Sao Tome and Principe

Find out some interesting facts about these African islands and then print out our flags, or colour one in.

Colonial Portuguese buildings in Sao Tome, capital of Sao Tome and Principe

Learn About Sao Tome and Principe

• The Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe is the second smallest country in Africa, located in the gulf of Guinea in west Africa, about 300km west of Gabon.
• The tropical paradise consists of two mountainous islands, Sao Tome and Principe, with a population below 200,000.
• Sao Tome is the capital and largest city, with a population of 70,000.
• The islands were a Portuguese slave trading centre from 1470 and home to sugar, coffee and cacao plantations. They became independent in 1975.
• Cacao now accounts for over 90% of exports.
• A major oil discovery in the Gulf of Guinea may transform the economy and livelihood of the country, which has been blighted by poverty and under-development.
• Sao Tome has many endemic species of amphibian, plants and birds and no large mammals.
• Portuguese is the official language, with a creole version also widely spoken.

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Sao Tome and Principe Flag

The red triangle on the Sao Tome and Principe flag symbolises the hard-fought struggle for independence, and the two black stars represent the country's two main islands. The flag also features yellow and black. The flag was officially adopted on November 5 1975, following independence from Portugal.

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Sao Tome and Principe Flag Printables