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Compare Barbados (2008) - Sao Tome and Principe (2007)

Compare Barbados (2008) z Sao Tome and Principe (2007)

 Barbados (2008)Sao Tome and Principe (2007)
 BarbadosSao Tome and Principe
Administrative divisions 11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome


note: Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995
Age structure 0-14 years: 19.7% (male 27,659/female 27,573)


15-64 years: 71.4% (male 98,633/female 102,020)


65 years and over: 8.9% (male 9,662/female 15,399) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 47.3% (male 47,796/female 46,589)


15-64 years: 49% (male 47,386/female 50,412)


65 years and over: 3.7% (male 3,383/female 4,013) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, vegetables, cotton cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
Airports 1 (2007) 2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 431 sq km


land: 431 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 1,001 sq km


land: 1,001 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Background The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation 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. Although the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea promises to have a significant impact on the country's economy.
Birth rate 12.61 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 39.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $847 million (including grants)


expenditures: $886 million (2000 est.)
revenues: $42.96 million


expenditures: $59.61 million (2006 est.)
Capital name: Bridgetown


geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Sao Tome


geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; rainy season (June to October) tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Coastline 97 km 209 km
Constitution 30 November 1966 approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Barbados
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe


conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe


local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe


local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
Death rate 8.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $668 million (2003) $318 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN


embassy: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael


mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055


telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950


FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379
the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING


chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200


FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467


consulate(s) general: Miami, New York


consulate(s): Los Angeles
chief of mission: First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA


chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022


telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580


FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348


consulate(s): Atlanta
Disputes - international in April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision that delimited a maritime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to enter a fishing agreement limiting Barbadian fishermen's catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea none
Economic aid - recipient $2.07 million (2005) $31.9 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program (2005)
Economy - overview Historically, the Barbadian economy was dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities. However, production in recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism, with nearly three-quarters of GDP and 80% of exports being attributed to services. Growth has rebounded since 2003, bolstered by increases in construction projects and tourism revenues - reflecting its success in the higher-end segment. The country enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the region and an investment grade rating which benefits from its political stability and stable institutions. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners and thrive from having the same time zone as eastern US financial centers and a relatively highly educated workforce. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. This small, poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, which helped bring down the country's $300 million debt burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program worth $4.3 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria. The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's receipt of more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP growth exceeded 4% in 2006, as a result of increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment.
Electricity - consumption 886.3 million kWh (2005) 16.74 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 953 million kWh (2005) 18 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Environment - current issues pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6% mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Exchange rates Barbadian dollars per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003) dobras per US dollar - 12,050 (2006), 9,900.4 (2005), NA 9,902.3 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)


head of government: Prime Minister David THOMPSON (since 16 January 2008)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ (since 21 April 2006)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president


election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%
Exports 1,666 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Exports - partners US 27.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 15%, UK 10.2%, Saint Lucia 7%, Jamaica 6.5%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.3% (2006) Netherlands 47.9%, Belgium 19%, Portugal 9.3% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident) three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6%


industry: 16%


services: 78% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 15%


industry: 13.7%


services: 71.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2007 est.) 4.4% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 13 10 N, 59 32 W 1 00 N, 7 00 E
Geography - note easternmost Caribbean island the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center -
Imports 7,071 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
Imports - partners US 37.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 22.6%, UK 5.9% (2006) Portugal 48.8%, France 19.7%, Belgium 5.1%, US 5.1% (2006)
Independence 30 November 1966 (from UK) 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate -3.2% (2000 est.) NA%
Industries tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber
Infant mortality rate total: 11.55 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 12.88 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 40.54 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 42.42 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 38.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.5% (2007 est.) 23.1% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 50 sq km (2003) 100 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services); Caribbean Court of Justice is the highest court of appeal Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)
Labor force 128,500 (2001 est.) 35,050 (1991)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 10%


industry: 15%


services: 75% (1996 est.)
note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 37.21%


permanent crops: 2.33%


other: 60.46% (2005)
arable land: 8.33%


permanent crops: 48.96%


other: 42.71% (2005)
Languages English Portuguese (official)
Legal system English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at his discretion) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Assembly - last held 15 January 2008 (next to be called in 2013)


election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - DLP 52.5%, BLP 47.3%; seats by party - DLP 20, BLP 10
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held on 26 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP 28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, others 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD 23, MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73 years


male: 71.02 years


female: 75.01 years (2007 est.)
total population: 67.64 years


male: 66.03 years


female: 69.3 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 99.7%


male: 99.7%


female: 99.7% (2002 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.9%


male: 92.2%


female: 77.9% (2001 census)
Location Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 71 ships (1000 GRT or over) 539,579 GRT/793,899 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 39, chemical tanker 6, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 67 (Bahamas, The 1, Canada 9, Greece 11, India 1, Lebanon 1, Monaco 1, Norway 35, Sweden 5, UK 3)


registered in other countries: 1 (St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007)
total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 20,455 GRT/27,871 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 6


foreign-owned: 2 (Egypt 1, Greece 1) (2007)
Military - note the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land element is to defend the island against external aggression; the Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005) Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay, working conditions, and alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers have been problems in the past, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance aimed at improving the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is exercised from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)
Military branches Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Barbados Coast Guard (2007) Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Navy, Presidential Guard (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.5% (2006 est.) 0.8% (2006)
National holiday Independence Day, 30 November (1966) Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Nationality noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)


adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
noun: Sao Tomean(s)


adjective: Sao Tomean
Natural hazards infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides NA
Natural resources petroleum, fish, natural gas fish, hydropower
Net migration rate -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -2.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; People's Empowerment Party or PEP [David COMISSIONG] Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; New Way Movement or NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders Barbados Secondary Teachers' Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST]; Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, which includes the BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados Workers Union or BWU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG]; National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD] NA
Population 280,946 (July 2007 est.) 199,579 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 54% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate 0.369% (2007 est.) 3.13% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)
Religions Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.003 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.967 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.627 male(s)/female


total population: 0.938 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.026 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.843 male(s)/female


total population: 0.976 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of 75 per 100 persons


domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system


international: country code - 1-246; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia (2007)
general assessment: adequate facilities


domestic: minimal system


international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 134,900 (2005) 7,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 206,200 (2005) 12,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 2 cable channels) (2004) 2 (2001)
Terrain relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate 1.65 children born/woman (2007 est.) 5.53 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.7% (2003 est.) NA%
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