São Tomé and Príncipe, officially theDemocratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe is anisland nation inCentral Africa, it is located off theGulf of Guinea. The main islands ofSão Tomé andPríncipe are about 140km apart and about 250 and 225km, respectively, off of the northwestern coast ofGabon. The country has a population of 201,800 (2018 official estimate),São Tomé and Príncipe is the second-smallest and second-least populous African sovereign state afterSeychelles as well as the smallest and least populous Portuguese-speaking country in the world.
The English translation of the countries name isSaint Thomas and Prince.
The islands were a Portuguese colony, but have beenindependent since July 1975.Portuguese is the official language.
The Portuguese arrived in São Tomé Island on December 21, 1471, and Príncipe Island on January 17, 1492. As these were days dedicated to saints, both islands had saints’ names. S. Antão Island, the former name of Príncipe Island, changed in 1500 to honor thePrince of Portugal.
The official historical version says that the country was uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese sailors.
The first successful Portuguese settlement in thearchipelago was in 1493. The volcanic soil of the islands proved to be good for sugar crops. Hard work was needed to grow and harvest the sugar crops. Slaves were brought from Portugal to do the work. Because other countries began producing more sugar, the islands were not able to make money from it. Instead it became a stopping place for theslave trade.
In the 19th century, crops ofcoffee andcocoa were grown. These became successful. By 1908 the country was the largest producer of cocoa. It is the most important crop for the country.
On February 3, 1953, theBatepá massacre occurred. In the massacre hundreds of local people were killed by Portuguese settlers. The Portuguese wanted workers for the crops. The locals said they were being used as slaves. The governor told the military to take any locals who did not want to work.
The president is elected for a five-year term and can be re-elected. The prime minister is elected for a four-year term. The thirteen members of the cabinet (the group of ministers) are chosen by them. All adult citizens can vote in the elections. They vote bysecret ballot.
The provinces are further divided into sevendistricts, six on São Tomé and one on Príncipe (with Príncipe having self-government since April 29, 1995).
São Tomé and Príncipe is formed by two volcanic islands - the biggest of which is S. Tomé - and several islets. It is in theGulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Africa. Both islands belong to the Cameroon volcanic mountain line.
The archipelago is 1,001km2 in size. The equator line passes through the Rolas’s Islet which is in the south of S. Tomé Island. The tallest peak is the Peak of S. Tomé at 2,024m tall.
The climate is tropical, hot and humid, with an annual average temperature of 27 C. There are two main seasons. Gravana is the driest season. It has little or no rainfall and the temperatures are lower. Gravana lasts from June to August. The rainy season is from October to May.
Since the archipelago´s discovery, its economy has been based on agriculture and fishing. Cocoa is 95% of the country’sexports. Other exports are copper, palm oil and coffee. Another economic activity is tourism.
After independence, the country’s economy was nationalized, it was then privatised in the early 1990s. Now the government budget is mainly based on foreign assistance from donors such as the UN Development Programme, the World Bank, and country donors.
The mainimporters of the archipelago's production are Portugal with 51%, France with 14%, Angola with 11%, and Japan with 10%.
In 2001,petroleum was found in the waters claimed by the archipelago andNigeria.
According to the 2010 census, about 163,000 people lived in São Tomé and Príncipe. 52,000 lived in the capital and less than seven thousand lived on Príncipe Island.
São Tomé is the country’s capital and main city.
The people of S. Tomé and Príncipe are divided into the following ethnic groups: mixed-blood, descendents of Portuguese settlers and African slaves; Forros, the biggest ethnic group and descendents of freed slaves; Angolares, descendents of Angolan slaves; Tonga, mixed blood of Forros and hired workers from Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde; and Cape Verdean descendents.
The country’s official language is Portuguese. Other languages spoken are Forro, acreole spoken by 80% of S. Tomé Island`s people; Angolar, spoken mainly on the southeast of S. Tomé Island; Lung`ié, spoken in Príncipe Island; and Creole from Cape Verde.
The country’s culture is the product of Portuguese and African cultural influence. Typical dances on the islands are Ússua, Socopé, Dêxa, and Puita. Tchiloli, Danço Congo and Auto dos Floripes are public theatrical performances, examples of the Portuguese cultural legacy.
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