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NAVIGATION
Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. The first free elections were held in 1991. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon |
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Geographic coordinates:
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1 00 N, 7 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 1,001 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 1,001 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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more than five times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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209 km |
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Maritime claims:
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measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May) |
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Terrain:
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volcanic, mountainous |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 41% other: 57% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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100 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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175,883 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 47.7% (male 42,480; female 41,411)
15-64 years: 48.3% (male 41,043; female 43,986) 65 years and over: 4% (male 3,197; female 3,766) (2003 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 16.1 years
male: 15.5 years female: 16.7 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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3.18% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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41.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-2.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 46.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 43.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 48.07 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 66.28 years
male: 64.79 years female: 67.82 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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5.88 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Sao Tomean(s)
adjective: Sao Tomean |
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Ethnic groups:
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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) |
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Religions:
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Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist) |
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Languages:
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Portuguese (official) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.3% male: 85% female: 62% (1991 est.) |