Page last updated on February 5, 2013
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
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Sao Tome
geographic coordinates:
0 20 N, 6 44 E
time difference:
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
note:
Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995
Independence:
12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Constitution:
approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990
Legal system:
mixed legal system of civil law base on the Portuguese model and customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (since 3 September 2011)
head of government:
Prime Minister Gabriel Arcanjo Ferreira DA COSTA (since 12 December 2012)
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 (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 July and 7 August 2011 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president
election results:
Manuel Pinto DA COSTA elected president in a run-off election; percent of vote - Manuel Pinto DA COSTA 52.9%, Evaristo CARVALHO 47.1%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held on 1 August 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ADI 26, MLSTP-PSD 21, PCD 7, MDFM 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly); Constitutional Court (five judges appointed by the National Assembly for five year terms); Court of First Instance; Audit Court
Political parties and leaders:
Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM [Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Patrice TROVOADA]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Rafael BRANCO]; New Way Movement or NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Delfim NEVES]; Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Sao Tome and Principe NGOs or FONG
other:
the media
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CPLP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ovidio Manuel Barbosa PEQUENO
chancery:
1211 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:
[1] (202) 775-2075, 2076
FAX:
[1] (202) 775-2077
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; green stands for the country's rich vegetation, red recalls the struggle for independence, and yellow represents cocoa, one of the country's main agricultural products; the two stars symbolize the two main islands
note:
uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
National anthem:
name: "Independencia total" (Total Independence)
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