Part 648

Coastline: 209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines 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 ------

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 ----------

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

Data code: TP