São Tomé and Príncipe (GPS: 1 00 N, 7 00 E) located in Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon. The country’s area measurements are total: 964 sq km; land: 964 sq km, water: 0 sq km. This sovereign state is more than five times the size of Washington, DC. The total irrigated land is 100 sq km (2012).
One of the essential features of São Tomé and Príncipe: The second-smallest African country (after Seychelles). The two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes, and both are mountainous.
It’s significant, and at the same time, the principal city, São Tomé’s GPS coordinates are 0 20 N 6 44 E. São Tomé’s local time is 5 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time. The capital’s time difference: UTC 0.
For more information on São Tomé and Príncipe, please scroll down below the Google Maps.
Google Maps São Tomé and Príncipe and Sao Tome, Africa
About São Tomé and Príncipe in detail
Flag of São Tomé and Príncipe
Map of São Tomé and Príncipe
Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the island’ 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. Still, 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 where the same party holds the president and prime minister’s positions. 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.
São Tomé and Príncipe’s names conventional long form: the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, conventional short form: São Tomé and Príncipe, local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe, local short form: São Tomé e Príncipe, etymology: São Tomé 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. 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.
São Tomé and Príncipe’s terrain is typically volcanic, mountainous. The country’s mean elevation: N/A, elevation extremes; lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m, highest point: Pico de São Tomé 2,024 m.
The general climate in the country; tropical: hot, humid: one rainy season (October to May).
The total number of border countries is 0. None are the neighboring nations with the indicated border lengths. São Tomé and Príncipe’s coastline is 209 km, while its marital claims are: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nautical miles, exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles. Waterways: N/A. Land use: agricultural land: 50.7%; arable land 9.1%; permanent crops 40.6%; permanent pasture 1%; forest: 28.1%; other: 21.2% (2011 estimate).
The population in São Tomé and Príncipe 204,454 (July 2018 estimate), urban population: 65.1% of total population (2015), major urban area’s population: SAO TOME (capital) 71,000 (2014), while São Tomé and Príncipe have N/A. Their spoken languages are: Portuguese 98.4% (official language), 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 (2012 estimate). Main religions in São Tomé and Príncipe are 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 estimate). The nation uses (a) a mixed legal system of civil law base on the Portuguese model and customary law. It is a(n) semi-presidential republic, National holiday(s) Independence Day, 12 July (1975).
Economic overview for the country: São Tomé and Príncipe are small, based mainly on agricultural production. Since independence in 1975, it is increasingly dependent on the export of cocoa beans. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement. São Toméao Tome depends heavily on imports of food, fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and commodity price changes that affect the country’s inflation rate. Maintaining control of inflation, fiscal discipline, and increasing foreign direct investment flows 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 have been 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 increase tax revenues, reform customs, and improve the business environment. In 2016, São Tomé 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 cooperation agreement in infrastructure, health, and agriculture worth approximately $146 million over five years. Considerable potential existstourismr the develourism, 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. Still, production is at least several years off. Volatile aid and investment inflows have limited growth, and poverty remains high.
Limited capacity at the main port increases the systematic risk of shortages of consumer goods. Contract enforcement in the country’s judicial system is problematic. The IMF in late 2016 expressed concern about vulnerabilities in the country’s banking sector. However, 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.
Natural resources of São Tomé and Príncipe: fish, hydropower.
Main export partners for São Tomé and Príncipe, Africa are Netherlands 29.2%, Belgium 22.4%, Spain 15.5%, US 6.6%, Nigeria 5.1% (2015) for cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil (2010 estimate), while the main import partners for the country are: Portugal 65.2%, China 8.1%, Gabon 7.3% (2015) for machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products.
When you visit this country in Africa, consider the natural hazards in São Tomé and Príncipe: N/A, while infectious diseases are a degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2016). Also, note that São Tomé and Príncipe face the following environmental issues: Deforestation and illegal logging, Soil erosion and exhaustion, Inadequate sewage treatment in cities, biodiversity preservation.
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