Country Profile: Sao Tome and Principe

Last reviewed: 18 September 2007

Country information

Map of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

Area: Total area 1,001 sq km
Population: 199,579 (est. 2007)
Capital City: Sao Tome
Languages: Portuguese, and Creole dialects, of which Lungwa Santome, is the main lingua franca; others are Angolar and Lungwiye (on Principe).
Religion: Christianity
Currency: 1 Dobra = 100 Centimos
Major political parties: Movimento de Libertacao de Sao Tome e Principe(MLSTP) in alliance with Partido Social Democratico(PSD) – 23 seats; Movimento Democratico Forca da Mudanca (MDFM) in alliance with Partido Convergencia Democratico (PCD) – 20 seats; Accao Democratica Independente (ADI) – 11 seats; Novo Rumo (NR) – 1 seat.
Head of State: President Fradique de Menezes (elected July 2006)
Prime Minister: Mr Tome Vera Cruz (appointed April 2006)
Foreign Affairs Minister: Carlos Gustavo dos Anjos (appointed April 2006)
Membership of international organisations: UN, African Union, Community of Portuguese speaking countries (CPLP) and African Countries with Portuguese as the Official Language (PALOP), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the overlapping Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).