Compare Indian Ocean (2008) - Sao Tome and Principe (2008)

Compare Indian Ocean (2008) z Sao Tome and Principe (2008)

	Indian Ocean (2008)	Sao Tome and Principe (2008)

Administrative divisions	-	2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995
Age structure	-	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	-	cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
Airports	-	2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	-	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Area	total: 68.556 million sq km note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies	total: 1,001 sq km land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 5.5 times the size of the US	more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Background	The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.	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. The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling between the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and two failed coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea promises to attract increased attention to the small island nation.
Birth rate	-	39.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $74.11 million expenditures: $57.71 million (2007 est.)
Capital	-	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	northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean	tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Coastline	66,526 km	209 km
Constitution	-	approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990
Country name	-	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	-	6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	-	$318 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	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: 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	some maritime disputes (see littoral states)	none
Economic aid - recipient	-	$31.9 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program (2005)
Economy - overview	The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.	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. 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 6% in 2007, as a result of increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment.
Electricity - consumption	-	16.74 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	-	18 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m highest point: sea level 0 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Environment - current issues	endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea	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
Ethnic groups	-	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	-	dobras per US dollar - 13,700 (2007), 12,050 (2006), 9,900.4 (2005), 9,902.3 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003)
Executive branch	-	chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA (since 14 February 2008) 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	-	0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	-	cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Exports - partners	-	Netherlands 47.9%, Belgium 19%, Portugal 9.3% (2006)
Fiscal year	-	calendar year
Flag description	-	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: 14.8% industry: 14.2% services: 71% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	6.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates	20 00 S, 80 00 E	1 00 N, 7 00 E
Geography - note	major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait	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%
Imports	-	634.4 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	-	machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
Imports - partners	-	Portugal 48.8%, France 19.7%, Belgium 5.1%, US 5.1% (2006)
Independence	-	12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate	-	8.5% (2007 est.)
Industries	-	light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber
Infant mortality rate	-	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)	-	17% (2007 est.)
International organization participation	-	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	-	100 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	-	Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)
Labor force	-	35,050 (1991)
Labor force - by occupation	-	note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers
Land boundaries	-	0 km
Land use	-	arable land: 8.33% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 42.71% (2005)
Languages	-	Portuguese (official)
Legal system	-	based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	-	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: 67.64 years male: 66.03 years female: 69.3 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.9% male: 92.2% female: 77.9% (2001 census)
Location	body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia	Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Map references	Political Map of the World	Africa
Maritime claims	-	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	-	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	-	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	-	Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard of Sao Tome e Principe (Guarda Costeira de Sao Tome e Principe, GCSTP), Presidential Guard (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	0.8% (2006)
National holiday	-	Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Nationality	-	noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean
Natural hazards	occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches	NA
Natural resources	oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules	fish, hydropower
Net migration rate	-	-2.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders	-	Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM [Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [[Patrice TROVOADA]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Rafael BRANCO]; New Way Movement or NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Delfim NEVES]; Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	-	199,579 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	54% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate	-	3.13% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001)
Religions	-	Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)
Sex ratio	-	at birth: 1.03 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
Telephone system	-	general assessment: adequate facilities domestic: minimal system international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	-	7,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	12,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations	-	2 (2001)
Terrain	surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge	volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate	-	5.53 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	NA%

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