aselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 20%
meadows and pastures: 1%
forest and woodland: 75%
other: 3%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Environmental Modification, Law
of the Sea; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification

People
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Population: 144,128 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 29,103; female 28,633)
15-64 years: 55% (male 39,749; female 39,960)
65 years and over: 5% (male 2,973; female 3,710) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.58% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 34.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 8.55 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.87 years
male: 61.95 years
female: 65.83 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.33 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Ethnic divisions: 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)

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

Languages: Portuguese (official)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991 est.)
total population: 73%
male: 85%
female: 62%

Government
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Name of country:
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