São Tomé Island
Native name: Ilha de São Tomé | |
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Geography | |
Location | Gulf of Guinea |
Coordinates | 0°13′N 6°37′E / 0.22°N 6.61°E |
Archipelago | Cameroon line |
Area | 859 km2 (332 sq mi) |
Length | 48 km (29.8 mi) |
Width | 32 km (19.9 mi) |
Highest elevation | 2,024 m (6640 ft) |
Highest point | Pico de São Tomé |
Administration | |
Districts | 6 |
Largest settlement | São Tomé (pop. 71,868) |
Demographics | |
Population | 193,380 (2018) |
Pop. density | 225/km2 (583/sq mi) |
Ethnic groups | Mestiços, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), serviçais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of serviçais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese) |
São Tomé Island, at 854 km2 (330 sq mi), is the largest island of São Tomé and Príncipe and is home in May 2018 to about 193,380 or 96% of the nation's population. The island is divided into six districts. It is located 2 km (1¼ miles) north of the Equator.
Geography
São Tomé Island is about 48 kilometres (30 miles) long (north-south) by 32 kilometres (20 miles) wide (east-west). It rises to 2,024 metres (6,640 feet) at
The island is surrounded by a number of small islands, including Ilhéu das Rolas, Ilhéu das Cabras and Ilhéu Gabado.
Languages
The main language is
Geology
The entire island of São Tomé is a massive
Environment and economy
The higher slopes of the island are
Large reserves of oil are in the ocean between Nigeria and São Tomé. The discovery has been lamented by some as endangering the nation's political stability and natural environment. In response to these concerns the government of São Tomé and Príncipe has drawn up legislation in an attempt to ensure the efficient and equitable use of oil revenues over time.
Natural history
Birds
The island has a total of 63 regular bird species, plus an additional 36
Administrative divisions
São Tomé is divided into the following six districts (seat within brackets):
- Água Grande (São Tomé)
- Cantagalo (Santana)
- Caué (São João dos Angolares)
- Lembá (Neves)
- Lobata (Guadalupe)
- Mé-Zóchi (Trindade)
Towns and villages
Villages on the island include:
- Agua-Coco
- Agua Ize
- Alice
- Alto Douro
- Andrade
- Bela Vista
- Blublu
- Bom Successo
- Buenos Aires
- Dona Augusta
- Dona Eugenia
- Enjale
- Formiga
- General Fonseco
- Graça
- Granja
- Guadalupe
- Guegue Norte
- Henrique
- Java
- Lemos
- Mbombo
- Mbondi
- Monte Café
- Monte Herminios
- Monte Rosa
- Neves
- Nova Olinda
- Nzumbi
- Plato Café
- Ponta Figo
- Portinho
- Porto Alegre
- Preserverança
- Quimpo
- Ribeira Afonso
- Santa Catarina
- Santa Clotilde
- Santa Cruz
- Santa Josefina
- Santana
- Santo António
- São João dos Angolares
- São José
- São Tomé
- Saudade
- Trindade
- Ubabundo
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São Tomé Island
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São Sebastião Lighthouse
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Boca do Inferno, São Tomé
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Pico Cão Grande, São Tomé Island
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Fauna in Lobata District, São Tomé
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Coffee production in São Tomé
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Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, in Guadalupe, São Tomé Island.
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Lagoa Azul, STP
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One of the traditional Roças in São Tomé and Príncipe
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Cocoa beans drying, São Tomé
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Shrimp and French fries as served in a local hotel, São Tomé
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Guadalupe, São Tomé
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Sea turtle as seen in São Tomé Island
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Municipal market of São Tomé City
References
- ^ "African Bird Club – São Tomé e Príncipe". Archived from the original on 2012-05-28. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
- ^ "Maroon Pigeon (Columba thomensis)". Archived from the original on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2020-12-04.