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São Tomé und Príncipe - online guide 

São Tomé and Príncipe Size

 The area of São Tomé and Príncipe islands 

 The size of São Tomé and Príncipe islands is: 

São Tomé Island: The larger of the two main islands, São Tomé, has an area of approximately 854 square kilometers (330 square miles).

Príncipe Island: Príncipe, the smaller island, has an area of about 136 square kilometers (53 square miles).

Total Area of São Tomé and Príncipe: Combining the area of both islands, the total land area of São Tomé and Príncipe is approximately 990 square kilometers (382 square miles).

Comparison of total Area of São Tomé and Príncipe with other islands in Africa


  1. Zanzibar (Unguja), Tanzania - Zanzibar is one of the two main islands of the Zanzibar Archipelago and covers an area of approximately 1,666 square kilometers, which is nearly double the size of São Tomé Island.
  1. Djerba, Tunisia - Djerba is the largest island of North Africa situated in the Gulf of Gabès, with an area of about 514 square kilometers. Therefore, São Tomé Island is larger than Djerba by about 340 square kilometers.
  1. Sal, Cape Verde - Sal is one of the Barlavento islands of Cape Verde with an area of 216 square kilometers, making it larger than Príncipe but significantly smaller than São Tomé.


Comparison on a global scale with islands of similar size:

  1. Maui, Hawaii, USA - Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands with an area of about 1,884 square kilometers. São Tomé and Príncipe combined are significantly smaller than Maui.
  1. Isle of Man - Located between Great Britain and Ireland, the Isle of Man has an area of roughly 572 square kilometers, making it smaller than São Tomé Island alone but larger than Príncipe.
  1. Barbados - This Caribbean island nation covers an area of about 432 square kilometers, making it smaller than São Tomé Island but more than three times larger than Príncipe.


Comparison with a well-known place or city for scale visualization:

  1. New York City, USA - The total land area of New York City is about 783 square kilometers, smaller than São Tomé but larger than Príncipe. São Tomé and Príncipe together are slightly larger than NYC.
  1. Singapore - Singapore has a total area of approximately 728 square kilometers, making it almost comparable with the size of São Tomé Island.
  1. Sydney, Australia - The urban area of Sydney covers roughly 1,687 square kilometers which is significantly larger than the combined area of São Tomé and Príncipe.

Territory Expanded: The Exclusive Economic Zone

What is the EEZ ?

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind. It stretches from the baseline out to 200 nautical miles from the coast of the sovereign state. Within this zone, the coastal state has the sole exploitation rights over all natural resources.

 Extending outward into the nutrient-rich equatorial waters, the EEZ increases São Tomé and Príncipe's domain to control sea-based resources to an area of over 160,000 square kilometers (approximately 100,000 square miles). Within this marine territory, São Tomé and Príncipe hold sovereign rights for exploring and exploiting marine resources, including both the water column and the seabed.

Significant for a small island nation, the EEZ provides São Tomé and Príncipe with the potential for economic development through fishing, hydrocarbon exploration, and marine biodiversity conservation. The delineation of the EEZ not only heightens the importance of these islands on the international stage but also accentuates the geographical uniqueness of being a small land with a vast adjoining seascape.

Exclusive Economic Zone of São Tomé and Príncipe: 

For São Tomé and Príncipe, the EEZ represents a significant opportunity for economic development given the vast area of ocean that it controls compared to the small land area of its islands. The potential for fishing, tourism, and exploration for hydrocarbons like oil and natural gas are key components of their economic future. The country, like others, has the challenge of managing this area sustainably while balancing economic growth, environmental protection, and adherence to international agreements.As a geographer providing an analysis of the dimensions and territory of the São Tomé and Príncipe archipelago, including its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending 200 nautical miles offshore, the text would be as follows: