President: Manuel Pinto da Costa (2011)
Prime Minister: Patrice Trovoada (2014)
Total area: 386 sq mi (1,001 sq km)
Population (2014 est.): 190,428 (growth rate: 1.89%); birth rate: 35.12/1000; infant mortality rate: 49.16/1000; life expectancy: 64.22
Capital and largest city (2011 est.): São Tomé, 64,000
Monetary unit: dobra
National name: República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe
Language: 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)
Ethnicity/race: mestizo (mixed European and native African), 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), Asians (mostly Chinese)
Religions: Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.8%, Adventist 4.1%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012)
Literacy rate: 69.5% (2008 census)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $421 million; per capita $2,200 . Real growth rate: 4.5%. Inflation: 8.7% (2013 est). Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 9.06%. Agriculture: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish. Labor force: 52,490 (2007); population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; note: shortages of skilled workers. Industries: light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber. Natural resources: fish, hydropower. Exports: $12.1 million (2013 est.): cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil. Imports: $112.8 million (2013 est.): machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products. Major trading partners: Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, U.S., Gabon, Nigeria (2012).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 8,000 (2012); mobile cellular: 122,000 (2012). 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 (2007). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1,678 (2012). Internet users: 26,700 (2009).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 320 km; paved: 218 km; unpaved: 102 km (2000 est.). Ports and harbors: Sao Tome. Airports: 2 (2013).
Fun Facts
- There are no dangerous animals like tigers, lions, deadly snakes or spiders in the jungle of São Tomé.
- The São Tomé and Principe cuisine is based on tropical root crops, plantains, and bananas, with fish as the most common source of protein.