Sao Tome and Principe (2008) | Zambia (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
note: Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995 |
9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western |
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.) |
0-14 years:
47.36% (male 2,324,128; female 2,303,349) 15-64 years: 50.14% (male 2,433,250; female 2,465,747) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 105,694; female 138,031) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish | corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee |
Airports | 2 (2007) | 112 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
total:
13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
99 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 65 under 914 m: 31 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 1,001 sq km
land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
752,614 sq km land: 740,724 sq km water: 11,890 sq km |
Area - comparative | more than five times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Texas |
Background | 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. | The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until takeover by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. |
Birth rate | 39.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 41.46 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $74.11 million
expenditures: $57.71 million (2007 est.) |
revenues:
$900 million expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA million (1999 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) |
Lusaka |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May) | tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April) |
Coastline | 209 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990 | 2 August 1991 |
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 |
conventional long form:
Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia |
Currency | - | Zambian kwacha (ZMK) |
Death rate | 6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 21.97 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $318 million (2002) | $6.5 billion (2000) |
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 | chief of mission:
Ambassador David B. DUNN embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225 |
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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Atan SHANSONGA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 |
Disputes - international | none | - |
Economic aid - recipient | $31.9 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program (2005) | $1.99 billion (1995) |
Economy - overview | 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. | Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go. Privatization of government-owned copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. In late 2000, Zambia was determined to be eligible for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Inflation and unemployment rates remain high, but the GDP growth rate should rise in 2001. |
Electricity - consumption | 16.74 million kWh (2005) | 5.926 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 1.6 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 419 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 18 million kWh (2005) | 7.642 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
0.55% hydro: 99.45% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m |
lowest point:
Zambezi river 329 m highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion | air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks |
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 |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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) | African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2% |
Exchange rates | dobras per US dollar - 13,700 (2007), 12,050 (2006), 9,900.4 (2005), 9,902.3 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003) | Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 4,024.53 (January 2001), 3,110.84 (2000), 2,388.02 (1999), 1,862.07 (1998), 1,314.50 (1997), 1,207.90 (1996) |
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% |
chief of state:
President Frederick CHILUBA (since 2 November 1991); Vice President Enoch KAVINDELE (since 4 May 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 2 November 1991); Vice President Enoch KAVINDELE (since 4 May 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001); vice president appointed by the president election results: Frederick CHILUBA reelected president; percent of vote - Frederick CHILUBA 72.5%, Dean MUNGO'MBA 12.6%, Humphrey MULEMBA 7%, Akashambatwa LEWANIKA 4.7%, Chama CHAKOMBOKA 3.2% |
Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | $928 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil | copper, cobalt, electricity, tobacco |
Exports - partners | Netherlands 47.9%, Belgium 19%, Portugal 9.3% (2006) | Japan, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, South Africa, US, Malaysia (1997) |
Fiscal year | calendar 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 | green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $8.5 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 14.8%
industry: 14.2% services: 71% (2007 est.) |
agriculture:
18% industry: 27% services: 55% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $880 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6.5% (2007 est.) | 4% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 1 00 N, 7 00 E | 15 00 S, 30 00 E |
Geography - note | the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous | landlocked |
Highways | - | total:
66,781 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1997 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
1.6% highest 10%: 39.2% (1995) |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and possibly Europe; regional money-laundering center |
Imports | 634.4 bbl/day (2004) | $1.05 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products | machinery, transportation equipment, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing |
Imports - partners | Portugal 48.8%, France 19.7%, Belgium 5.1%, US 5.1% (2006) | South Africa 48%, Saudi Arabia, UK, Zimbabwe (1997) |
Independence | 12 July 1975 (from Portugal) | 24 October 1964 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8.5% (2007 est.) | 6.1% (2000 est.) |
Industries | light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber | copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer |
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.) |
90.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 17% (2007 est.) | 27.3% (2000 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) | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 100 sq km (2003) | 460 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly) | Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases) |
Labor force | 35,050 (1991) | 3.4 million |
Labor force - by occupation | note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers | agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
5,664 km border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km |
Land use | arable land: 8.33%
permanent crops: 48.96% other: 42.71% (2005) |
arable land:
7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 40% forests and woodland: 39% other: 14% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Portuguese (official) | English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages |
Legal system | based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; 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 |
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held NA December 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MMD 131, NP 5, Zadeco 2, AZ 2, independents 10 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 67.64 years
male: 66.03 years female: 69.3 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
37.29 years male: 37.06 years female: 37.53 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.9% male: 92.2% female: 77.9% (2001 census) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 78.2% male: 85.6% female: 71.3% (1995 est.) |
Location | Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon | Southern Africa, east of Angola |
Map references | Africa | Africa |
Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
none (landlocked) |
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) | Army, Air Force, National Service, police |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $76 million (FY97) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.8% (2006) | 1.8% (FY97) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
2,246,640 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
1,193,047 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 12 July (1975) | Independence Day, 24 October (1964) |
Nationality | noun: Sao Tomean(s)
adjective: Sao Tomean |
noun:
Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian |
Natural hazards | NA | tropical storms (November to April) |
Natural resources | fish, hydropower | copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -2.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | -0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 1,724 km |
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 | Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Akashambatwa LEWANIKA]; Labor Party or LP [Chibiza MFUNI]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Democratic Process or MDP [Chama CHAKOM BOKA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Frederick CHILUBA]; National Party or NP [Daniel LISULO]; Republican Party or RP [Ben MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline Konie]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or Zadeco [Eden JERRY, acting head] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 199,579 (July 2007 est.) | 9,770,199
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 54% (2004 est.) | 86% (1993 est.) |
Population growth rate | 3.13% (2007 est.) | 1.93% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Mpulungu |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001) | AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998) |
Radios | - | 1.03 million (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
2,164 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track) note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of the Zambia Railways system; Zambia Railways assets are scheduled for concessioning in 2001 |
Religions | Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census) | Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1% |
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.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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) |
general assessment:
facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 7,100 (2005) | 77,935 (in addition there are about 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 12,000 (2005) | 6,000 (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (2001) | 9 (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic, mountainous | mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains |
Total fertility rate | 5.53 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 5.53 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 50% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | - | 2,250 km
note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers |