An Introduction to São Tomé and Príncipe
Officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, this Portuguese-speaking nation is made up of two volcanic islands located about 87 miles apart off the coast of Gabon. Named in honour of St Thomas by Portuguese explorers who arrived on the islands on his feast day in 1471, the islands had previously been uninhabited. The staple crop during the Portuguese occupation was sugar harvested by slaves. When sugar production slowed, slave trading increased. See full country profile.Latest Research News from Africa
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GOVERNMENT: Republic
AREA: 964 sq km
POPULATION: 179,506 (July 2011 est.)
MAJOR LANGUAGE: Portuguese. Recognised Regional Languages: Forro, Angolar, Príncipense
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Trade and Industry in São Tomé and Príncipe
As both the islands have always been isolated from the mainland, they both have many unique species of plants and animals - some peculiar to only one or other of the islands.
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Officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, this Portuguese-speaking nation is made up of two volcanic islands located about 87 miles apart off the coast of Gabon. Named in honour of St Thomas by Portuguese explorers who arrived on the islands on his feast day in 1471, the islands had previously been uninhabited. The staple crop during the Portuguese occupation was sugar harvested by slaves. When sugar production slowed, slave trading increased.
After gaining independence in 1974, So Tomé was one of the first African countries to adopt democratic reforms, leading to open, free and transparent elections in 1991.São Tomé is the smallest country in the world (in terms of population) that is not a former British Overseas Territory, United States Trusteeship or a European Microstate.
GDP: $311 million (2010 est.)
Religions Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)
Currency: Dobra (STD) - GBP 1 = STD 28,011
Telephone Code: +239
Once-crucial cocoa production has declined due to drought and mismanagement. 2010 saw São Tomé export $13m worth of cocoa, copra, coffee and palm oil, mostly to the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Imports worth $99m consisted of machinery, food and petrol and came most (56%) from Portugal. Generally, São Tomã and Príncipe has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling.
Recent government programs have aimed to develop tourism infrastructure, and reduce price controls and subsidies. The country's territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria, but any actual production is at least several years away.
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