fbpx
Wikipedia

São Tomé Island

February 22, 2023

São Tomé Island, at 854 km2 (330 sq mi), is the largest island of São Tomé and Príncipe and is home in May 2018 to about 193,380 or 96% of the nation's population. The island is divided into six districts. It is located 2 km (1¼ miles) north of the equator.

São Tomé
Native name:
Ilha de São Tomé
Emblem of São Tome
Geography
LocationGulf of Guinea
Coordinates0°14′N 6°36′E / 0.233°N 6.600°E / 0.233; 6.600
ArchipelagoCameroon line
Area859 km2 (332 sq mi)
Length48 km (29.8 mi)
Width32 km (19.9 mi)
Highest elevation2,024 m (6640 ft)
Highest pointPico de São Tomé
Administration
Districts6
Largest settlementSão Tomé (pop. 71,868)
Demographics
Population193,380 (2018)
Pop. density225/km2 (583/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsMestiços, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), serviçais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of serviçais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
São Tomé location in Africa

Geography

 
São Tomé Island

São Tomé Island is about 48 kilometres (30 miles) long (north-south) by 32 kilometres (20 miles) wide (east-west). It rises to 2,024 metres (6,640 feet) at Pico de São Tomé and includes the capital city, São Tomé, on the northeast coast. The nearest city on mainland Africa is the port city of Port Gentil in Gabon located 240 kilometres (150 miles) to the east.

The island is surrounded by a number of small islands, including Ilhéu das Rolas, Ilhéu das Cabras and Ilhéu Gabado.

Languages

The main language is Portuguese, but there are many speakers of Forro and Angolar (Ngola), two Portuguese-based creole languages. The name "Sao Tome" is Portuguese for "Saint Thomas."

Geology

The entire island of São Tomé is a massive shield volcano that rises from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, over 3,000 m (10,000 ft) below sea level. It formed along the Cameroon line, a line of volcanoes extending from Cameroon southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the lava erupted on São Tomé over the last million years has been basalt. The youngest dated rock on the island is about 100,000 years old, but numerous more recent cinder cones are found on the southeast side of the island.

Environment and economy

The higher slopes of the island are forested and form part of the Parque Natural Obô de São Tomé, but agriculture is important near the north and east coasts. The chief exports are cocoa, coffee, copra, and palm products, while there is also a fishing industry.

Large reserves of oil are in the ocean between Nigeria and São Tomé. The discovery has been lamented by some as endangering the nation's political stability and natural environment. In response to these concerns the government of São Tomé and Príncipe has drawn up legislation in an attempt to ensure the efficient and equitable use of oil revenues over time.

Natural history

Birds

The island has a total of 63 regular bird species, plus an additional 36 vagrant and unconfirmed species. Of these, 19 are endemic and 3 near endemic; in addition, the local subspecies of olive ibis (Bostrychia olivacea bocagei) and maroon pigeon (Columba thomensis) are endemic and considered critically endangered. Six species are considered vulnerable, and two critically endangered (São Tomé fiscal and São Tomé grosbeak).[1][2]

Administrative divisions

São Tomé is divided into the following six districts (seat within brackets):

  1. Água Grande (São Tomé)
  2. Cantagalo (Santana)
  3. Caué (São João dos Angolares)
  4. Lembá (Neves)
  5. Lobata (Guadalupe)
  6. Mé-Zóchi (Trindade)

Towns and villages

Villages on the island include:

  •  

    São Tomé Island

  •  

    São Sebastião Lighthouse

  •  

    Boca do Inferno, São Tomé

  •  

    Pico Cão Grande, São Tomé Island

  •  

    Fauna in Lobata District, São Tomé

  •  

    Coffee production in São Tomé

  •  

    Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, in Guadalupe, São Tomé Island.

  •  

    Lagoa Azul, STP

  •  

    One of the traditional Roças in São Tomé and Príncipe

  •  

    Cocoa beans drying, São Tomé

  •  

    Shrimp and French fries as served in a local hotel, São Tomé

  •  

    Guadalupe, São Tomé

  •  

    Sea turtle as seen in São Tomé Island

  •  

    Municipal market of São Tomé City

References

  1. ^ African Bird Club – São Tomé e Príncipe
  2. ^ "Maroon Pigeon (Columba thomensis)".

Coordinates: 0°14′N 6°36′E / 0.233°N 6.600°E / 0.233; 6.600

 
Wikisource has the text of an 1879 American Cyclopædia article about São Tomé Island.

February 22, 2023
são, tomé, island, largest, island, são, tomé, príncipe, home, 2018, about, nation, population, island, divided, into, districts, located, miles, north, equator, são, toménative, name, ilha, são, toméemblem, são, tomegeographylocationgulf, guineacoordinates0, . Sao Tome Island at 854 km2 330 sq mi is the largest island of Sao Tome and Principe and is home in May 2018 to about 193 380 or 96 of the nation s population The island is divided into six districts It is located 2 km 1 miles north of the equator Sao TomeNative name Ilha de Sao TomeEmblem of Sao TomeGeographyLocationGulf of GuineaCoordinates0 14 N 6 36 E 0 233 N 6 600 E 0 233 6 600ArchipelagoCameroon lineArea859 km2 332 sq mi Length48 km 29 8 mi Width32 km 19 9 mi Highest elevation2 024 m 6640 ft Highest pointPico de Sao TomeAdministrationSao Tome and PrincipeDistricts6Largest settlementSao Tome pop 71 868 DemographicsPopulation193 380 2018 Pop density225 km2 583 sq mi Ethnic groupsMesticos angolares descendants of Angolan slaves forros descendants of freed slaves servicais contract laborers from Angola Mozambique and Cape Verde tongas children of servicais born on the islands Europeans primarily Portuguese Sao Tome location in Africa Contents 1 Geography 2 Languages 3 Geology 4 Environment and economy 5 Natural history 5 1 Birds 6 Administrative divisions 7 Towns and villages 8 ReferencesGeography Edit Sao Tome Island Sao Tome Island is about 48 kilometres 30 miles long north south by 32 kilometres 20 miles wide east west It rises to 2 024 metres 6 640 feet at Pico de Sao Tome and includes the capital city Sao Tome on the northeast coast The nearest city on mainland Africa is the port city of Port Gentil in Gabon located 240 kilometres 150 miles to the east The island is surrounded by a number of small islands including Ilheu das Rolas Ilheu das Cabras and Ilheu Gabado Languages EditThe main language is Portuguese but there are many speakers of Forro and Angolar Ngola two Portuguese based creole languages The name Sao Tome is Portuguese for Saint Thomas Geology EditThe entire island of Sao Tome is a massive shield volcano that rises from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean over 3 000 m 10 000 ft below sea level It formed along the Cameroon line a line of volcanoes extending from Cameroon southwest into the Atlantic Ocean Most of the lava erupted on Sao Tome over the last million years has been basalt The youngest dated rock on the island is about 100 000 years old but numerous more recent cinder cones are found on the southeast side of the island Environment and economy EditThe higher slopes of the island are forested and form part of the Parque Natural Obo de Sao Tome but agriculture is important near the north and east coasts The chief exports are cocoa coffee copra and palm products while there is also a fishing industry Large reserves of oil are in the ocean between Nigeria and Sao Tome The discovery has been lamented by some as endangering the nation s political stability and natural environment In response to these concerns the government of Sao Tome and Principe has drawn up legislation in an attempt to ensure the efficient and equitable use of oil revenues over time Natural history EditBirds Edit The island has a total of 63 regular bird species plus an additional 36 vagrant and unconfirmed species Of these 19 are endemic and 3 near endemic in addition the local subspecies of olive ibis Bostrychia olivacea bocagei and maroon pigeon Columba thomensis are endemic and considered critically endangered Six species are considered vulnerable and two critically endangered Sao Tome fiscal and Sao Tome grosbeak 1 2 Administrative divisions EditSao Tome is divided into the following six districts seat within brackets Agua Grande Sao Tome Cantagalo Santana Caue Sao Joao dos Angolares Lemba Neves Lobata Guadalupe Me Zochi Trindade Towns and villages EditVillages on the island include Agua Coco Agua Ize Alice Alto Douro Andrade Bela Vista Blublu Bom Successo Buenos Aires Dona Augusta Dona Eugenia Enjale Formiga General Fonseco Graca Granja Guadalupe Guegue Norte Henrique Java Lemos Mbombo Mbondi Monte Cafe Monte Herminios Monte Rosa Neves Nova Olinda Nzumbi Plato Cafe Ponta Figo Portinho Porto Alegre Preserveranca Quimpo Ribeira Afonso Santa Catarina Santa Clotilde Santa Cruz Santa Josefina Santana Santo Antonio Sao Joao dos Angolares Sao Jose Sao Tome Saudade Trindade Ubabundo Sao Tome Island Sao Sebastiao Lighthouse Boca do Inferno Sao Tome Pico Cao Grande Sao Tome Island Fauna in Lobata District Sao Tome Coffee production in Sao Tome Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe in Guadalupe Sao Tome Island Sao Tome Lagoa Azul STP One of the traditional Rocas in Sao Tome and Principe Cocoa beans drying Sao Tome Shrimp and French fries as served in a local hotel Sao Tome Guadalupe Sao Tome Sea turtle as seen in Sao Tome Island Municipal market of Sao Tome CityReferences Edit Sao Tome and Principe portal Geography portal African Bird Club Sao Tome e Principe Maroon Pigeon Columba thomensis Sao Tome Global Volcanism Program Smithsonian Institution CIA Word Fact BookCoordinates 0 14 N 6 36 E 0 233 N 6 600 E 0 233 6 600 Wikisource has the text of an 1879 American Cyclopaedia article about Sao Tome Island Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sao Tome Island amp oldid 1126601352, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.