2023 Edition

Background

Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited 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 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 five 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 were held by the same party. Prime Minister TROVOADA resigned at the end of 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. Carlos Vila NOVA was elected president in September 2021 and was inaugurated early the following month. TROVOADA began his fourth stint as prime minister in November 2022, following his party's victory in legislative elections held in September of that year. 

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

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

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

50.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 40.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 1% (2018 est.)

forest

28.1% (2018 est.)

other

21.2% (2018 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

note

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

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 as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Age structure

0-14 years

37.21% (male 41,620/female 40,373)

15-64 years

59.64% (male 65,356/female 66,078)

65 years and over

3.15% (2023 est.) (male 2,986/female 3,959)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

4.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

3.58 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

27.4 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

3.1% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

5.4%

women married by age 18

28%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5.4% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

49.7% (2019)

Current health expenditure

4.9% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

51.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Sao Tome and Principe’s youthful age structure – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 as of 2020 – 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

6.7

potential support ratio

14.9 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

77.9

youth dependency ratio

71.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 94% of population

improved: total

total: 98.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

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)

Gross reproduction rate

1.69 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

39.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

46.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

43.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 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%; note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.1 years

male

65.7 years

total population

67.4 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

91.1% (2021)

male

96.5%

total population

94.8%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

146 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

20.8 years

male

20 years

total

20.4 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.4 years (2008/09 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Sao Tomean

noun

Sao Tomean(s)

Net migration rate

-6.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

12.4% (2016)

Physicians density

0.49 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

220,372 (2023 est.)

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 as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

1.45% (2023 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

rural: 42.8% of population

improved: total

total: 53.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 57.1% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 57.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 46.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 42.9% of population

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

15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.75 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.3% (2020 est.)

male

10.1% (2020 est.)

total

5.7% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.44 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

76.4% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

named after Saint Thomas the Apostle

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

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

embassy

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

mailing address

2290 Sao Tome Place, Washington DC  20521-2290

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604New York, NY 101168

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant)

email address and website

stp1@attglobal.netSao Tome and Principe Permanent Mission to the United Nations

FAX

[1] (212) 317-0580

telephone

[1] (212) 317-0533

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021)

election results

2021: Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 39.5%; Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 20.8%; Delfim NEVES (PCD-GR) 16.9%; Abel BOM JESUS (independent) 3.6%; Maria DAS NEVES (independent) 3.3%; other 15.9%; percent of the vote in second round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA 57.5%, Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA 42.5%2016: 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 Evaristo 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 18 July 2021 and runoff on 5 September 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA (since 11 November 2022)

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

note

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

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 court(s)

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 46.81%, MLSTP/PSD 32.70%, MCI-PS -PUN 6.56%, BASTA Movement- 8.8%, other 5.14%; seats by party - ADI 30, MLSTP-PSD 18, MCI-PS -PUN 5, BASTA Movement 2; composition - men 47, women 8, percent of women 14.5%

elections

last held on 25 September 2022 (next to be held 30 September 2026)

National anthem

lyrics/music

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

name

"Independencia total" (Total Independence)

note

note: adopted 1975

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

Union of Democrats for Citizenship and Development and Force for Democratic Change Movement or MDFM–UDD [Carlos Filomeno Agostinho DAS NEVES] Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Patrice TROVADA]Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Jorge Lopes Bom JESUS]Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Leonel Mario D'ALVA]Movement of Independent Citizens of São Tomé and Príncipe [António Monteiro]other small parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

plantains, oil palm fruit, coconuts, taro, bananas, fruit, cocoa, yams, cassava, maize

Budget

expenditures

$102 million (2019 est.)

revenues

$95 million (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$90.026 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$59.595 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$95.248 million (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$308.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$292.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

ower 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

Exchange rates

Currency

dobras (STD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2016

22.149 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

21.741 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

20.751 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

21.885 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

21.507 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$72.594 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$49.337 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$75.256 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

gas turbines, cocoa beans, aircraft parts, iron products, chocolate (2019)

Exports - partners

Singapore 30%, Switzerland 24%, France 11%, Poland 7%, Belgium 7%, United States 5% (2019)

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)

$0 (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

40.7 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2019

$189.63 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$160.097 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$201.145 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, rice, flavored water, postage stamps (2019)

Imports - partners

Portugal 41%, Angola 17%, China 8% (2019 )

Industrial production growth rate

1.44% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

5.6% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

7.86% (2018 est.)

Labor force

71,400 (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

66.7% (2017 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

93.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

88.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$861.341 million (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$887.393 million (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$904.057 million (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.21% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

3.02% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

1.88% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$4,000 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$4,100 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$4,100 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2018

$43.684 million (31 December 2018 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$47.148 million (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$75.288 million (31 December 2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

26.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

14.14% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

15.75% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

15.91% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

34.3% NA

male

18% NA

total

22.9% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

173,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

173,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

78 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

28,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

11.9 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

73.7% (2021)

electrification - total population

78.4% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

80% (2021)

population without electricity

(2020) less than 1 million

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

89.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

10.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

11.636 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

1,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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 (2020 est.)

total

2,512 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

.st

Internet users

percent of population

51% (2021 est.)

total

112,200 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 85 telephones per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

local telephone network of adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches; mobile cellular superior choice to landline; 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

1 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

2,501 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

87 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

197,318 (2022 est.)

Airports

2 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

2

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

S9

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 15, oil tanker 2, other 8

total

25 (2022)

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

1

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Sao Tome

Roadways

paved

230 km (2018)

total

1,300 km (2018)

unpaved

1,070 km (2018)

Military - note

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 (2023)

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), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2023)

note

note: the Army and Coast Guard are responsible for external security while the public security police and judicial police maintain internal security; both the public security police and the military report to the Ministry of Defense and Internal Affairs; the judicial police report to the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, and Human Rights

Military and security service personnel strengths

the FASTP has approximately 500 personnel (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FASTP has a limited inventory of light weapons (2023)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service (reportedly not enforced); 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2023)

Disputes - international

none identified

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.12 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.04 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

33.75 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

Land use

agricultural land

50.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 40.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 1% (2018 est.)

forest

28.1% (2018 est.)

other

21.2% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

1.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.18 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

600,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

76.4% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

25,587 tons (2014 est.)