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Geography of Sao Tome and Principe

Location:Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Geographic coordinates:1 00 N, 7 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,001 sq km
land: 1,001 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:209 km
Maritime claims:measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Terrain:volcanic, mountainous
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Natural resources:fish, hydropower
Land use:arable land: 8.33%
permanent crops: 48.96%
other: 42.71% (2005)
Irrigated land:100 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous

Sao Tome and Principe Quickstats

  • Population: 199,579 (July 2007 est.)
  • Area: 1,001 sq km
  • Density: 171 /km² (65th)
  • GDP (total): $214 million (218th)
  • GDP (per capita): $1,266 (205th)
  • Literacy: 84.9%

Languages of Sao Tome and Principe

Useful to know

  • Currency: Dobra (STD)
  • Dial code: +239

International Trade

External sites

More Resources

Sao Tome and Principe Internet

  • Usage: 20,000
  • Penetration: 11.5 %
  • Top Domain: .tp

WT eBusiness info:

  • Success Ranking: 100
  • Market testing: Untested
  • Overall risk: High
  • Overall reward: Low

e-maturity:

  • Tourism: 10%
  • eCommerce: 10%
  • Gaming: 10%
  • eLearning: 10%

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