Sao Tome & Principe
Sao Tome and Principe were formerly part of the Portugese colonial empire and still have strong influences particularly in architecture. The islands have some of the best snorkelling and diving off west coast Africa.
Sao Tome and Principe are the two main islands in a chain of extinct volcanoes. They are situated in the Gulf of Guinea to the west of mainland Gabon.
Total Area:1001 sq km
Land Borders: islands
Population:193,413
Life Expectancy: 67 years
HIV % Total Poulation:n/a
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)
Languages:Portugese
President:Fradique DE MENEZES
GDP - Per Capita: $1,200
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 plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's economy.