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Government
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
Data code: TP
Government type: republic
Capital: Sao Tome
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: based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Guilherma Posser da COSTA (since
30 December 1998)
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;
election last held 30 June and 15 July 1996 (next to be held in
2001); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved
by the president
election results: Miguel TROVOADA reelected president in Sao Tome's
second multiparty presidential election; percent of vote—Miguel
TROVOADA 52.74%, Manuel Pinto da COSTA 47.26%
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party—MLSTP-PSD 56%,
PCD 14.5%%, ADI 29%; seats by party—MLSTP-PSD 31, ADI 16,
PCD 8
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Armindo AGUIAR, secretary general]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Christian Democratic Front or FDC [Alphonse Dos SANTOS]; Democratic Opposition Coalition or CODO [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; other small parties
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone [1] (212) 697-4211
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; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia