Map of Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe is a country in Africa with its capital at São Tomé, home to about 240,254 people across 1,001 km². The interactive map below plots 2 cities and towns and 1 mountain summits recorded for Sao Tome and Principe in YearMaps.
- Population
- 240,254
- Area
- 1,001 km²
- Capital
- São Tomé
- Continent
- Africa
Interactive Map of Sao Tome and Principe
Centred on São Tomé at 0.3334° N, 6.7333° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Sao Tome and Principe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, is an island country in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two archipelagos around the two main islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, about 81 nautical miles (150 km; 93 mi) apart and about 135 and 121 nautical miles (250 and 224 km; 155 and 139 mi) off the northwestern coast of Gabon. With a population of 201,800 (2018 official estimate), São Tomé and Príncipe is the second-smallest and second-least populous African sovereign state after Seychelles.
The islands were uninhabited until Portuguese explorers João de Santarém and Pedro Escobar discovered them on 21 December 1470. Gradually colonized and settled throughout the 16th century, they collectively served as a vital commercial and trade centre for the Atlantic slave trade. The rich volcanic soil and proximity to the equator made São Tomé and Príncipe ideal for sugar cultivation, followed later by other cash crops such as coffee and cocoa. The lucrative plantation economy was heavily dependent upon enslaved Africans. Cycles of social unrest and economic instability throughout the 19th and 20th centuries culminated in peaceful independence in 1975 as a one-party communist state, which would remain in place until 1990. São Tomé and Príncipe has since remained one of Africa's most stable and democratic countries. São Tomé and Príncipe is a developing economy with a medium Human Development Index.
The people of São Tomé and Príncipe are predominantly of African and mestiço (mixed European and African) descent, with most practicing Christianity. The legacy of Portuguese rule is also visible in the country's culture, customs, and music, which fuse both European and African influences. São Tomé and Príncipe is a founding member state of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: São Tomé and Príncipe (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Sao Tome and Principe
Portugal discovered and colonized the uninhabited Sao Tome and Principe islands in the late 15th century, setting up a sugar-based economy that gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century -- all grown with African slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling among the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and failed, non-violent coup attempts in 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2009. In 2012, three opposition parties combined in a no-confidence vote to bring down the majority government of former Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA, but legislative elections returned him to the office two years later. President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as TROVOADA, was elected in 2016, marking a rare instance in which the same party held the positions of president and prime minister. TROVOADA resigned in 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS. Carlos Vila NOVA was elected president in 2021. TROVOADA began his fourth stint as prime minister in 2022, after his party's victory in legislative elections.
- Location
- Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon.
- Climate
- Tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
- Terrain
- Volcanic, mountainous.
- Highest point
- Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m.
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 209 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Fish, hydropower.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 44.8% (2023 est.); arable land: 4.2% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 39.6% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 1% (2023 est.); forest: 57.5% (2023 est.); other: 0% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Flooding.
- Geographic note
- The second-smallest African country (after the Seychelles); the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes, and both are mountainous.
- Languages
- Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4%; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.)
- Religions
- Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Mestico, Angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), Forros (descendants of freed slaves), Servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cabo Verde), Tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese), Asians (mostly Chinese)
- Economy
- Lower middle-income Central African island economy; falling cocoa production due to drought and mismanagement; joint oil venture with Nigeria; government owns 90% of land; high debt, partly from fuel subsidies; tourism gutted by COVID-19.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Sao Tome and Principe in Numbers
- Population
- 240,254
- GDP
- US$981.3 million
- GDP per person
- US$4,084
- Life expectancy
- 69.9 years
- Population growth
- 1.98% a year
- Population density
- 245 per km²
- Urban population
- 69.2%
- Surface area
- 960 km²
- Forest cover
- 57.5%
- Arable land
- 4.2%
- Access to electricity
- 77.7%
- Internet users
- 59.1%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Sao Tome and Principe in Depth
History
The islands making up São Tomé and Príncipe were formed approximately 30 million years ago due to volcanic activity in deep water along the Cameroon Line. Over time, interactions with seawater and periods of eruption have engendered a wide variety of different igneous and volcanic rocks on the islands with complex assemblages of minerals.
The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe were uninhabited when the Portuguese arrived 21 December 1470. The first Europeans to put ashore were João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar. Portuguese navigators explored the islands and decided that they would be good locations for bases to trade with the mainland.
Geography
The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, situated in the equatorial Atlantic and Gulf of Guinea about 160 and 130 nautical miles (300 and 240 km; 180 and 150 mi), respectively, off the northwest coast of Gabon, constitute Africa's second-smallest country. Both are part of the Cameroon volcanic mountain line, which also includes the islands of Annobón to the southwest, Bioko to the northeast (both part of Equatorial Guinea), and Mount Cameroon on the coast of Gulf of Guinea. Both islands formed about 30 million years ago during the Oligocene era, due to volcanic activity beneath deep water along the Cameroon Line. The volcanic soils of basalts and phonolites, dating to 3 million years, have been used for plantation crops since colonial times.
Economy
Since the 19th century, the economy of São Tomé and Príncipe has been based on plantation agriculture. At the time of independence, Portuguese-owned plantations occupied 90% of the cultivated area. After independence, control of these plantations passed to various state-owned agricultural enterprises. The main crop on São Tomé is cocoa, representing about 54% of agricultural exports. In the early 1900s, São Tomé and Príncipe was the world's largest exporter of cocoa and popularly known as the "Chocolate Islands". Other export crops include copra, palm kernels, and coffee.
Domestic food-crop production is inadequate to meet local consumption, so the country imports most of its food. As of 1997, an estimated 90% of the country's food needs were met through imports.
Demographics
The total population was estimated at 201,800 in May 2018 by the government agency. About 193,380 people live on São Tomé and 8,420 on Príncipe. The natural population increase is about 4,000 people per year.
Nearly all citizens are descended from people from different countries taken to the islands by the Portuguese from 1470 onwards. In the 1970s, two significant population movements occurred: the exodus of most of the 4,000 Portuguese residents and the influx of several hundred São Tomé refugees from Angola.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: São Tomé and Príncipe (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Sao Tome and Principe: Key Facts
| Currency | São Tomé and Príncipe dobra |
|---|---|
| Official language | Portuguese |
| Head of state | Carlos Vila Nova |
| Head of government | Américo Ramos |
| Calling code | +239 |
| Internet domain | .st |
| Highest point | Pico de São Tomé |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean |
| Established | 12 July 1975 |
Facts from Wikidata Q1039 (CC0).
Visiting Sao Tome and Principe
São Tomé and Príncipe (STP for short) consists of two main islands straddling the Equator off the Atlantic coast of Central Africa.
The Portuguese were the first settlers of these previously uninhabited islands in the late 15th century. Attracting settlers proved difficult, however, and most of the earliest inhabitants were "undesirables" sent from Portugal, mostly Jews. The Portuguese brought in slaves from Africa to cultivate sugar, coffee and cocoa. Nearly all of its current residents are descended from people from different countries taken to the islands by the Portuguese from 1470 onwards.
In 1990, STP was one of the first African nations to undertake democratic reforms, and it has maintained democratic government since then with only a one-week interruption. The country's culture, customs, and music fuse European and African influences.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: São Tomé and Príncipe (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Sao Tome and Principe
2 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | São Tomé | 88,219 | — | National capital |
| 2 | Santo António | 1,156 | — | Admin-1 capital |
Highest Mountains in Sao Tome and Principe
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pico de São Tomé | 2,024 m | 6,640 ft | Africa |
Pico de São Tomé
Mountain · 2,024 m
Pico de São Tomé is a mountain rising to 2,024 metres (6,640 ft) in Sao Tome and Principe, in the Africa region.
Pico de São Tomé is the highest mountain in São Tomé and Príncipe at 2,024 m (6,640 ft) elevation. It lies just west of the centre of São Tomé Island, in the Parque Natural Obô de São Tomé and in the Lembá District. The second highest point, Pico de Ana Chaves (1,630 m [5,348 ft]), lies about 3 km (1.9 mi) to its south east. The town Santa Catarina is 8 km (5.0 mi) to the west.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Pico de São Tomé (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 2,024 m (6,640 ft)
- Global rank
- #413 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Africa (#61)
- Country
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Coordinates
- 0.2820°, 6.5544°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Pico de São Tomé ranks #413 by elevation, below Clingmans Dome (2,025 m) and above Mont Bagzane (2,022 m).
- Ranges:
- Guinea Highlands (Africa), Loma Mountains (Africa)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Pico de Santa Isabel (3,008 m), Mont Cameroun (4,040 m), Mount Oku (3,011 m)
- Settlements below:
- São Tomé (21 km), Port-Gentil (271 km), Libreville (323 km)
More about Pico de São Tomé
Description
The entire island of São Tomé is a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, over 3,000 m (10,000 ft) below sea level. It formed along the Cameroon line, a linear rift zone extending from Cameroon southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the lava erupted on São Tomé over the last million years has been basalt. The most recent activity was about 36,000 years ago.
On old maps of São Tomé and Príncipe, the mountain is named "Pico Gago Coutinho", after Portuguese naval officer Carlos Viegas Gago Coutinho (1869–1959) who, together with Sacadura Cabral (1881–1924), was the first to cross the South Atlantic Ocean by air.
The mountain is clad in forest.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Pico de São Tomé (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Pico de São Tomé: Key Facts
| Topographic prominence | 2,024 m |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q1471391 (CC0).
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sao Tome and Principe
1 World Heritage Site recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Roças of Sao Tome and Principe: Colonial Agricultural System and Forced Migration | 2026 | Cultural | (iv) |
Largest Islands of Sao Tome and Principe
2 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
São Tomé
Island · 885 km²
São Tomé is an island in Africa, covering an estimated 885 km².
São Tomé is an island located in the Gulf of Guinea. At 859 km2 (332 sq mi) and a population of 193,380 as of May 2018, it is the largest and most populous island of São Tomé and Príncipe, being home to 96% of the country's population. The island is divided into six districts. It is located 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the Equator.
Adapted from Wikipedia: São Tomé (island) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 885 km²
- Size rank
- #306 of 445 islands
- Region
- Africa
- Coordinates
- 0.2463°, 6.6014°
- Summits:
- Pico de São Tomé (2,024 m), Pico de Santa Isabel (3,008 m), Mont Cameroun (4,040 m)
- Ranges:
- Guinea Highlands (Africa), Loma Mountains (Africa)
- Settlements:
- São Tomé (18 km), Port-Gentil (265 km), Libreville (318 km)
More about São Tomé
Geography
São Tomé is about 48 kilometres (30 miles) long (north-south) by 32 kilometres (20 miles) wide (east-west). It rises to 2,024 metres (6,640 feet) at Pico de São Tomé and includes the homonymous capital city on the northeast coast. It is situated in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Africa. The nearest city on mainland Africa is the port city of Port Gentil in Gabon located 240 kilometres (150 miles) to the east.
The island is surrounded by a number of small islands, including Ilhéu das Rolas, Ilhéu das Cabras and Ilhéu Gabado.
Natural history
The island has a total of 63 regular bird species, plus an additional 36 vagrant and unconfirmed species. Of these, 19 are endemic and 3 near endemic; in addition, the local subspecies of olive ibis (Bostrychia olivacea bocagei) and maroon pigeon (Columba thomensis) are endemic and considered critically endangered. Six species are considered vulnerable, and two critically endangered (São Tomé fiscal and São Tomé grosbeak).
Geology
The entire island of São Tomé is a massive shield volcano that rises from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, over 3,000 m (10,000 ft) below sea level. It formed along the Cameroon line, a line of volcanoes extending from Cameroon southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the lava erupted on São Tomé over the last million years has been basalt. The youngest dated rock on the island is about 100,000 years old, but numerous more recent cinder cones are found on the southeast side of the island.
Environment and economy
The higher slopes of the island are forested and form part of the Parque Natural Obô de São Tomé, but agriculture is important near the north and east coasts. The chief exports are cocoa, coffee, copra, and palm products, while there is also a fishing industry.
Large reserves of oil are in the ocean between Nigeria and São Tomé. The discovery has been lamented by some as endangering the nation's political stability and natural environment. In response to these concerns the government of São Tomé and Príncipe has drawn up legislation in an attempt to ensure the efficient and equitable use of oil revenues over time.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: São Tomé (island) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
São Tomé: Key Facts
| Area | 855 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 185,000 |
| Highest point | Pico de São Tomé |
| Surrounded by | Gulf of Guinea |
Facts from Wikidata Q233124 (CC0).
Príncipe
Island · 157 km²
Príncipe is an island in Africa, covering an estimated 157 km².
Príncipe (; Portuguese: [ˈpɾĩsɨpɨ]) is the smaller, northern major island of the country of São Tomé and Príncipe lying off the west coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea. It has an area of 142 square kilometres (55 sq mi) (including offshore islets) and a population of 7,324 at the 2012 Census; the latest official estimate (at May 2018) was 8,420. The island is a heavily eroded volcano speculated to be over three million years old, surrounded by smaller islands including Ilheu Bom Bom, Ilhéu Caroço, Tinhosa Grande and Tinhosa Pequena. Part of the Cameroon Line archipelago, Príncipe rises in the south to 947 metres at Pico do Príncipe. The island is the main constituent of the Autonomous Region of Príncipe, established in 1995, and of the coterminous district of Pagué.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Príncipe (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 157 km²
- Size rank
- #377 of 445 islands
- Region
- Africa
- Coordinates
- 1.5982°, 7.3924°
- Summits:
- Pico de São Tomé (2,024 m), Pico de Santa Isabel (3,008 m), Mont Cameroun (4,040 m)
- Ranges:
- Guinea Highlands (Africa), Loma Mountains (Africa)
- Settlements:
- São Tomé (159 km), Libreville (266 km), Bata (266 km)
More about Príncipe
History
The island was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese on 17 January 1471 and was first named after Saint Anthony ("Ilha de Santo Antão"). Later the island was renamed Príncipe ("Prince") by King John II of Portugal in honour of his son Afonso, Hereditary Prince of Portugal (1475–1491). The first settlement, the town of Santo António, was founded in 1502. Subsequently, the north and centre of the island were made into plantations by Portuguese colonists using slave labor. These concentrated initially on producing sugar and after 1822 on cocoa, becoming the world's greatest cocoa producer. Since independence, these exploitative plantations have largely reverted to forest.
Demographics
Portuguese is the official and main language of the island. Portuguese creoles are also spoken: Principense or Lunguyê and, in some scale, Forro are also spoken.
In 1771, Príncipe had a population of 5,850: 111 whites, 165 free mulattoes, 6 mulatto slaves, 900 free blacks, and 4,668 black slaves. In 1875, the year when slavery was officially abolished in the archipelago, Príncipe's population had dropped to only 1,946, of whom 45 were Europeans, 1,521 were free natives, and 380 were freemen.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Príncipe (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Príncipe: Key Facts
| Area | 136 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 7,344 |
| Highest point | Pico de Príncipe |
| Surrounded by | Atlantic Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q210636 (CC0).
Visiting Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe (STP for short) consists of two main islands straddling the Equator off the Atlantic coast of Central Africa.
The Portuguese were the first settlers of these previously uninhabited islands in the late 15th century. Attracting settlers proved difficult, however, and most of the earliest inhabitants were "undesirables" sent from Portugal, mostly Jews. The Portuguese brought in slaves from Africa to cultivate sugar, coffee and cocoa. Nearly all of its current residents are descended from people from different countries taken to the islands by the Portuguese from 1470 onwards.
In 1990, STP was one of the first African nations to undertake democratic reforms, and it has maintained democratic government since then with only a one-week interruption. The country's culture, customs, and music fuse European and African influences.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: São Tomé and Príncipe (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Countries Bordering Sao Tome and Principe
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Africa
Sao Tome and Principe: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Sao Tome and Principe?
- The capital of Sao Tome and Principe is São Tomé.
- What is the population of Sao Tome and Principe?
- Sao Tome and Principe has a population of about 240,254, the #187 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Sao Tome and Principe?
- Sao Tome and Principe covers 1,001 km², ranking #188 by area, with about 240 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Sao Tome and Principe in?
- Sao Tome and Principe is in Africa.
- Which countries border Sao Tome and Principe?
- Sao Tome and Principe shares a land or maritime border with Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria.
- What is the largest city in Sao Tome and Principe?
- São Tomé is the largest city in Sao Tome and Principe, with a metropolitan population of about 88,219.
- What is the highest mountain in Sao Tome and Principe?
- The highest summit recorded for Sao Tome and Principe in YearMaps is Pico de São Tomé at 2,024 m (6,640 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.