{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "

Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited 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 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 five failed, non-violent coup attempts in 1995, 1998, 2003, 2009, and 2022. 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. President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as Prime Minister TROVOADA, was elected in September 2016, marking a rare instance in which the positions of president and prime minister were held by the same party. Prime Minister TROVOADA resigned at the end of 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. Carlos Vila NOVA was elected president in September 2021 and was inaugurated early the following month. TROVOADA began his fourth stint as prime minister in November 2022, following his party's victory in legislative elections held in September of that year. New oil discoveries in the Gulf of Guinea may attract increased attention to the small island nation. 

" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "1 00 N, 7 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Africa" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "964 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "964 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "0 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "more than five times the size of Washington, DC" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "0 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "209 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" }, "note": "measured from claimed archipelagic baselines" }, "Climate": { "text": "tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)" }, "Terrain": { "text": "volcanic, mountainous" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean 0 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "fish, hydropower" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "50.7% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 40.6% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 1% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "28.1% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "21.2% (2018 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "100 sq km (2012)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "flooding" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "the second-smallest African country (after the Seychelles); the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are mountainous" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "220,372 (2023 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Sao Tomean(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Sao Tomean" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "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)" }, "Languages": { "text": "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; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.)" }, "Religions": { "text": "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.)" }, "Demographic profile": { "text": "

Sao Tome and Principe’s youthful age structure – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 as of 2020 – and high fertility rate ensure future population growth. Although Sao Tome has a net negative international migration rate, emigration is not a sufficient safety valve to reduce already high levels of unemployment and poverty. While literacy and primary school attendance have improved in recent years, Sao Tome still struggles to improve its educational quality and to increase its secondary school completion rate. Despite some improvements in education and access to healthcare, Sao Tome and Principe has much to do to decrease its high poverty rate, create jobs, and increase its economic growth.

The population of Sao Tome and Principe descends primarily from the islands’ colonial Portuguese settlers, who first arrived in the late 15th century, and the much larger number of African slaves brought in for sugar production and the slave trade. For about 100 years after the abolition of slavery in 1876, the population was further shaped by the widespread use of imported unskilled contract laborers from Portugal’s other African colonies, who worked on coffee and cocoa plantations. In the first decades after abolition, most workers were brought from Angola under a system similar to slavery. While Angolan laborers were technically free, they were forced or coerced into long contracts that were automatically renewed and extended to their children. Other contract workers from Mozambique and famine-stricken Cape Verde first arrived in the early 20th century under short-term contracts and had the option of repatriation, although some chose to remain in Sao Tome and Principe.

Today’s Sao Tomean population consists of mesticos (creole descendants of the European immigrants and African slaves that first inhabited the islands), forros (descendants of freed African slaves), angolares (descendants of runaway African slaves that formed a community in the south of Sao Tome Island and today are fishermen), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (locally born children of contract laborers), and lesser numbers of Europeans and Asians.

" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "37.21% (male 41,620/female 40,373)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "59.64% (male 65,356/female 66,078)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "3.15% (2023 est.) (male 2,986/female 3,959)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "77.9" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "71.2" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "6.7" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "14.9 (2021 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "19.3 years" }, "male": { "text": "18.9 years" }, "female": { "text": "19.7 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "1.45% (2023 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "27.43 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "6.07 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-6.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "Sao Tome, the capital city, has roughly a quarter of the nation's population; Santo Antonio is the largest town on Principe; the northern areas of both islands have the highest population densities as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "76.4% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "0.99 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.75 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "19.4 years (2008/09 est.)", "note": "note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "146 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "43.48 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "46.93 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "39.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "67.39 years" }, "male": { "text": "65.74 years" }, "female": { "text": "69.08 years (2023 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "3.44 children born/woman (2023 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "1.69 (2023 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "49.7% (2019)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 100% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 94% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 98.5% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 0% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 6% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 1.5% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "4.9% of GDP (2020)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "0.49 physicians/1,000 population (2019)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 57.1% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 42.8% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 53.4% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 42.9% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 57.2% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 46.6% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Major infectious diseases": { "degree of risk": { "text": "high (2023)" }, "food or waterborne diseases": { "text": "bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever" }, "vectorborne diseases": { "text": "malaria and dengue fever" }, "water contact diseases": { "text": "schistosomiasis" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "12.4% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "4.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "3.58 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Tobacco use": { "total": { "text": "5.7% (2020 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "10.1% (2020 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "1.3% (2020 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "5.4% (2019)" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "51.9% (2023 est.)" }, "Child marriage": { "women married by age 15": { "text": "5.4%" }, "women married by age 18": { "text": "28%" }, "men married by age 18": { "text": "3.1% (2019 est.)" } }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "5% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "94.8%" }, "male": { "text": "96.5%" }, "female": { "text": "91.1% (2021)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "12 years" }, "male": { "text": "12 years" }, "female": { "text": "13 years (2015)" } }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "22.9%" }, "male": { "text": "18% NA" }, "female": { "text": "34.3% (2021 est.) NA" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation and illegal logging; soil erosion and exhaustion; inadequate sewage treatment in cities; biodiversity preservation" }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { "text": "Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban" } }, "Climate": { "text": "tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "50.7% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 40.6% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 1% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "28.1% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "21.2% (2018 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "76.4% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "2.96% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "1.9% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "25.66 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "0.12 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "0.04 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "25,587 tons (2014 est.)" } }, "Total water withdrawal": { "municipal": { "text": "10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "industrial": { "text": "600,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)" }, "agricultural": { "text": "30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Total renewable water resources": { "text": "2.18 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Sao Tome and Principe" }, "local long form": { "text": "Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe" }, "local short form": { "text": "Sao Tome e Principe" }, "etymology": { "text": "Sao Tome was named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day; Principe is a shortening of the original Portuguese name of \"Ilha do Principe\" (Isle of the Prince) referring to the Prince of Portugal to whom duties on the island's sugar crop were paid" } }, "Government type": { "text": "semi-presidential republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Sao Tome" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "0 20 N, 6 44 E" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "etymology": { "text": "named after Saint Thomas the Apostle" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "6 districts (distritos, singular - distrito), 1 autonomous region* (regiao autonoma); Agua Grande, Cantagalo, Caue, Lemba, Lobata, Me-Zochi, Principe*" }, "Independence": { "text": "12 July 1975 (from Portugal)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Independence Day, 12 July (1975)" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "approved 5 November 1975" }, "amendments": { "text": "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; revised several times, last in 2006" } }, "Legal system": { "text": "mixed legal system of civil law based on the Portuguese model and customary law" }, "International law organization participation": { "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "no" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Sao Tome and Principe" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "no" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "5 years" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "President Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (since 2 October 2021)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA (since 11 November 2022)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "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 18 July 2021 and runoff on 5 September 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president" }, "election results": { "text": "

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 the second round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 57.5%, Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 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%; note - first round results for CARVALHO were revised downward from just over 50%, prompting the 7 August runoff; however, on 1 August 2016 DA COSTA withdrew from the runoff, citing voting irregularities, and CARVALHO was declared the winner

" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "last held on 25 September 2022 (next to be held 30 September 2026)" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote by party - ADI 46.81%, MLSTP/PSD 32.70%, MCI-PS -PUN 6.56%, BASTA Movement- 8.8%, other 5.14%; seats by party - ADI 30, MLSTP-PSD 18, MCI-PS -PUN 5, BASTA Movement 2; composition - men 47, women 8, percent of women 14.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "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": { "text": "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 terms" }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "Court of First Instance; Audit Court" } }, "Political parties and leaders": { "text": "Union of Democrats for Citizenship and Development and Force for Democratic Change Movement or MDFM–UDD [Carlos Filomeno Agostinho DAS NEVES] 
Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Patrice TROVADA]
Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Jorge Lopes Bom JESUS]
Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Leonel Mario D'ALVA]
Movement of Independent Citizens of São Tomé and Príncipe [António Monteiro]
other small parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "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)" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador (vacant)" }, "chancery": { "text": "122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604
New York, NY 101168" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (212) 317-0533" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (212) 317-0580" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
stp1@attglobal.net

Sao Tome and Principe Permanent Mission to the United Nations" } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "embassy": { "text": "the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the US Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe" }, "mailing address": { "text": "2290 Sao Tome Place, Washington DC  20521-2290" } }, "Flag description": { "text": "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": "note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "palm tree; national colors: green, yellow, red, black" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Independencia total\" (Total Independence)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Alda Neves DA GRACA do Espirito Santo/Manuel dos Santos Barreto de Sousa e ALMEIDA" }, "note": "note: adopted 1975" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "ower 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" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$904.057 million (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": { "text": "$887.393 million (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$861.341 million (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "1.88% (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2020": { "text": "3.02% (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2019": { "text": "2.21% (2019 est.)" } }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$4,100 (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2020": { "text": "$4,100 (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$4,000 (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$0 (2018 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018": { "text": "7.86% (2018 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "5.6% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "11.8% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "14.8% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "73.4% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "81.4% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "17.6% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "33.4% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "0% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "7.9% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-40.4% (2017 est.)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "plantains, oil palm fruit, coconuts, taro, bananas, fruit, cocoa, yams, cassava, maize" }, "Industries": { "text": "light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "1.44% (2021 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "71,400 (2021 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "26.1%" }, "industry": { "text": "21.4%" }, "services": { "text": "52.5% (2014 est.)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2021": { "text": "15.91% (2021 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2020": { "text": "15.75% (2020 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2019": { "text": "14.14% (2019 est.)" } }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "22.9%" }, "male": { "text": "18% NA" }, "female": { "text": "34.3% (2021 est.) NA" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "66.7% (2017 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017": { "text": "40.7 (2017 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "NA" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "NA" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$95 million (2019 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$102 million (2019 est.)" } }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "-2.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "88.4% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "93.1% of GDP (2016 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "26.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "-$95.248 million (2021 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2020": { "text": "-$59.595 million (2020 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2019": { "text": "-$90.026 million (2019 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2021": { "text": "$75.256 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2020": { "text": "$49.337 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2019": { "text": "$72.594 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Singapore 30%, Switzerland 24%, France 11%, Poland 7%, Belgium 7%, United States 5% (2019)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "gas turbines, cocoa beans, aircraft parts, iron products, chocolate (2019)" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2021": { "text": "$201.145 million (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2020": { "text": "$160.097 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2019": { "text": "$189.63 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "Portugal 41%, Angola 17%, China 8% (2019 )" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, cars, rice, flavored water, postage stamps (2019)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020": { "text": "$75.288 million (31 December 2020 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019": { "text": "$47.148 million (31 December 2019 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2018": { "text": "$43.684 million (31 December 2018 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 31 December 2017": { "text": "$292.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Debt - external 31 December 2016": { "text": "$308.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "dobras (STD) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "21.507 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "21.885 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "20.751 (2018 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2017": { "text": "21.741 (2017 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2016": { "text": "22.149 (2016 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "population without electricity": { "text": "(2020) less than 1 million" }, "electrification - total population": { "text": "78.4% (2021)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "80% (2021)" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "73.7% (2021)" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "28,000 kW (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "78 million kWh (2019 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 kWh (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "0 kWh (2020 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "11.9 million kWh (2019 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "89.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "nuclear": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "10.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "tide and wave": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "geothermal": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "production": { "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "0 metric tons (2019 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2021 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "1,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "0 barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "1,027 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "173,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "173,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from consumed natural gas": { "text": "0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2019": { "text": "11.636 million Btu/person (2019 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "2,619 (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "1 (2021 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "189,239 (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "85 (2021 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "local telephone network of adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches; mobile cellular superior choice to landland; dial-up quality low; broadband expensive (2018)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line is 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 85 telephones per 100 persons (2021)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 239; landing points for the Ultramar GE and ACE submarine cables from South Africa to over 20 West African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "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" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".st" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "112,200 (2021 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "51% (2021 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "2,512 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "1 (2020 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "1 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "1" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "S9" }, "Airports": { "text": "2 (2021)" }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "text": "2", "note": "note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)" }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "1,300 km (2018)" }, "paved": { "text": "230 km (2018)" }, "unpaved": { "text": "1,070 km (2018)" } }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "25" }, "by type": { "text": "general cargo 15, oil tanker 2, other 8 (2022)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Sao Tome" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "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), Presidential Guard, National Guard (2023)", "note": "note: the Army and Coast Guard are responsible for external security while the public security police and judicial police maintain internal security; both the public security police and the military report to the Ministry of Defense and Internal Affairs; the judicial police report to the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, and Human Rights" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "Not available" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "the FASTP has approximately 500 personnel (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FASTP has a limited inventory of light weapons (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service (reportedly not enforced); 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2023)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the FASTP is one of the smallest militaries in Africa and consists of only a few companies of ground troops and some small patrol boats (2023)" }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reported no incidents in the territorial and offshore waters of Sao Tome and Principe in 2022; the offshore waters of the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; past incidents have been reported where vessels were attacked and crews kidnapped; these incidents showed that the pirates / robbers in the area are well armed and violent; pirates have robbed vessels and kidnapped crews for ransom; in the past, product tankers were hijacked and cargo stolen; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2023-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 3 January 2023, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea\"" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "

none identified

" } } }