Sao Tome and Principe

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

33,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: minimal system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

2,200 (1986 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1992 est.)

Televisions

NA

Agriculture - products

cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papaya, beans; poultry; fish

Budget

revenues: $58 million expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (1993 est.)

Currency

1 dobra (Db) = 100 centimos

Debt - external

$250 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - overview

This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence over 20 years ago. However, cocoa production has substantially declined because of drought and mismanagement. The resulting shortage of cocoa for export has created a persistent balance-of-payments problem. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a significant amount of food. Over the years, it has been unable to service its external debt and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies, but economic growth has remained sluggish.

Electricity - capacity

6,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity - production

12 million kWh (1991)

Exchange rates

dobras (Db) per US$1 - 2,500 (November 1996), 1,610 (May 1995), 129.59 (1 July 1993), 230 (1992), 260.0 (November 1991)

Exports

total value: $7.8 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: cocoa 85%-90%, copra, coffee, palm oil partners: Netherlands 75.7%, Germany 1.2%, Portugal 1.1%

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $149 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture : 28% industry: 14% services: 58% (1994 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.6% (1995 est.)

Imports

total value : $26.2 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products partners: Portugal 32.2%, France 16.8%, Belgium 6.6%, Japan, Angola

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

38% (1994 est.)

Labor force

most of population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; there are shortages of skilled workers

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 960 sq km land: 960 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 extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Environment - international agreements

party to: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification

Geographic coordinates

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Irrigated land

100 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 36% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland : NA% other: 61% (1993 est.)

Location

Western Africa, island in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Administrative divisions

2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Principe, Sao Tome

Constitution

approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

Country name

conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Data code

TP

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Diplomatic representation in the US

Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone [1] (212) 697-4211

Executive branch

chief of state: President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Raul Wagner BRAGANCA NETO (since 20 November 1996) cabinet : Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 June and 15 July 1996 (next to be held in 2001); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results : Miguel TROVOADA reelected president in Sao Tome's second multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA

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; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type

republic

Independence

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the National Peoples Assembly

Legal system

based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: parliament dissolved by President TROVOADA in July 1994; early elections held 2 October 1994 (next to be held October 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 49%, PCD-GR 25.5%, ADI 25.5%; seats by party - MLSTP 27, PCD-GR 14, ADI 14

National capital

Sao Tome

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Political parties and leaders

Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Armindo AGUIAR, secretary general]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe or MLSTP [Francisco Fortunas PIRES]; Christian Democratic Front or FDC [Alphonse Dos SANTOS]; Democratic Opposition Coalition or CODO; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; other small parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Army, Navy, Security Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 36,127 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 18,898 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 40% (male 29,815; female 29,307) 15-64 years: 55% (male 40,830; female 41,056) 65 years and over : 5% (male 3,053; female 3,804) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

33.77 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

8.4 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

mestico, 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)

Infant mortality rate

60.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Portuguese (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.09 years male : 62.15 years female: 66.08 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 73% male: 85% female : 62% (1991 est.)

Nationality

noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

147,865 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2.54% (1997 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist

Sex ratio

at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none SAUDI ARABIA

Airports

2 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total : 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total : 310 km paved: 211 km unpaved: 99 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total : 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,096 GRT/1,105 DWT (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Railways

0 km