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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.st

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

1,345 (2009) country comparison to the world: 155

Internet users [time series]

24,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 183

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: local telephone network of adequate quality with most lines connected to digital switches domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 30 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

7,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 208

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

49,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 194

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (2001)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $47.65 million expenditures: $51.48 million (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate [time series]

28% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 3 28% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

32.4% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 32.4% (31 December 2007)

Current account balance [time series]

-$67 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 -$44 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$318 million (2002) country comparison to the world: 173

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, which helped bring down the country's $300 million debt burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program worth $4.3 million. 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'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 Sao Tome's receipt of more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP growth averaged about 6% in 2006-08, as a result of increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

17.67 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

19 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Exchange rates [time series]

dobras (STD) per US dollar - 14,900 (2008 est.), 13,700 (2007), 12,050 (2006), 9,900.4 (2005), 9,902.3 (2004)

Exports [time series]

$8 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 211 $7 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 77.5%, Belgium 7.7%, Netherlands 6.4% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$175 million (2008 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$277.1 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 213 $262.7 million (2007 est.) $247.8 million (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 14.6% industry: 14.6% services: 70.8% (2008 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$1,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 $1,300 (2007 est.) $1,300 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

5.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 6% (2007 est.) 6.7% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$87 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 208 $65 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products

Imports - partners [time series]

Portugal 55.8%, Belgium 9.6%, Japan 9.3% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

9.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

26% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 215 18% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

38.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Labor force [time series]

52,490 (2007) country comparison to the world: 182

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Oil - consumption [time series]

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Oil - imports [time series]

725.5 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Population below poverty line [time series]

54% (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$43 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $39 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$20.42 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 127 $31.84 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$27.84 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $19.99 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$36.95 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 125 $33.5 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 964 sq km country comparison to the world: 184 land: 964 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

209 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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 [time series]

1 00 N, 7 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

100 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 8.33% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 42.71% (2005)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

Natural resources [time series]

fish, hydropower

Terrain [time series]

volcanic, mountainous

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995

Capital [time series]

name: Sao Tome geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990

Country name [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580 FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Fradique Bandiera Melo DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Joachim Rafael BRANCO (since 22 June 2008) 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 26 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP 28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, others 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD 23, MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM [Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [[Patrice TROVOADA]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Rafael BRANCO]; New Way Movement or NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Delfim NEVES]; Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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. 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 party's precipitated repeated changes in leadership and two failed coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea promises to attract increased attention to the small island nation.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 42,340 females age 16-49: 43,781 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 35,216 females age 16-49: 38,329 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 2,534 female: 2,485 (2009 est.)

Military - note [time series]

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 staff (2005)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP), Presidential Guard (2007)

Military expenditures [time series]

0.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 148

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 46.9% (male 50,475/female 49,188) 15-64 years: 49.7% (male 51,325/female 54,289) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 3,335/female 4,067) (2009 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

38.54 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Death rate [time series]

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

Ethnic groups [time series]

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 37.12 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 68 male: 38.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 35.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages [time series]

Portuguese (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.32 years country comparison to the world: 149 male: 66.65 years female: 70.04 years (2009 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.9% male: 92.2% female: 77.9% (2001 census)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Median age [time series]

total: 16.4 years male: 15.9 years female: 17 years (2009 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Population [time series]

212,679 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Population growth rate [time series]

3.093% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Religions [time series]

Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 10 years (2006)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.33 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 61% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Transportation

Airports [time series]

2 (2009) country comparison to the world: 205

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 6 country comparison to the world: 130 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 5 foreign-owned: 1 (Greece 1) (2008)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Sao Tome

Roadways [time series]

total: 320 km country comparison to the world: 201 paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (2000)