São Tomé
São Tomé | |||
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City | |||
Baía Ana Chaves, São Tomé | |||
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São Tomé Location on São Tomé Island Show map of São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé São Tomé (Africa) Show map of Africa | |||
Coordinates: 0°20′10″N 6°43′50″E / 0.33611°N 6.73056°E / 0.33611; 6.73056Coordinates: 0°20′10″N 6°43′50″E / 0.33611°N 6.73056°E / 0.33611; 6.73056 | |||
Country | São Tomé and Príncipe | ||
Island | São Tomé | ||
District | Água Grande | ||
Founded | 1485 | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 17 km2 (7 sq mi) | ||
Elevation | 137 m (449 ft) | ||
Population (2015 estimate) | |||
• Total | 71,868 | ||
• Density | 4,200/km2 (11,000/sq mi) | ||
Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) | ||
Area code(s) | +239-11x-xxxx through 14x-xxxx |
São Tomé is the capital and largest city of São Tomé and Príncipe. Its name is Portuguese for "Saint Thomas". It had an estimated population of 71,868 in 2015, accounting for over a third of the total population of the country (208,000).[1]
Contents
1 History
2 Geography and location
3 Population history
4 Transport
5 Climate
6 Education
7 Health
8 Gallery
9 Points of interest
10 Sports
11 Notable people
11.1 Sports
12 Twin towns and Sister cities
13 References
14 External links
History
Álvaro Caminha founded the colony of São Tomé in 1493. The Portuguese came to São Tomé in search of land to grow sugarcane. The island was uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese sometime around 1470. São Tomé, situated right on the equator, had a climate wet enough to grow sugarcane in wild abundance. The nearby African Kingdom of Kongo eventually became a source of slave labourers to work the sugar plantations. São Tomé is centred on a sixteenth-century cathedral, that was largely rebuilt in the 19th century. Another early building is Fort São Sebastião, built in 1566 and now the São Tomé National Museum. On July 9, 1595, a slave revolt led by Rei Amador took control of the capital; they were subjugated the following year.[2] In 1599, the Dutch took the city as well as the islands for two days; they re-occupied it in 1641 for a year. The city served as the capital of the Portuguese colony of São Tomé and Príncipe and, from São Tomé and Príncipe's independence in 1975, as capital of the sovereign nation.
Geography and location
Important as a port, São Tomé is located on Ana Chaves Bay in the northeast of São Tomé Island, and Ilhéu das Cabras lies nearby offshore. São Tomé is located northeast of Trindade, southeast of Guadalupe and northwest of Santana. It is linked to these towns by various roadways, but especially by the highway encircling the entire island of São Tomé. It is linked to Cape Verde by a weekly ferry.
Features of the town include the Presidential Palace, the cathedral, and a cinema. The city is also home to schools, middle schools, high schools, one polytechnic, two markets, three radio stations, the public television station TVSP, several clinics and hospitals, the country's main airport - São Tomé International Airport (with direct regular scheduled flights to Angola, Gabon, Ghana and Portugal as well as occasional domestic flights to Príncipe), and many squares (praças). São Tomé also serves as the centre of the island's road and bus networks. The town is well known for the tchiloli playing.
Population history
Historical population | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Pop. | ±% |
1990 (June 23, Census) | 42,331 | — |
2000 (June 16, Census) | 49,957 | +18.0% |
2003 (Estimate) | 53,300 | +6.7% |
2018 (July 1, Estimate) | 71,868 | +34.8% |
Transport
São Tomé is served by São Tomé International Airport (IATA: TMS, ICAO: FPST) with regular flights to Europe and other African Countries.
Climate
São Tomé features a tropical wet and dry climate (As) with a relatively lengthy wet season and a short dry season. The wet season runs from October through May while the dry season covers the remaining four months. São Tomé sees on average just under 1,000 mm (39 in) of precipitation per year. Temperatures in the city are relatively constant, with average high temperatures usually around 30 °C (86 °F) and average low temperatures around 22 °C (72 °F).
Climate data for São Tomé (São Tomé International Airport) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 32.0 (89.6) | 33.6 (92.5) | 33.5 (92.3) | 33.4 (92.1) | 33.9 (93.0) | 31.0 (87.8) | 30.7 (87.3) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.7 (89.1) | 31.5 (88.7) | 31.6 (88.9) | 32.0 (89.6) | 33.9 (93.0) |
Average high °C (°F) | 29.4 (84.9) | 29.9 (85.8) | 30.2 (86.4) | 30.1 (86.2) | 29.3 (84.7) | 28.0 (82.4) | 27.3 (81.1) | 27.7 (81.9) | 28.6 (83.5) | 28.7 (83.7) | 29.0 (84.2) | 29.1 (84.4) | 28.9 (84.0) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.0 (78.8) | 24.7 (76.5) | 23.8 (74.8) | 24.1 (75.4) | 25.0 (77.0) | 25.2 (77.4) | 25.5 (77.9) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.4 (77.7) |
Average low °C (°F) | 22.4 (72.3) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.6 (72.7) | 21.4 (70.5) | 20.4 (68.7) | 20.5 (68.9) | 21.3 (70.3) | 21.8 (71.2) | 22.0 (71.6) | 22.1 (71.8) | 21.8 (71.2) |
Record low °C (°F) | 19.1 (66.4) | 19.6 (67.3) | 19.2 (66.6) | 19.4 (66.9) | 18.5 (65.3) | 14.0 (57.2) | 14.0 (57.2) | 13.4 (56.1) | 16.0 (60.8) | 18.3 (64.9) | 18.8 (65.8) | 19.6 (67.3) | 13.4 (56.1) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 81 (3.2) | 84 (3.3) | 131 (5.2) | 122 (4.8) | 113 (4.4) | 19 (0.7) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.0) | 17 (0.7) | 110 (4.3) | 99 (3.9) | 108 (4.3) | 884 (34.8) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 8 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 94 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 85 | 84 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 79 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 82 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 142.6 | 135.6 | 139.5 | 126.0 | 145.7 | 165.0 | 161.2 | 148.8 | 120.0 | 114.7 | 135.0 | 142.6 | 1,676.7 |
Mean daily sunshine hours | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst[3] |
Education
University of São Tomé and Príncipe, formed in 2016- National Lyceum
- Patrice Lumumba Preparatory School
- National Library of São Tomé and Príncipe
The following Portuguese international schools are in the city:[4]
- Escola Portuguesa de S. Tomé
- Instituto Diocesano de Formação João Paulo II
- Escola Bambino
- Escola Internacional de S. Tomé e Príncipe
Health
The main hospital of the country is Hospital Ayres de Menezes.
Gallery
São Sebastião Museum.
São Tomé City.
Downtown São Tomé
São Tomé City
Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, São Tomé
Supreme Court of São Tomé and Príncipe
Kids pier jumping
One of the main roads in the capital São Tomé, Praia Cruz
The old seat of Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Downtown São Tomé
Our Lady of Conception Church, São Tomé
Local stadium in the city.
São Tomé, STP
Baía Ana Chaves, São Tomé
Points of interest
- Our Lady of Conception Church
- Our Lady of Grace Cathedral
- São Sebastião Museum
São Sebastião Lighthouse - inside the museum, the only museum in the nation
Supreme Court of Justice building
Sports
Sports clubs, notably football (soccer) based in the city include Sporting Praia Cruz, another one is Vitória FC based in the neighborhood of Riboque. All clubs play at Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho.
Notable people
José Vianna da Motta (1868–1948) a distinguished Portuguese pianist, teacher and composer
Alfredo Azancot (1872-??) a Portuguese architect who emigrated to Chile
José de Almada Negreiros (1893–1970) a Portuguese artist, created literature and painting, and developed ballet choreographies
Francisco José Tenreiro (1921-1963) a São Toméan geographer, poet and highly regarded writer of the colonial era
Alda Neves da Graça do Espírito Santo (1926–2010) a poet working in Portuguese, she also served in the Santomean government after independence
Guadalupe de Ceita (born 1929) a Santomean writer and a doctor and national hero
Miguel Trovoada (born 1936) was Prime Minister 1975–1979 and President 1991–2001 of São Tomé and Príncipe
Fradique de Menezes (born 1942) the President of São Tomé and Príncipe from 2003 to 2011
Olinda Beja (born 1946) a São Tomé and Príncipe poet, writer and narrator, emigrated to Portugal and moved to Viseu
Tomé Vera Cruz (born 1956) Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from April 2006 to February 2008
Conceição Lima (born 1961) a Santomean poet from the town of Santana
Patrice Trovoada (born 1962) a São Toméan politician, Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe 2008 to June 2008, 2010 to December 2012 and since November 2014
Aurélio Martins (born 1966) a São Toméan journalist, businessman and politician
Sports
Nuno Espírito Santo (born 1974) a retired Portuguese footballer, head coach of English club Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Naide Gomes (born 1979) a former heptathlete and long jumper, competed in 100 metres hurdles at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Lasset dos Santos, (born 1986) a local footballer
Yazaldes Nascimento (born 1986) a Portuguese athlete, runs the 100 metres, competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics
Alcino Silva (born 1990) a sprint canoer, competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing
Harramiz (born 1990) a Santoméan professional footballer who plays in Portugal
José da Silva (born 1991) local footballer
Buly Da Conceição Triste (born 1991) a sprint canoeist, competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Faduley (born 1992) footballer in Portugal
Charles Monteiro (born 1994) a São Toméan footballer who plays in Portugal
Gilson Costa (born 1996) a Portuguese professional footballer
Romário Leitão (born 1997) a long distance runner, competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the men's 5000 metres
Gedson Fernandes (born 1999) a Portuguese professional footballer
Twin towns and Sister cities
São Tomé is twinned with:
Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Luanda, Angola
Libreville, Gabon
Accra, Ghana
Lisbon, Portugal[5][6]
References
^ Sao Tome, www.internetworldstats.com
^ A Verdadeira Origem do Célebre Rei Amador Gerhard Seibert of Espaço Cultural STP (in Portuguese)
^
"Klimatafel von Sao Tomé (Flugh.) / Sao Tomé und Principe" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved January 26, 2016..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ "ESCOLAS COM CURRÍCULO PORTUGUÊS EM S. TOMÉ" (Archive). Direção de Serviços de Ensino e Escolas Portuguesas no Estrangeiro (DSEEPE) of the Portuguese Education Ministry. Retrieved on October 26, 2015.
^ "Lisboa - Geminações de Cidades e Vilas" [Lisbon - Twinning of Cities and Towns]. Associação Nacional de Municípios Portugueses [National Association of Portuguese Municipalities] (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2013-08-23.
^ "Acordos de Geminação, de Cooperação e/ou Amizade da Cidade de Lisboa" [Lisbon - Twinning Agreements, Cooperation and Friendship]. Camara Municipal de Lisboa (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2013-08-23.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to São Tomé. |
Sao Tome and Principe at Curlie
www.saotome.st - Facts about the country, how to get there, where to stay, what to do, images etc.- Local travel agency Navetur-Equatour - information&pictures http://www.navetur-equatour.st/