Middle Africa · AfricaSão Tomé and Príncipe
Discover São Tomé and Príncipe - Africa's second-smallest country, a volcanic twin-island paradise of rainforest, cocoa plantations, and untouched beaches.
Where Is São Tomé and Príncipe?
São Tomé and Príncipe is a country in Middle Africa. Its capital is São Tomé.
- Capital São Tomé
- Population 240K
- Area 964 km²
São Tomé and Príncipe is Africa's second-smallest country and one of the world's least-visited, a pair of volcanic islands sitting right on the equator in the Gulf of Guinea. With just over 220,000 people, it has the feel of a place the modern world forgot to rush through. The rainforest is thick and primordial, the beaches are empty, and the cocoa plantations that once made these islands the world's largest producer still dot the hillsides like tropical ruins.
The Portuguese colonized these uninhabited islands in the 1470s and filled them with sugarcane, then cocoa, then largely neglect. What remains is a Creole culture that blends Portuguese, African, and island traditions into something entirely its own - from the tchiloli theatrical performances that retell medieval European stories through an African lens, to the chocolate that is now experiencing a craft revival. Príncipe, the smaller island, became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and remains one of the most biodiverse places per square kilometer on the planet.
At a glance
Largest cities in São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé
Santo Amaro
Santo António
Famous people from São Tomé and Príncipe
Alda do Espírito Santo
LiteratureNational poet and independence activist whose work chronicled the struggle for liberation and the identity of island people
Rei Amador
History16th-century enslaved leader who organized a major slave revolt in 1595, now celebrated as a national hero with a holiday in his honor
Manuel Pinto da Costa
PoliticsFirst president of São Tomé and Príncipe after independence in 1975, led the country through its formative years
Traditional cuisine of São Tomé and Príncipe
- Calulu
- National dish of smoked fish stewed with okra, tomatoes, palm oil, and tropical leaves - rich, complex, and uniquely São Toméan
- Banana Pão
- Plantain bread baked or fried as a staple side dish, reflecting the islands' abundance of banana varieties
- Chocolate de São Tomé
- Single-origin craft chocolate made from the islands' historic cocoa plantations, increasingly recognized by international chocolatiers
- Izaquente
- Cornmeal porridge cooked with sugar and coconut, a simple comfort food that is the islands' answer to dessert porridge
Nature and landmarks in São Tomé and Príncipe
- Pico de São ToméMountain
- Volcanic peak rising to 2,024 meters through dense cloud forest, the highest point in the country with endemic species found nowhere else
- Obo National ParkNational Park
- Covers nearly 30% of São Tomé island with pristine tropical rainforest, home to dozens of endemic bird species and rare orchids
- Príncipe Biosphere ReserveNational Park
- UNESCO Biosphere Reserve covering the entire island of Príncipe, one of the most biodiverse small islands on Earth
- Pico Cão GrandeLandmark
- Dramatic volcanic needle rising 370 meters straight from the rainforest floor, an iconic natural tower that looks almost impossible
Sports in São Tomé and Príncipe
- Football
- National team competes in African qualifiers despite being one of the continent's smallest countries, with passionate local support
- Water Sports
- Growing reputation for surfing and diving around the islands, with virtually untouched reefs and consistent Atlantic swells
Did you know?
São Tomé and Príncipe is Africa's second-smallest country by area, with just over 220,000 residents
In 1919, the island of Príncipe was where Arthur Eddington's solar eclipse observations confirmed Einstein's theory of general relativity
The islands were uninhabited when the Portuguese arrived in the 1470s - the entire population descends from settlers and enslaved Africans
Pico Cão Grande is a volcanic plug that rises 370 meters straight up from the jungle like a giant stone needle
São Tomé was once the world's largest cocoa producer, and its craft chocolate is now making an international comeback
Read more about São Tomé and Príncipe
Can you find São Tomé and Príncipe on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place São Tomé and Príncipe and its neighbours without a second thought.
