São Tomé and Principe

This Page was last updated on the 4th. December, 2006.

 

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São Tomé and Principe.

Concerning the Catholic Church, Fides Service reported on 4th December 2006: - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, on 1 December 2006, accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the diocese of Sao Tome and Principe, presented by Bishop Abílio Rodas de Sousa Ribas, C.S.Sp., in conformity with the Code of Canon Law, can. 401 § 1. The Holy Father appointed as Bishop of Sao Tome and Principe Rev. Padre Manuel Antonio Mendes dos Santos, C.M.F., Provincial Superior of the Congregation of Missionaries Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Rev. Manuel António Mendes dos Santos, C.M.F., was born on 20 March 1960 in the parish Sào Joanhinho, Diocese of Lamego, in Portugal. He made his first religious profession in Fatima, 26 September 1980, his perpetual profession on 16 September 1983. He studied philosophy and theology at the Institute of Human and Theological Sciences in Porto and at the Catholic University of Lisbon. Ordained a priest on 13 June 1985 he has ministered as follows: 1986-1993: vocations promoter for the Portuguese Claretian Province; 1989-1993: Formator and rector of the minor seminary; 1994-1995: Missionary of Sao Tome, parish priest in the north of the Island; 1995-1997 specialisation in pastoral theology in Rome; Parish priest of Sào Sebastiào parish 1997-2001: head of "Coragào e Maria" pastoral zone in Setúbal; 2001 Superior Provincial of the Portuguese Claretian province; 2003-2005: president of the national conference of major superiors of Religious Institutes.
The diocese of Sao Tome and Principe, subject to the Holy See, was created in 1533. It has an area of 1.000 sq km, a population of 140.000 including 103,000 Catholics gathered in 17 parishes, assisted by 12 priests (10 religious and 2 fidei donum), 39 Sisters and there are 16 major seminarians. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 1/12/2006; Righe 20; Parole 281)

Official Name

Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Principe (Republica Democratica de São Tomé e Principe)

Former Name São Tomé and Principe (first discovered by Portuguese between 1469-1472; first settlement of São Tomé established in 1493; Principe settled in 1500; settlers [with slave labour] turned the islands into Africa's foremost exporter of sugar by mid-1500s; São Tomé and Principe administered by Portuguese crown in 1522 and 1573, respectively; sugar declined and São Tomé became just a port of call by mid-1600s; coffee and cocoa introduced in early 1800s; practice of forced paid labour [‘rocas system’] continued even though Portugal officially abolished slavery in 1876; São Tomé was world's largest cocoa producer by 1908; charges that Angolan contract workers were subjected to forced labour and unsatisfactory working conditions in early 1900s; labour unrest and dissatisfaction continued into 20th century; several hundred African labourers were killed [‘Batepa Massacre’] in riots in 1953; demand for independence [from late 1950s - 1960s] led to independence on 12 July 1975.)

Capital

São Tomé (São Tomé Island)

Main Towns

Angolares, Neves, Santana, Santo Antonio, São Tomé , Trinidade

Subdivisions

2 provinces: Principe, São Tomé (Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995)

Independence

12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Constitution

November 5, 1975; revised September 1990, following a national referendum, revised again January 2003.
National Holiday Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

UN Membership

16 September 1975

OAU Membership

18 July 1975

Commonwealth

n/a

Other Organisations

In alphabetical order according to abbreviation/acronym: Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT), Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), African Development Bank (AfDB or AFDB), Central African States Economic Community (CEAC), African Union, Community of Portuguese Language speaking countries(CPLP), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Criminal Court (ICCt - signatory), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM - observer), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Lusophone African countries (PALOP), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Confederation of Labour (WCL), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTrO - observer).

Population

World Bank Figures: 144,900 (1999), 148,000 (2000), 151,100 (2001), 154,200 (2002), 157,400 (2003)
Other Sources: 140,423 (July 1995), 165,034 (July 2001 est.), 175,883 (July 2003 est.) 187,410 (2004 est.) 160,400 (July 2005 est.)

Area

372 sq. mls. (964 sq. kms.)

Density

121 per sq.km. (1995)

Highest Point

Pico de São Tomé 6,640 ft. (2,024 m.)

Lowest Point

Atlantic Ocean/Gulf of Guinea - sea level

Neighbours

None - Atlantic

Life Expectancy

69 years (1995), total population:  65.59 years, male:  64.15 years, female:  67.07 years (2001 est.)
total population: 66.28 years, male: 64.79 years, female: 67.82 years (2003 est.)
total population: 66.99 years male: 65.43 years female: 68.59 years (2005 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate 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
total: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: NA%, people living with HIV/AIDS: NA, deaths: NA

Adult Literacy Rate

59% (1985), total population:  73%, male:  85%, female:  62% (1991 est.)
total population: 79.3%, male: 85%, female: 62% (1991 est.)

Ethnic Groups

Mestico, Angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), Forros (descendants of freed slaves), Servicais (contract labourers from Angola, Mozambique, & Cape Verde), Tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (mainly Portuguese).

Languages

Portuguese (official)

Religions

Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Type of Government

Republic

President

Fradique Bandeira Melo de Menezes (first elected 3 September 2001, re-elected 30th July 2006)

Prime Minister

Tome Soares da Vera Cruz became prime minister in 2006, replacing Maria do Carmo Trovoada Pires de Carvalho Silveira (Prime Minister since 7 June 2005)

Political Parties

Democratic Renovation Party; Force for Change Democratic Movement; Independent Democratic Action (ADI); Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party (MLSTP-PSD); Party for Democratic Convergence (PCD); Ue-Kedadji coalition.

Ruling Party

---

Currency

Dobra (Db)(100 centavos)
dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000)

GDP

GDP: US$102.8 million (2004 est.) GDP: US$69 million (2005 est.)
purchasing power parity - US$214 million (2003 est.)
per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,200 (2002 est.)
per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,200 (2003 est.)

GNP

US$330 (1992) US$300 (1994)
Per Capita Income GDP per capita: US$634 (2004 est.) Per capita GDP: US$424 (2005 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line 54% (2004 est.)
Land Use arable land: 6.25% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 44.79% (2001) Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural Resources fish, hydropower
Oil and Natural Gas Oil production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) consumption: 700 bbl/day (2001 est.) exports: NA (2001) imports: NA (2001)
Possible substantial petroleum in its territorial waters of the Gulf of Guinea; production could begin as early as 2004.
In 2001, Sao Tome and Nigeria reached agreement on joint exploration for petroleum in waters claimed by the two countries. After a lengthy series of negotiations, in April 2003 the joint development zone (JDZ) was opened for bids by international oil firms. The JDZ was divided into 9 blocks; the winning bids for block one, ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, and the Norwegian firm Equity Energy, were announced in April 2004, with Sao Tome to take in 40% of the $123 million bid, and Nigeria the other 60%. Blocks 2 through 6 were allocated in June 2005. Nigeria and Sao Tome are due to sign production sharing contracts with the winning bidders in November 2005. (Source: US Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs, Background Note, October 2005)
Military Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 36,905 (2003 est.)
males age 18-49: 33,438 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: US$400,000, 0.8% of GDP (FY01) US$700,000, 0.8% of GDP(2004)
Economic Aid Received US$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program
Aid per Capita (World Bank): US$190 (1999), US$236 (2000), US$253 (2001), US$169 (2002), US$239 (2003)
The Sao Tomean Government has traditionally been reliant on foreign assistance from various donors, including the UN Development Program, the World Bank, the European Union (EU), Portugal, Taiwan, and the African Development Bank. Sao Tome qualified for debt relief when it reached decision point under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) in December 2000, but went off track on its poverty reduction program in early 2001. After four years and satisfactory performance on an interim staff-monitored program, the IMF approved a new three-year $4.3 million Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program for Sao Tome in September 2005. The ambitious new program aims to reduce inflation to a single-digit number, address the country's macroeconomic imbalances, and substantially reduce poverty. (Source: US Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs, Background Note, October 2005)

Debt

Severely indebted (HIPC)
Benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) programme.
World Bank Figures: US$196,000,000 (2000), US$100,000,000 (2001), US$112,200,000 (2002), US$146,600,000 (2003)
Other Sources: US$280m (mid 1996) US$268m (2000) US$253.8 million (2000) US$318 million (2002) US$293.7 million (2005 est.)

Major Imports

machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
food, fuel, machinery and electrical equipment (2005 est.)

Imports from

Portugal 38.9%, US 22.2%, UK 9.3%, France (2001)
Portugal 50.5%, Germany 10%, US 5.1%, Netherlands 4.5%, South Africa 4.2% (2004) US$41 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Portugal (43%), France (16%), U.K. (14%) (2005 est.) US$67.4 million (2005 est.)

Major Exports

cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil
95% cocoa, copra, palm kernels, coffee (2005 est.)

Exports to

Netherlands 27.3%, Portugal 18.2%, Canada 9.1%, Spain (2001)
Netherlands 39.1%, China 11.8%, Germany 8.6%, Belgium 6.9%, Philippines 6.7%, France 4.5% (2004) US$6.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, China (2005 est.) US$27.1 million (2005 est.)

We try to have each fact sheet up to date and as accurate as possible.
If you notice any mistakes, or have suggestions on items which could be added, please let us know by emailing to: suttonlink@dial.pipex.com

The White Fathers, Sutton Coldfield, 4 December, 2005

Page 41 of 61

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