Sao Tome

São Tomé , town (1991 pop. 42,331), capital of the republic of São Tomé and Principe and a port on São Tomé island, in the Gulf of Guinea. It is the country's largest town, administrative center, commercial center, and main port. The chief exports are cocoa, coffee, copra, and palm products. The town also has a growing fishing industry. An international airport is there, and a railroad runs to the interior of São Tomé island. Before independence in 1975 most of the 4,000 Portuguese residents of the city left; many of them were plantation owners and traders and their exodus disrupted cocoa production for several years. The town has been the seat of a Roman Catholic bishop since 1534.

São Tomé and Príncipe Country in the Gulf of Guinea, 300km (200mi) off the w coast of Africa. The capital is São Tomé. The republic consists of two main islands, São Tome (the largest) and Príncipe. The islands are volcanic and mountainous, the vegetation predominantly tropical rainforest. The islands were discovered (uninhabited) in 1471 and, in 1483, a settlement was established at São Tomé. In 1522, the islands became a Portuguese colony. The Dutch controlled the islands from 1641 to 1740, but the Portuguese regained control and established plantations in the latter half of the 18th century. The official language is Portuguese and the major religion is Roman Catholicism. The islands became independent when the Portuguese pulled out in 1975, ushering in 16 years of Marxist rule. In 1990, the new constitution introduced multi-party elections. In 2001, Fradique de Menezes was elected as president. In 2003 a military coup toppled the government but Menezes returned to power soon after. Cocoa, coffee, bananas, and coconuts are grown on plantations, and their export is the republic's major source of income. Area: 1001sq km (387sq mi). Pop. (2000) 151,000.

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