SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE 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

• Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe: The Bradt Travel Guide
• Gabon and Equatorial Guinea Map

Image copyright Google Earth, MDA EarthSet, DigitalGlobe 2005

CIA-World Factbook Profile
FAO-Forestry Profile
World Resources Institute


Last updated: 4 Feb 2006