| Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe National name: República Democrática de
São Tomé e Príncipe President: Fradique
de Menezes (2003) Prime Minister:
Patrice Trovoada (2008)
Current government officials
Total area: 386 sq mi (1,001 sq km) Population (2007 est.): 199,579 (growth
rate: 3.1%); birth rate: 39.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 40.5/1000;
life expectancy: 67.6; density per sq mi: 538
Capital and largest city (2003 est.):
São Tomé, 53,300 Monetary unit: dobra
Language:
Portuguese (official)
Ethnicity/race:
mestico (mixed European and native African),
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%, Evangelical 3%, New Apostolic 2%,
Adventist 2%, other 3%, none 19% (2001) Literacy rate: 84.9% (2001 census) Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007 est.):
$256 million; per capita $1,600 . Real growth rate: 6%.
Inflation: 19.9% (2007 est). Unemployment: n.a.
Arable land: 8%. Agriculture: cocoa, coconuts, palm
kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans;
poultry; fish. Labor force: 35,050 (1991); population mainly
engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; note: shortages of
skilled workers. Industries: light construction, textiles,
soap, beer, fish processing, timber. Natural resources: fish,
hydropower. Exports: $4 million f.o.b. (2007 est.): cocoa 80%,
copra, coffee, palm oil. Imports: $73 million f.o.b. (2007
est.): machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum
products. Major trading partners: Netherlands, China, Belgium,
Germany, Poland, France, Brazil, Portugal, U.S., South Africa (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines
in use: 7,100 (2005); mobile cellular: 12,000 (2005). Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002). Radios:
38,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 2 (2002).
Televisions: 23,000 (1997). Internet Service Providers
(ISPs): 996 (2007). Internet users: 23,000 (2005). Transportation: Railways: 0 km.
Highways: total: 320 km; paved: 218 km; unpaved: 102 km (1999
est.). Ports and harbors: Santo Antonio, Sao Tome. Airports:
2 (2007). International disputes:
none.
Major sources and definitions
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