Geography of São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe constitute one of
The Pico Cão Grande (Great Dog Peak) is a landmark volcanic plug peak, located at 0°7′0″N 6°34′00″E / 0.11667°N 6.56667°E in southern São Tomé. It rises dramatically over 300 m (1,000 ft) above the surrounding terrain and the summit is 663 m (2,175 ft) above sea level.
Climate
At sea level, the climate is tropical—hot and humid with average yearly temperatures of about 27 °C (80.6 °F) and little daily variation. At the interior's higher altitudes, the average yearly temperature is 20 °C (68 °F), and nights are generally cool. Annual rainfall varies from 5,000 mm (196.9 in) on the southwestern slopes to 1,000 mm (39.4 in) in the northern lowlands. The rainy season runs from October to May.
Climate data for São Tomé (São Tomé International Airport) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 32.0 (89.6) |
33.6 (92.5) |
33.5 (92.3) |
33.4 (92.1) |
33.9 (93.0) |
31.0 (87.8) |
30.7 (87.3) |
31.0 (87.8) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.5 (88.7) |
31.6 (88.9) |
32.0 (89.6) |
33.9 (93.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.4 (84.9) |
29.9 (85.8) |
30.2 (86.4) |
30.1 (86.2) |
29.3 (84.7) |
28.0 (82.4) |
27.3 (81.1) |
27.7 (81.9) |
28.6 (83.5) |
28.7 (83.7) |
29.0 (84.2) |
29.1 (84.4) |
28.9 (84.0) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.9 (78.6) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.0 (78.8) |
24.7 (76.5) |
23.8 (74.8) |
24.1 (75.4) |
25.0 (77.0) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.6 (78.1) |
25.4 (77.7) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.4 (72.3) |
22.5 (72.5) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.6 (72.7) |
21.4 (70.5) |
20.4 (68.7) |
20.5 (68.9) |
21.3 (70.3) |
21.8 (71.2) |
22.0 (71.6) |
22.1 (71.8) |
21.8 (71.2) |
Record low °C (°F) | 19.1 (66.4) |
19.6 (67.3) |
19.2 (66.6) |
19.4 (66.9) |
18.5 (65.3) |
14.0 (57.2) |
14.0 (57.2) |
13.4 (56.1) |
16.0 (60.8) |
18.3 (64.9) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.6 (67.3) |
13.4 (56.1) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 81 (3.2) |
84 (3.3) |
131 (5.2) |
122 (4.8) |
113 (4.4) |
19 (0.7) |
0 (0) |
1 (0.0) |
17 (0.7) |
110 (4.3) |
99 (3.9) |
108 (4.3) |
885 (34.8) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 8 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 94 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
85 | 84 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 79 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 82 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 142.6 | 135.6 | 139.5 | 126.0 | 145.7 | 165.0 | 161.2 | 148.8 | 120.0 | 114.7 | 135.0 | 142.6 | 1,676.7 |
Mean daily sunshine hours | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst[1] |
Climate data for Santo Antonio | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.0 (84.2) |
29.6 (85.3) |
29.6 (85.3) |
29.4 (84.9) |
28.8 (83.8) |
27.6 (81.7) |
26.8 (80.2) |
27.1 (80.8) |
27.4 (81.3) |
27.5 (81.5) |
28.2 (82.8) |
28.6 (83.5) |
28.3 (82.9) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.5 (77.9) |
24.8 (76.6) |
25.8 (78.4) |
25.8 (78.4) |
25.4 (77.7) |
24.2 (75.6) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.8 (74.8) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.8 (76.6) |
25.2 (77.4) |
24.8 (76.6) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.0 (71.6) |
20.0 (68.0) |
22.0 (71.6) |
22.1 (71.8) |
21.9 (71.4) |
20.7 (69.3) |
20.2 (68.4) |
20.4 (68.7) |
21.2 (70.2) |
21.4 (70.5) |
21.4 (70.5) |
21.8 (71.2) |
21.2 (70.2) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 113 (4.4) |
105 (4.1) |
186 (7.3) |
233 (9.2) |
229 (9.0) |
89 (3.5) |
21 (0.8) |
36 (1.4) |
146 (5.7) |
398 (15.7) |
174 (6.9) |
142 (5.6) |
1,872 (73.6) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 14 | 11 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 7 | 14 | 12 | 21 | 25 | 18 | 14 | 188 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
88 | 86 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 86 | 89 | 88 | 87 | 86 |
Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst[2] |
Climate change
Between 1950 and 2010, São Tomé and Príncipe experienced an increase of 1.5 °C in average annual temperature due to climate change.[3] The country is considered highly vulnerable to its impacts. Climate change is projected to lead to an increased number of warm days and nights, hotter temperatures and increased precipitation.[4] Sea level rise and saltwater intrusion will be major issues for the islands[4] and climate change will have major impacts on agriculture in the country.[5] The government began developing a National Adaptation Plan in 2022 to implement climate adaptation efforts, with support from the United Nations Environment Programme.[6]
Wildlife
The two islands are oceanic islands which have always been separate from mainland Central Africa and so there is a relatively low diversity of species, restricted to those that have managed to cross the sea to the islands. However the level of endemism is high with many species occurring nowhere else in the world.
Statistics
Maritime claims:
- Measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
- Exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
- Territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
- Climate
- Tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
- Terrain
- Volcanic, mountainous
- Elevation extremes
-
- Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m (0 ft)
- Natural resources
- Fish, hydropower:
- Environment—current issues
- Deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
- Environment—international agreements
-
- Party to: Ship Pollution
- Signed, but not ratified: None of the selected agreements
- Party to:
Extreme points
This is a list of the extreme points of São Tomé and Príncipe, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.
- Northernmost point - unnamed headland on Ilhéu Bom Bom
- Easternmost point - Ponta Capitão, Príncipe
- Southernmost point - unnamed headland on Ilhéu das Rolas
- Westernmost point - Ponta Azeitona
See also
References
- ^ "Klimatafel von Sao Tomé (Flugh.) / Sao Tomé und Principe" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
- ^ "Klimatafel von Santo Antonio / Insel Principe / Sao Tomé und Principe" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
- ^ "World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal". climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
- ^ S2CID 215731771.
- S2CID 231886512.
- ^ "São Tomé and Príncipe develops National Adaptation Plan for climate change | Global Adaptation Network (GAN)". www.unep.org. Retrieved 2022-08-18.