São Tomé and Príncipe

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Population

Main article: Population of Africa

Migration

2021: Net outflow over 4 years

Alcoholism

In January 2020, the authorities of São Tomé and Príncipe launched a criminal investigation into Santomían Isabel di Santiago, who lives in Portugal and has long studied alcohol consumption in her homeland. All because her research, which is scheduled to be published in June, suggests that Sao Tome and Príncipe is the most drinking lusophone African country after Angola. The government accused the researcher of "unpatriotic" behavior, and also demanded a public apology and refutation from di Santiago.

Despite the fact that São Tomé and Príncipe are among the poorest and most disadvantaged countries in the world, in January 2020, CNN recognized this West African archipelago as one of the best tourist destinations in 2020. But the Santomians themselves are far from so optimistic. The island nation sleeps. In the country, 58% of boys and 43% of school-age girls drink regularly, and in the over-19 category, 63% drink even more.

Santomians mainly consume imported beer, local palm wine, the turnover of which cannot be accounted for, as well as kacharamba - cheap and strong sugarcane moonshine. According to di Santiago, they drink here not from a good life, but mainly then to suppress the feeling of hunger. Especially children are introduced to alcohol, who, according to her, drink more alcohol than milk, and often come to school classes drunk. Shameless parents also encourage children to drink because alcohol, especially cocaramba, kills worms. According to the researcher, in the next 25 years, half of the current underage citizens of the islands face cirrhosis of the liver.

As for the adult inhabitants of the archipelago, they without hesitation carry with them eggplant loaf with a capacity of about 0.75 liters and empty them during the day. At the same time, Santomians begin to drink in the morning (and the morning begins here at 4:30).

Alcohol consumption is deeply rooted in local culture and dates back to the colonial era. In this archipelago, where criminals, disgraced officials and dissidents were exiled, everyone drank from despair - from white soldiers and employees to black workers. Local doctors at the beginning of the twentieth century stated the "degeneration" of the population, and the Santomian poet Jose Tenreiro (1920-1963) in his "Alcohol Cycle" tells about the collapse of entire families after the arrival of the alcohol merchant Silva Costa on the islands, fabulously profiting from the sale of "fire water."

Since everyone drank on the islands, alcohol became the main marker of social class: while the rich and wealthy drank imported wines, the poor were poisoned with cheap braga. The culture of machismo also affects, where alcohol becomes a mandatory attribute of growing up and "cool."

Little has changed since independence, I must say. From the report of di Santiago it follows that the alcoholization of the population is a consequence of targeted state policy. The fact is that the import of alcohol currently exceeds the import of milk by 600% and is one of the main import items of the country, along with sugar, which is again used mainly for the manufacture of brandy and other strong alcoholic beverages.

Foreign policy

2024: Cooperation with Russia

For 2024, Russian-Santomian relations are friendly and respectful. Mutually beneficial cooperation in political, trade, economic and other fields is developing. Russia and Sao Tome and Principe maintain the proximity of approaches to the main international problems, including the need to strengthen the central role of the UN, the formation of a polycentric world order.

Economy

GDP $2,069 per person

Tourism

2019: How much São Tomé and Príncipe is dependent on tourism:% of the industry in GDP

Which countries are most dependent on tourism,% of the industry in GDP, 2019

Consumption

2023: Fish consumption is higher than meat consumption

The most consumed type of meat (including fish and seafood) according to data available for June 2023.

2019: Average rice consumption: 34.1 kg per person per year

2019

2018: Vegetable consumption - 22 kg per capita

Потребление овощей в countries Africa, kg per capita population in 2018

Power

Electrification

Доступ к электричеству в countries Africa (2019)

Education

2019: Percentage of people who can read

Share of African Population Who Can Read, 2019

History

1975: Gaining independence from Portugal

Following the Carnation Revolution in Portugal in 1974, national liberation movements in the Portuguese colonies also intensified. As a result, on July 12, 1975, the independence of São Tomé and Príncipe was proclaimed.

The Soviet Union consistently supported the struggle of the people of São Tomé and Príncipe for their independence, and less than a month later, on August 9, 1975, the countries established diplomatic relations.

1914

Map of Africa in 1914

1876: Abolition of slavery

As the islands developed, according to agriculture European colonial patterns and worldview, slavery began to flourish in São Tomé and Príncipe. Despite the fact that in 1876 it was officially abolished, working conditions on plantations remained humiliating for a long time.

15th century: The first settlements of the Portuguese

Portuguese sailors discovered the islands in the 15th century, establishing the first settlements there. Gradually, they turned the new territory into another colony and transshipment point for further expansion on the African continent.