Travel to Sao Tome and Principe |
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Last Minute Tips Before you Travel to Sao Tome and Principe
- Time Zone: GMT/UTC 0
- Currency: Dobra (Db)
- Country Dialing Code: 239
Sao Tome and Principe
Location
Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Capital
Sao Tome
Population
187,410 (July 2005 est.)
Regions
2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
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)
Religions
Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)
Languages
Portuguese (official)
Government type
republic
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 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.
Visitor's Impressions
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