Sao Tome and Principe Travel Overview

Sao Tome and Principe Travel Overview

At a glance

Capital: Sao Tome

Official language: Portuguese

Currency: Dobra

Continent: Central Africa

The advertising paradise

The island state of Sao Tome and Principe is often used for commercials.

Location

According to Countryaah, the island state of Sao Tomé and Príncipe is located in Western Africa about 200 kilometers off the coasts of Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. After the Seychelles, Sao Tomé and Prinicpe is the second smallest state in Africa. The official language is Portuguese.

Vacation on Sao Tome

The islands are the tips of extinct volcanoes and are therefore characterized by rugged landscapes and lush tropical rainforests. On the islands, the main attraction is definitely the lush rainforests. The west of Sao Tome is popular for hiking. The starting point for this is usually the Bom Successo ecotourist camp.

Vacation on Principe

The somewhat small island of Principe is still clearly marked by the Portuguese colonial past. Principe is popular as a base camp with divers. A Bacardi commercial was once filmed there, so don’t be surprised if the place looks familiar to you.

Mobility

You can only reach the island from Europe by direct flight from Lisbon. Otherwise there are open jaws via Libreville in Gabon and Luanda in Angola.
Once in Sao Tome you will find taxis at Praça de Taxis. You can be driven alone, like in a German taxi, or wait for other passengers to get on to the same destination, then the price is shared. There are also a handful of small public buses. All hotels also rent cars, which are essential if you want to go to remote areas.

Important facts

Capital: Sao Tome

Official language: Portuguese

Currency

Currency (sub-unit)

Dobra (100 centimes)

ISO 4217 code

STD / 678

Geography

Continent: Africa

Region: Central

Geo coordinates: N 0 ° 11 ‘10.9 ” E 6 ° 36’ 47.1″

Highest mountain: Pico de Sao Tome (2,024 m)

Total area: 1,001 km²

Mainland: 1,001 km²

Coastline: 209 km

Politics

Dependency: Portugal until 1975

UN member since: 1975

Other political affiliation: African Union

Form of government: Presidential Democracy

Economy

Sao Tome and Principe GDP - gross domestic product

Export goods: Cocoa, palm oil, bananas

Inflation rate: 15.8%

Export: $ 9,600,000

Import: $ 40,000,000

Electricity consumption: 20 million KWh

Cultivation area: 57.4%

Demographic data

Residents: 193,400

Residents in cities: 92,800

Average age: 16.2 years

0-14 years: 47.4%

15-64 years: 48.8%

> 65 years: 3.8%

Population growth: 3.15%

Birth rate: 40.25 / 1,000 residents

Death rate: 6.47 / 1,000 residents

Migration: -2.32 / 1,000 residents

Ratio men / women: 0.98

Fertility: 5.62 children / woman

Infant mortality: 41.83 ‰

Life expectancy men: 65.73 years

Life expectancy women: 68.95 years

Country codes and abbreviations

ISO 3166 Alpha 2: ST

ISO 3166 Alpha 3: STP

ISO 3166 numeric: 678

Top Level Domain: st

IOC country code: STP

UN / LOCODE: ST

Source: Abbreviationfinder

Transportation

Merchant fleet (ships over 1,000 GRT): 8th

Health

Number of doctors: 70

Daily food intake: 2,580 kcal / resident

Education

History

Foundation: 1975

Last sovereign since: 1975

Religion

Main religious group: Christians

Crime

Prison inmates: 100

Defense Spending: $ 600,000

GETTING THERE

Arriving by plane

TAP Portugal (TP) (Internet: www.flytap.com) offers regular flights between São Tomé and Libreville (Gabon) with connections to Europe. There are also scheduled flights from Portugal (Lisbon) and Angola. The cheapest connections from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are via Lisbon.

Departure fee

Adults: 450,000 Dobra (approximately US $ 25); Children (2-11 years): approx. US $ 15. The fee must be paid in cash upon departure.

Arrival by ship

The main port is São Tomé. Few international cruise lines and other passenger ships call at it, but boats from Libreville and Doula stop here.

ON THE GO

Traveling by plane

Scheduled air traffic with the national airline Air São Tomé e Príncipe (KY) from São Tomé to Principe (flight time approx. 40 minutes).

On the way by car / bus

The 117 km long road network is only partially asphalted. All-wheel drive vehicles are necessary for trips outside of the cities.

The bus network is good (only minibuses on Principe).

Taxis
are also available.

Rental cars
can be obtained from various car rental companies and from the Hotel Miramar (see accommodation).

Documentation:
International driver’s license.

Out and about by ship

Relatively irregular ferry connections.