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

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Raul Wagner BRAGANCA NETO (since 20 November 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 June and 15 July 1996 (next to be held in 2001); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president
election results: Miguel TROVOADA reelected president in Sao Tome's second multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: parliament dissolved by President TROVOADA in July 1994; early elections held 2 October 1994 (next to be held October 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 49%, PCD-GR 25.5%, ADI 25.5%; seats by party - MLSTP 27, PCD-GR 14, ADI 14

Judicial branch Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Armindo AGUIAR, secretary general]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe or MLSTP [Francisco Fortunas PIRES]; Christian Democratic Front or FDC [Alphonse Dos SANTOS]; Democratic Opposition Coalition or CODO; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; other small parties

International organization participation ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone [1] (212) 697-4211

Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

NOTE: The information regarding Sao Tome and Principe on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Sao Tome and Principe Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Sao Tome and Principe Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.