Geography of São Tomé and Príncipe

São Tomé and Príncipe islands have a volcanic origin, which is the reason for the very rugged relief of the islands.  

The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe consists of the two central islands of a group of four islands that cut diagonally across the Gulf of Guinea (see Map).

These islands are, from north to south:. 

1. Bioko ( Equatorial Guinea), which is the largest of them and the closest to the continent, located on the continental shelf, only distant from 32km from the coast of Cameroon;

2. Príncipe - approximately 210 km south-southwest of Bioko and 220 km to west of the African continent;

3. São Tomé -150 km south-southwest of Príncipe and 255 km tothe coastline of Gabon; the Ecuador crosses the Ilhéu das Rolas on its southern coast;

4. Pagalú ( Equatorial Guinea),- is the most small  situated 180 km further to the South-Southwest of São Tomé and 340 km from the mainland.

Príncipe, São Tomé and Pagalu are separated by seas with more than 1800 meters of depth and were certainly never connected by land to each other or to the African continent. The island of Príncipe is  geologically the oldest of the group, formed 31 million years ago. 

Currently, in São Tomé and Príncipe there is no volcanic activity, although it is possible to visit ancient volcanic craters, such as Lagoa Amélia.  

Area of  São Tomé and Príncipe

The total area of all the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe is :  1001 square kilometers 

São Tomé:  859 square kilometer  - 48 kilometers long and 32 kilometers wide, 

Principe- 142 square kilometers - 6 kilometers long and 6 kilometers wide

  The biosphere reserve includes the entire emerged area of the island of Príncipe, and its islets Bom Bom, Boné do Jóquei, Mosteiros, Santana and Pedra da Galei, and Tinhosas islands.

It has mountainous areas of volcanic basalt in the center, with the highest mountain of the island of São Tomé at 2,024 m elevation

The northern and eastern parts of the island have a wider coastal zone with larger and elongated river basins

The archipelago of São Tomé and Príncipe are small Islands which experienced a long Portuguese influence of around 500 years, reaching political independence in the mid-1970s. The islands were discovered in the 15th century, by navigators at the service of the Portuguese crown, during the period of the discoveries, which were strongly promoted by Infante D. Henrique.

São Tomé and Príncipe is a small state a terrestrial surface of 1,001 km², being considered the second-smallest island country in the world (following the Seychelles), consisting of only two main islands, São Tomé and Príncipe, and by a group of islanders that, for the most part, are uninhabited.

São Tomé and Príncipe, is located in the sub-region of Central Africa, in the Gulf of Guinea, at a distance of about 300 km from the continent, with Gabon being the closest country.

The two Islands are of volcanic origin, and it should be noted that, The country is characterized by the existence of high mountains, as are the cases of Pico de São Tomé (2024 meters altitude), Pico de Ana Chaves (1636 meters), Pico Pinheiro (1,613 meters), Pico do Calvário (1,600 meters), Lagoa Amélia (1,488 meters) and Pico Cabumbé (1,405 meters).

In São Tomé and Príncipe, the climate is humid tropical, with the  rainy season from September to April. The temeprature variations are small, and the humidity and rainfall indices are high throughout the year, clearly more intense in the southern region.  The landscape is marked by forest density, intersected by abundant fresh water courses, rocky and rugged coast alternating with white and dark sand beaches. Given the richness of ecosystems and landscape, the islands are blessed with biodiversity and endemism, which are highly potential factors for the practice of ecological tourist activities.

In São Tomé and Príncipe,the protected area called Obô Natural Park, represents about a third of the national territory, and the Ecological Zones of Malanza and Praia das Conchas. Given the size of the archipelago and the representativeness of protected areas, the entire insular space is considered vulnerable to environmental aggression (management by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources) 

 São Tomé and Príncipe have an estimated population of 152,000 inhabitants (2005), of which 95.5% reside on the island of São Tomé and only 4.5% on the island of Príncipe (INE, 2006).  

The official language of São Tomé and Príncipe is Portuguese,. The country is a member of the CPLP ( Portuguese-speaking country ), but the are also local Creole-based languages of particular importance in the context of daily life ( as the " forro" an adapted Creole, of Cape Verdean origin). The historical past of São Tomé and Príncipe are the origin of a fascinating mixture of Cape Verdean , Angolan, European and other elements from the african mainland. This mix of cultural elements also explain the origin of dances, music, handicrafts, gastronomy and rituals.

São Tomé and Príncipe was an important trading post for Portugal between Europe, the African Continent and Brazil, representing one of the main places of passage of the slave trade. In the colonial period, the territory started to be organized according to the Roças system. These are large-scale agricultural exploration units, often considered as States within the State. The archipelago's production was influenced by phases, or s cycles, starting in the 16th century with sugar cane, passing, in the late 17th century, to coffee and later, in the 19th century, to cocoa.

 In São Tomé and Príncipe, the socio-economic evolution of the island in the past century led to the subsequent abandonment of production in the Roças, which led to the occupation of the installations, causing an acceleration in the degradation of the cultural heritage . The archipelago's economic base remains based on subsistence, with little diversified agriculture, some artisanal fishing and cattle raising intended mainly for own consumption.