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SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
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Sao Tome and Principe Forest Figures
Forest Cover
Total forest area: 27,000 ha
% of land area: 28.4%
Primary forest cover: 12,000 ha
% of land area: 12.6%
% total forest area: 44.4%
Deforestation Rates, 2000-2005
Annual change in forest cover: n/a
Annual deforestation rate: n/a
Change in defor. rate since '90s: n/a
Total forest loss since 1990: n/a
Total forest loss since 1990:0.0%
Primary or "Old-growth" forests
Annual loss of primary forests: n/a
Annual deforestation rate: n/a
Change in deforestation rate since '90s: n/a
Primary forest loss since 1990: n/a
Primary forest loss since 1990:0.0%
Forest Classification
Public: n/a
Private: n/a
Other: n/a
Use
Production: n/a
Protection: n/a
Conservation: n/a
Social services: n/a
Multiple purpose: n/a
None or unknown: n/a
Forest Area Breakdown
Total area: 27,000 ha
Primary: 12,000 ha
Modified natural: 16,000 ha
Semi-natural: n/a
Production plantation: n/a
Production plantation: n/a
Plantations
Plantations, 2005: n/a
% of total forest cover: n/a
Annual change rate (00-05): n/a
Carbon storage
Above-ground biomass: 6 M t
Below-ground biomass: 3 M t
Area annually affected by
Fire: n/a
Insects: n/a
Diseases: n/a
Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Number of native tree species: n/a
Critically endangered: 0
Endangered: 1
Vulnerable: 26
Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood: 10,000 m3 o.b.
Wood fuel: n/a
Value of forest products, 2005
Industrial roundwood: n/a
Wood fuel: n/a
Non-wood forest products (NWFPs): n/a
Total Value: n/a
More forest statistics for Sao Tome and Principe
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The geographic isolation from Africa of Sao Tome and Principe has resulted in high levels of endemism, notably among plants (87 species) and birds (26 species). Overall, Sao Tome and Principe has 895 species of plants, 112 birds, 15 mammals, 14 reptiles, and 9 amphibians. About 28 percent of the country is forested, of which 44 percent is classified as primary forest. Most of this remaining forest is found in the most inaccessible parts of the country. Nevertheless, commercial logging remains an important contributor to the economy, which has long been highly dependent on cocoa, the market for which has fallen in recent years. The country must import all of its fuel and most of its foodstuffs, putting it at risk of chronic debt, although it has gotten some relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. An offshore oil deposit may help the fortunes of Sao Tome and Principe in the near future.
Sao Tome and Principe has considerable potential for nature tourism. Currently very few tourists visit the islands—fewer than 5,000 Europeans visited in the year 2000, and almost none of them were tourists
Suggested reading - Books
Unless otherwise specified, this article was written by Rhett A. Butler [Bibliographic citation for this page]
Other resources
Contact me if you have suggestions on other rainforest-related environmental sites and resources for this country.
Image copyright Google Earth, MDA EarthSet, DigitalGlobe 2005
CIA-World Factbook Profile
FAO-Forestry Profile
World Resources Institute
Last updated: 4 Feb 2006
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