The islands of S? Tom?and Pr?cipe, situated in the equatorial Atlantic about 300 and 250 kilometers (200 and 150 miles), respectively, off the northwestern coast of Gabon, constitute one of Africa's smallest countries. Both are part of an extinct volcanic mountain range.
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| Official language | Portuguese | |
| Capital | Fradique de Menezes | |
| Prime Minister | Maria das Neves
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| Area - Total % water | Ranked 169th 1'001 km² 0% (islands)
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| Population - Total (Year) - Density | Ranked 174th 165'034 170/km²
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| Independence | 12 July 1975 (from Portugal) | |
| Currency | Dobra (STD) | |
| Time zone | UTC | |
| National anthem | Independ?cia total | |
| Internet TLD | .ST | |
| Calling Code | 239 | |
| Table of contents |
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2 Politics 3 Provinces 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 Culture 8 Miscellaneous topics 9 External link |
In 1990, S? Tom?became one of the first African countries to embrace democratic reform and changes to the constitution - the legalization of opposition political parties - led to elections in 1991 that were nonviolent, free, and transparent. Miguel Trovoada, a former prime minister who had been in exile since 1986, returned as an independent candidate and was elected president. Trovoada was re-elected in S? Tom?s second multiparty presidential election in 1996. The Party of Democratic Convergence (PCD) toppled the MLSTP to take a majority of seats in the National Assembly, with the MLSTP becoming an important and vocal minority party.
Municipal elections followed in late 1992, in which the MLSTP came back to win a majority of seats on five of seven regional councils. In early legislative elections in October 1994, the MLSTP won a plurality of seats in the Assembly. It regained an outright majority of seats in the November 1998 elections. Presidential elections were held in July 2001. The candidate backed by the Independent Democratic Action Party, Fradique de Menezes, was elected in the first round and inaugurated on September 3. Parliamentary elections were held in March 2002.
On July 16, 2003, Maj. Fernando Pereira took over the government in a military coup. Prime Minister Maria das Neves and other ministers were detained by Pereira's forces. It is believed that the coup was, in part, a response to the administration's dealings with various oil corporations. After a week of negotiations Pereira's junta signed an accord with the former leaders and stepped down, and de Menezes and das Neves resumed power.
S? Tom?and Pr?cipe is divided into 2 provinces: Príncipe, São Tomé
note:
Príncipe has had self-government since April 29, 1995
Of S? Tom?and Pr?cipe's total population, about 131,000 live on S? Tom?and 6,000 on Pr?cipe. All are descended from various ethnic groups that have migrated to the islands since 1485.
The islands are a former colony of Portugal. In the 1970s, there were two significant population movements -- the exodus of most of the 4,000 Portuguese residents and the influx of several hundred Sao Tomean refugees from Angola. The islanders have been absorbed largely into a common Luso-African culture. Almost all belong to the Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, or Seventh-day Adventist Churches, which in turn retain close ties with churches in Portugal.
History
Main article: History of S? Tom?and Pr?cipePolitics
Main article: Politics of S? Tom?and Pr?cipeProvinces
Main article: Provinces of S? Tom?and Pr?cipeGeography
Main article: Geography of S? Tom?and Pr?cipeEconomy
Main article: Economy of S? Tom?and Pr?cipeDemographics
Main article: Demographics of S? Tom?and Pr?cipe
Date English Name Local Name Remarks Miscellaneous topics
External link