Saõ Tóme and Príncipe — Overview
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.
Geography
São 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.
