Part 724

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification

@Sao Tome and Principe:People

Population: 147,865 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 29,815; female 29,307) 15-64 years: 55% (male 40,830; female 41,056) 65 years and over : 5% (male 3,053; female 3,804) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.54% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 33.77 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 60.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.09 years male : 62.15 years female: 66.08 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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

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

@Sao Tome and Principe:Government

Country name: 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

Government type: republic

National capital: Sao Tome

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

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution: approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

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