5%, MCISTP 2.1%, other 6.3%; seats by party - ADI 25, MLSTP-PSD 23, PCD-MDFM-UDD 5, MCISTP 2; composition - men 45, women 10, percent of women 18.2%

Elections

last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Alda Neves DA GRACA do Espirito Santo/Manuel dos Santos Barreto de Sousa e ALMEIDA

Name

"Independencia total" (Total Independence)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

National Symbol S

palm tree; national colors: green, yellow, red, black

Political Parties And Leaders

Force for Democratic Change Movement or MDFM [Fradique Bandeira Melo DE MENEZES] Independent Democratic Action or ADI [vacant] Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Aurelio MARTINS] Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Leonel Mario D'ALVA] other small parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

112.4 million (2017 est.)

Revenues

103 million (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-2.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2008

28%

31 December 2009

16%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

19.59%

31 December 2017

19.61%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$23 million

2017

-$32 million

Debt External

31 December 2016

$308.5 million

31 December 2017

$292.9 million

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2000

32.1

2010

30.8

Economy Overview

The economy of São Tomé and Príncipe is small, based mainly on agricultural production, and, since independence in 1975, increasingly dependent on the export of cocoa beans. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement. Sao Tome depends heavily on imports of food, fuels, most manufactured goods, and consumer goods, and changes in commodity prices affect the country’s inflation rate. Maintaining control of inflation, fiscal discipline, and increasing flows of foreign direct investment into the nascent oil sector are major economic problems facing the country. In recent years the government has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. In 2017, several business-related laws were enacted that aim to improve the business climate.São Tomé and Príncipe has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. In April 2011, the country completed a Threshold Country Program with The Millennium Challenge Corporation to help increase tax revenues, reform customs, and improve the business environment. In 2016, Sao Tome and Portugal signed a five-year cooperation agreement worth approximately $64 million, some of which will be provided as loans. In 2017, China and São Tomé signed a mutual cooperation agreement in areas such as infrastructure, health, and agriculture worth approximately $146 million over five years.Considerable potential exists for development of tourism, and the government has taken steps to expand tourist facilities in recent years. Potential also exists for the development of petroleum resources in São Tomé and Príncipe's territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, some of which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria, but production is at least several years off.Volatile aid and investment inflows have limited growth, and poverty remains high. Restricteded capacity at the main port increases the periodic risk of shortages of consumer goods. Contract enforcement in the country’s judicial system is difficult. The IMF in late 2016 expressed concern about vulnerabilities in the country’s banking sector, although the country plans some austerity measures in line with IMF recommendations under their three year extended credit facility. Deforestation, coastal erosion, poor waste management, and misuse of natural resources also are challenging issues.

Exchange Rates

2013

18,466

2014

22,091

2015

22,149

2016

21,797

2017

22,689

Currency

dobras (STD) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$9.31 million

2017

$15.6 million

Exports Commodities

cocoa 68%, copra, coffee, palm oil (2010 est.)

Exports Partners

Guyana 43.7%, Germany 23.6%, Portugal 6%, Netherlands 5.5%, Poland 4.4% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

7.9% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

17.6% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

81.4% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-40.4% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

33.4% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

11.8% (2017 est.)

Industry

14.8% (2017 est.)

Services

73.4% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$393 million (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$3,100

2016

$3,200

2017

$3,200

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$633.9 million

2016

$660.4 million

2017

$686 million

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

3.8%

2016

4.2%

2017

3.9%

Gross National Saving

2015

19.3% of GDP

2016

21% of GDP

2017

18.7% of GDP

Imports

2016

$119.1 million

2017

$127.7 million

Imports Commodities

machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products

Imports Partners

Portugal 54.7%, Angola 16.5%, China 5.6% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

5% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

5.4%

2017

5.7%

Labor Force

72,600 (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

26.1%

Industry

21.4%

Services

52.5% (2014 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

66.2% (2009 est.)

Public Debt

2016

93.1% of GDP

2017

88.4% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$61.5 million

31 December 2017

$58.95 million

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$64.95 million

31 December 2017

$75.38 million

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2016

$2.2 million

31 December 2017

$3.98 million

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2016

$430.3 million

31 December 2017

$469.5 million

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$73.35 million

31 December 2017

$96.03 million

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$64.95 million

31 December 2017

$75.38 million

Taxes And Other Revenues

26.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

12.6%

2017

12.2%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

148,100 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018)

Electricity Access

Electrification Rural Areas

22% (2017)

Electrification Total Population

68% (2017)

Electrification Urban Areas

87% (2017)

Electricity Consumption

61.38 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

88% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

18,100 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

66 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

1,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

1,027 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

1 (2017 est.)

Total

1,479

Broadcast Media

1 government-owned TV station; 1 government-owned radio station; 3 independent local radio stations authorized in 2005 with 2 operating at the end of 2006; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available

Internet Country Code

.st

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

25.8% (July 2016 est.)

Total

50,000

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line 3 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity 86 telephones per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

local telephone network of adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches; mobile cellular superior choice to landland; dial-up quality low; broadband expensive (2018)

International

country code - 239; landing points for the Ultramar GE and ACE submarine cables from South Africa to over 20 West African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

3 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

5,569

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

86 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

173,646

Airports

2 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

1 (2017)

Total

2 (2017)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

S9 (2016)

Merchant Marine

By Type

general cargo 12, other 3 (2018)

Total

15

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

50,716 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

1 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

1 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Sao Tome

Military And Security Forces

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; also called "Navy"), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2015)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2012)

Disputes International

none