Sao Tome and Principe

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 country code

.st

Internet users

total: 47,000 | percent of population: 24.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: local telephone network of adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches | domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 65 telephones per 100 persons | international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 6,800 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 128,500 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 67 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Television broadcast stations

2 (2001)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $87.62 million | expenditures: $106.2 million (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Central bank discount rate

16% (31 December 2009) | 28% (31 December 2008) | country comparison to the world: 8

Commercial bank prime lending rate

16% (31 December 2014 est.) | 25.93% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30

Current account balance

-$94 million (2014 est.) | -$71 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Debt - external

$234.1 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $214.4 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188

Economy - overview

This small, poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement. Sao Tome and Principe has to import fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in global commodity prices. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome and Principe benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries program, which helped bring down the country's $300 million debt burden. In August 2005, the government signed on to a new 3-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program worth $4.3 million. In April 2011 the country completed a Threshold Country Program with The Millennium Challenge Corporation to help increase tax revenues, reform customs, and improve the business environment. 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. Potential exists for the development of petroleum resources in Sao Tome and Principe's territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria, but any actual production is at least several years off. The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed the country's receipt of more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Maintaining control of inflation, fiscal discipline, and increasing flows of foreign direct investment into the oil sector are the major economic problems facing the country.

Exchange rates

dobras (STD) per US dollar - | 18,466 (2014 est.) | 18,466 (2013 est.) | 19,068 (2012 est.) | 17,623 (2011 est.) | 18,499 (2010 est.)

Exports

$17.4 million (2014 est.) | $12.9 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Exports - commodities

cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil (2010 est.)

Exports - partners

Netherlands 25.6%, Belgium 23.6%, Turkey 17.9%, Spain 8.6%, US 6.1%, Germany 5.3% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$338 million (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$626 million (2014 est.) | $599 million (2013 est.) | $576 million (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 211

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 80.3% | government consumption: 13.2% | investment in fixed capital: 45.7% | investment in inventories: 0% | exports of goods and services: 11.9% | imports of goods and services: -51.2% | (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 18.8% | industry: 16.1% | services: 65.2% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,200 (2014 est.) | $3,000 (2013 est.) | $2,900 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 185

GDP - real growth rate

4.5% (2014 est.) | 4% (2013 est.) | 4.5% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 68

Gross national saving

-2% of GDP (2014 est.) | 8.1% of GDP (2013 est.) | 14.3% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% | highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$145.6 million (2014 est.) | $128.6 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 211

Imports - commodities

machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products

Imports - partners

Portugal 65.4%, Gabon 6.1%, China 5.3% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

4.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7% (2014 est.) | 8.1% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195

Labor force

65,000 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Labor force - by occupation

note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

66.2% (2009 est.)

Public debt

69.6% of GDP (2014 est.) | 69.5% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$64.1 million (31 December 2015 est.) | $63.52 million (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168

Stock of broad money

$133.1 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $120.8 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Stock of domestic credit

$80.91 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $92.9 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Stock of narrow money

$54.91 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $59.57 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Taxes and other revenues

25.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Unemployment rate

13.5% (2014 est.) | 13.7% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

137,800 Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 198

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 135

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199

Electricity - consumption

60.45 million kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013) | country comparison to the world: 205

Electricity - from fossil fuels

75% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

25% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 209

Electricity - installed generating capacity

16,000 kW (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Electricity - production

65 million kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 200

Refined petroleum products - consumption

900 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 203

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Refined petroleum products - imports

905.6 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Area

total: 964 sq km | land: 964 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 185

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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Geography - note

the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are mountainous

Irrigated land

97 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 50.7% | arable land 9.1%; permanent crops 40.6%; permanent pasture 1% | forest: 28.1% | other: 21.2% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

fish, hydropower

Terrain

volcanic, mountainous

Administrative divisions

2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome

Capital

name: Sao Tome | geographic coordinates: 0 20 N, 6 44 E | time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sao Tome and Principe | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

approved 5 November 1975; revised several times, last in 2006 (2015)

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

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Filomeno Azevedo Agostinho das NEVES (since 3 December 2013) | chancery: 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807, New York, NY 10017 | telephone: [1] (212) 651-8116 | FAX: [1] (212) 651-8117

Executive branch

chief of state: President Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (since 3 September 2011) | head of government: Prime Minister Patrice Emery TROVOADA (since 29 November 2014) | cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 July and 7 August 2011 (next to be held in July 2016); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president | election results: Manuel Pinto DA COSTA elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 52.9%, Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 47.1%

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; green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red recalls the struggle for independence, and yellow represents cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the two main islands | note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type

republic

Independence

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CEMAC, CPLP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 5 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges, 3 of which 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 of the republic and elected by the National Assembly for 5-year terms | subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Audit Court

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil law base on the Portuguese model and customary law

Legislative branch

description: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 12 October 2014 (next expected in October 2018) | election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ADI 33, MLSTP-PSD 16, PCD-GR 5, other 1

National anthem

name: "Independencia total" (Total Independence) | lyrics/music: Alda Neves DA GRACA do Espirito Santo/Manuel dos Santos Barreto de Sousa e ALMEIDA | note: adopted 1975

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

National symbol(s)

palm tree; national colors: green, yellow, red, black

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Movement of Forces for Change or MDFM [Fradigue Bandeira Melo DE MENEZES] | Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Patrice TROVOADA] | Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Aurelio MARTINS] | Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Leonel Mario D'ALVA] | other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

Association of Sao Tome and Principe NGOs or FONG | other: the media

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with African plantation 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 between the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and four 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 in 2014, legislative elections returned him to the office. New oil discoveries in the Gulf of Guinea may attract increased attention to the small island nation.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 39,182 | females age 16-49: 39,845 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 27,310 | females age 16-49: 29,279 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 2,076 | female: 2,003 (2010 est.)

Military - note

Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay, working conditions, and alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers have been problems in the past, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance aimed at improving the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is exercised from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces (infantry, technical issues) and the Chief of the General Staff (logistics, administration, finances) (2012)

Military branches

Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (Forcas Armadas de Sao Tome e Principe, FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP; also called "Navy"), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2015)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.04% (male 42,460/female 41,036) | 15-24 years: 20.03% (male 19,692/female 19,159) | 25-54 years: 30.47% (male 28,985/female 30,125) | 55-64 years: 3.59% (male 3,173/female 3,787) | 65 years and over: 2.88% (male 2,508/female 3,081) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

34.23 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 3,235 | percentage: 8% (2006 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.4% (2009) | country comparison to the world: 50

Contraceptive prevalence rate

38.4% (2008/09)

Death rate

7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 84.2% | youth dependency ratio: 78.5% | elderly dependency ratio: 5.7% | potential support ratio: 17.6% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 98.9% of population | rural: 93.6% of population | total: 97.1% of population | urban: 1.1% of population | rural: 6.4% of population | total: 2.9% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

9.5% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 6

Ethnic groups

mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cabo Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese), Asians (mostly Chinese)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.78% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,000 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119

Health expenditures

6.9% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 60

Hospital bed density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

total: 47.88 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 49.85 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 45.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41

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% | note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2012 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.58 years | male: 63.27 years | female: 65.92 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 74.9% | male: 81.8% | female: 68.4% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever | vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever | water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2013)

Major urban areas - population

SAO TOME (capital) 71,000 (2014)

Maternal mortality rate

156 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Median age

total: 17.9 years | male: 17.5 years | female: 18.4 years (2015 est.)

Nationality

noun: Sao Tomean(s) | adjective: Sao Tomean

Net migration rate

-8.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

10.6% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 132

Population

194,006 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 186

Population growth rate

1.84% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61

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.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 40.8% of population | rural: 23.3% of population | total: 34.7% of population | urban: 59.2% of population | rural: 76.7% of population | total: 65.3% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years | male: 11 years | female: 11 years (2012)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female | total population: 1 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.54 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 26

Urbanization

urban population: 65.1% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 3.58% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

2 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 206

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 3 | by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 2 | foreign-owned: 2 (China 1, Greece 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 138

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Sao Tome

Roadways

total: 320 km | paved: 218 km | unpaved: 102 km (2000) | country comparison to the world: 204