Factbook
Histoire de Sao Tomé-et-Principe — Chronologie
Dates clés de l'histoire de Sao Tomé-et-Principe, d'après le Factbook Magna et l'Encyclopédie universelle.
1975Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal).
1975While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s.
1991The country held its first free elections in 1991, but frequent internal wrangling among the various political parties precipitated repeated changes in leadership and failed, non-violent coup attempts in 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2009.
2012In 2012, three opposition parties combined in a no-confidence vote to bring down the majority government of former Prime Minister Patrice TROVOADA, but legislative elections returned him to the office two years later.
2012Languages: Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4%; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.) Religions: Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est.) Urban population: 76.4% of total population (2023).
2016President Evaristo CARVALHO, of the same political party as TROVOADA, was elected in 2016, marking a rare instance in which the same party held the positions of president and prime minister.
2018Major urban areas: 80,000 SAO TOME (capital) (2018) lower middle-income Central African island economy; falling cocoa production due to drought and mismanagement; joint oil venture with Nigeria; government owns 90% of land; high debt, partly from fuel subsidies; tourism gutted by COVID-19 Inflation: 14.4% (2024 est.).
2018TROVOADA resigned in 2018 and was replaced by Jorge BOM JESUS.
2021Carlos Vila NOVA was elected president in 2021.
2022TROVOADA began his fourth stint as prime minister in 2022, after his party's victory in legislative elections.
2023Generation mix — fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) Energy use: 8.875 million Btu/person (2023 est.).
2023Industries: light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber Agriculture: plantains, oil palm fruit, taro, bananas, fruits, cocoa beans, yams, coconuts, cassava, vegetables (2023) Electricity access: 78% (2022 est.).
