The little-discovered islands of São Tomé e Príncipe provide unspoiled
beauty and
isolation from the world now rarely found anywhere else. The islands lie on an alignment of once-active
volcanoes, with
rugged landscapes,
dense forests and
palm-fringed beaches, 250km (155 miles) off the coast of West Africa. Exotic birds inhabit
tropical jungles on islands that form Africa’s smallest country.
The picturesque town of
São Tomé lies exactly on the equator, with
colonial Portuguese architecture and attractive
parks.
The history of the islands is dominated by the slave trade and slave-worked plantations. The islands form one of the smallest countries in Africa.
GeographySão Tomé e Príncipe comprises two main islands (Saõ Tomé and Príncipe) and the islets Cabras, Gago Coutinho, Pedras Tinhosas and Ilheu dos Rolas (which is crossed by the Equator line). These lie approximately 200km (120 miles) off the west coast of Gabon, in the Gulf of Guinea. The country is rugged and has a great deal of forest cover and few natural resources. The landscape is varied, combining mountains, tropical forest and beaches.
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