ortality rate: 61 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 67 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 5.4 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Sao Tomean(s); adjective--Sao Tomean

Ethnic divisions: mestico, angolares (descendents of Angolan slaves),
forros (descendents of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola,
Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands),
and Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religion: Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist

Language: Portuguese (official)

Literacy: 50% (est.)

Labor force: 21,096 (1981); most of population engaged in subsistence
agriculture and fishing; labor shortages on plantations and of skilled workers;
56% of population of working age (1983)

Organized labor: NA

- Government
Long-form name: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

Type: republic

Capital: Sao Tome

Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular--concelho);
Principe, Sao Tome

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Constitution: 5 November 1975, approved 15 December 1982

Legal system: based on Portuguese law system and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
(cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly, sometimes
referred to as the National Popular Assembly (Assembleia Popular Nacional)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders:
Chief of State--President Dr. Manuel Pinto da COSTA (since 12 July 1975);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Celestino Rocha da COSTA (since
8 January 1988)

Political parties and leaders: only party--Movement for the
Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe (MLSTP), Dr. Manuel Pinto da Costa

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections:
President--last held 30 September 1985 (next to be held September
1990);
results--President Dr. Manuel Pinto da Costa was reelected without
opposition by the National People's Assembly;

National People's Assembly--last held 30 September 1985 (next to be
held September 1990);
results--MLSTP is the only party;
seats--(40 total) MLSTP 40 (indirectly elected)

Member of: ACP, AfDB, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassado