1470-1471 - São Tomé Island was discovered on 21 December 1470 and Príncipe Island on 17 January 1471, both discovered by Portuguese sailors João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar. Until then these two islands were uninhabited.
Colonization began in the late 15th century by the Portuguese, led by Álvaro Caminha, who also introduced sugar mills. Sugar cane was introduced to the islands in the 19th century. But due to the strong Brazilian competition, production declined in the 19th century. XVII.
The strategic location of the islands made them important ports for the Portuguese in the following centuries. The Islands then became the slave warehouse for the Caribbean and Brazil.
19th Century - It was only and only in this century that agriculture in São Tomé and Principe was truly stimulated with the cultivation of cocoa and coffee. At the beginning of the century. XX, São Tomé and Principe ranked among the world's largest cocoa producers. After World War II, production declined.
In the 1990s, oil reserves were discovered in the Gulf of Guinea, near Sao Tome and Principe. From then on the United States demonstrated economic interests to the point of trying to set up a military base on the islands, but the Sao Tome leaders did not agree.
Political Regime - Republic
Capital - São Tomé
Official language - Portuguese, but in parallel speak the dialects.
Currency - doubles - but the Euro is accepted as a bargaining chip everywhere, as is the dollar. Acquired folds should be fully spent in the country, as switching to another currency is difficult.
Location continent - Africa
Highest Point (m) - Sao Tome Peak with 2024m
Lowest Point (m) - Atlantic Ocean, 0m
Geographic coordinates - Latitude: 0 °, 2 'South; Longitude: 6 °, 44 'East
Standard Time Zone / UTC / GMT: + 1 Hour, no daylight saving time at this time.
Gastronomy:
São Tomé and Principe is the paradise of cocoa, coffee, copra, coconote, fruit bread, jackfruit, safú .... and rich dishes like Sauce on fire, Calulu, Blabla, Djogó and Izaquente ...
Population:
These are a very friendly, communicative people, always with a contagious smile for their visitors.
The identity of this people is expressed through their forró (santomé), angolar, lungué and their folklore as socopé, kangaroo dance, textiles, self by Floripes, Txiloli, bulawe, bliga, quiná, puíta, stleva among others, as well as with its religious secrecy.
Search: Historical archive of São Tomé and Principe, story by Janildo Bacelar. |
