São Tomé and Príncipe

Location

• Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon
• the second-smallest African country (after the Seychelles); the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes, and both are mountainous

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
São Tomé	53,300	Capital

Size

• 386 square miles
• 1,001 square kilometers
• more than five times the size of Washington, D.C.

History

Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited Sao Tome and Principe islands in the late 15th century, setting up a sugar-based economy that gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century -- all grown with African 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, but frequent internal wrangling among the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and 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 legislative elections returned him to the office two years later. President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as TROVOADA, was elected in 2016, marking a rare instance in which the same party held the positions of president and prime minister. TROVOADA resigned in 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. Carlos Vila NOVA was elected president in 2021. TROVOADA began his fourth stint as prime minister in 2022, after his party's victory in legislative elections. 

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Languages

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%; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.)note: shares of language sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Religions

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 est.)

Government

semi-presidential republic

• Constitution: history: approved 5 November 1975amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the Assembly can propose to the president of the republic that an amendment be submitted to a referendum
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: mixed system of civil law based on the Portuguese model and customary law
• Executive Branch: chief of state: President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021)head of government: Prime Minister Américo d'Oliveira DOS RAMOS (since 12 January 2025)cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the presidentelection/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the presidentmost recent election date: 18 July 2021, with a runoff on 5 September 2021election results: 2021: Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 39.5%; Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 20.8%; Delfim NEVES (PCD-GR) 16.9%; Abel BOM JESUS (independent) 3.6%; Maria DAS NEVES (independent) 3.3%; other 15.9%; percent of the vote in second round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA 57.5%, Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA 42.5%2016: Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1%expected date of next election: 2026
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal Justica (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 5 judges, 3 of whom are from the Supreme Court)judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly for 5-year termssubordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Audit Court
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional)legislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 55 (all directly elected)electoral system: proportional representationscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 4 yearsmost recent election date: 9/25/2022parties elected and seats per party: Independent Democratic Alliance (ADI) (30); Sao Tome and Principe Liberation Movement/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP - PSD) (18); Movement of Independent Citizens - Socialist Party (MCI - PS) - National Unity Party (PUN) (5); Other (2)percentage of women in chamber: 14.5%expected date of next election: September 2026

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• lower middle-income Central African island economy; falling cocoa production due to drought and mismanagement; joint oil venture with Nigeria; government owns 90% of land; high debt, partly from fuel subsidies; tourism gutted by COVID-19
• Budget: revenues: $128.767 million (2022 est.)expenditures: $165.95 million (2022 est.)note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: fish, hydropower
• Industries: light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber
• Agricultural Products: plantains, oil palm fruit, taro, bananas, fruits, cocoa beans, yams, coconuts, cassava, vegetables (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 44.8% (2022 est.)arable land: 4.2% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 39.6% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 1% (2022 est.)forest: 52.8% (2022 est.)other: 2.4% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, rice, electric generating sets, cars (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: Portugal 35%, Angola 13%, Gabon 11%, Japan 8%, China 6% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: crude petroleum, cocoa beans, vehicle parts/accessories, palm oil, aircraft parts (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: Pakistan 54%, Germany 11%, Netherlands 7%, France 5%, UAE 3% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports