Sao Tome and Principe

28.1% —or about 27,000 hectares—of Sao Tome and Principe is forested. Of this, 44.4% —or roughly 12,000 hectares—is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse form of forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Sao Tome and Principe had no significant change or no reported in forest cover.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Sao Tome & Principe has some 150 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 28.7% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and #VALUE! are threatened. Sao Tome & Principe is home to at least 895 species of vascular plants, of which 15.0% are endemic. 0.0% of Sao Tome & Principe is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

Sao Tome and Principe Environmental profile

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Forest types | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Primary forest | Forest designation | Disturbances affecting forest land | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Value of forests | Production, trade and consumption of forest products | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

Books

Sao Tome and Principe: Forest Cover, 2005 Total Land Area (ha) 96,000 Total Forest Area (ha) 27,000 Percent Forest Cover 28.13% Primary Forest Cover (ha) 12,000 Primary Forest, % total forest 44.44% Primary Forest, % total land 12.50% Other wooded land (ha) 29,000 Sao Tome and Principe : Forest types Tropical (% forest area) 100% Subtropical (% forest area) 0% Temperate (% forest area) 0% Boreal/polar (% forest area) 0% Sao Tome and Principe: Breakdown of forest types, 2005 Primary forest (ha | %) 12,000 44.4% Modified natural (ha | %) 16,000 59.3% Semi-natural (ha | %) - - Production plantation (ha | %) - - Production plantation (ha | %) - - Sao Tome and Principe: Change in Forest Cover TOTAL FOREST COVER Forest 1990 (ha) 27,000 Forest 2000 (ha) 27,000 Forest 2005 (ha) 27,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! PRIMARY FOREST COVER Primary 1990 (ha) 12,000 Primary 2000 (ha) 12,000 Primary 2005 (ha) 12,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! OTHER WOODED LAND Other 1990 (ha) 29,000 Other 2000 (ha) 29,000 Other 2005 (ha) 29,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! PLANTATIONS Other 1990 (ha) - Other 2000 (ha) - Other 2005 (ha) - Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - - Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - - Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - - Change in rate (%) - TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations Other 1990 (ha) 56,000 Other 2000 (ha) 56,000 Other 2005 (ha) 56,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! Sao Tome and Principe: Primary Primary or "old-growth" vegetation Primary Forest 2005 (ha) 12,000 Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) - Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 12,000 Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) 12.50% Sao Tome and Principe: Forest designation Ownership of forest land, 2000 Public (%) - Private (%) - Other (%) - Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 Public (%) - Private (%) - Other (%) - Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 Production (%) - Protection (%) - Conservation (%) - Social Services (%) - Multiple Services (%) - None of Unknown (%) - Sao Tome and Principe: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000 Forest Area annually affected by Fire (%) - Insects (ha) - Diseases (ha) - Other (ha) - [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] Sao Tome and Principe: Biodiversity - Plants Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock - Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock - Number of Native tree species Native tree species - Number of tree species in IUCN red list Critically Endangered 0 Endangered 1 Vulnerable 26 Vascular Plant Species, 2004 Total 895 Number endemic 134 Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 Species threatened 0 Sao Tome and Principe: Value of forests Biomass stock in forest, 2005 Above-ground biomass (M t) 6 Below-ground biomass (M t) 3 Dead wood (M t) 0 Total (M t) 10 Carbon stock in forest, 2005 Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) 3 Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) 1 Carbon in dead wood (M t) n.s. Carbon in litter (M t) - Soil carbon (M t) - Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) 1990-2000 0 2000-2005 0 Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) 1990-2000 0 2000-2005 0 Wood removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) 10 Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) - Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) 10 Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) n.s. Plant products 2005 Food (t) - Fodder (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) - Ornamental plants (t) - Exudates (t) - Other plant products (t) - Animal products 2005 Living animals (units) - Hides, skins and trophies (units) - Wild honey and bee-wax (t) - Bush meat (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Other edible animal products (t) - Other non-edible animal products (t) - Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (US$) - Wood fuel (US$) - Non-wood forest products (US$) - Total value (US$) - Total value ($USD/ha) $- Employment in forestry 2000 Total people employed - Sao Tome and Principe : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002 Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production - Imports 0 Exports - Consumption 0 Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 9 Imports 0 Exports 0 Consumption 9 Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 5 Imports 0 Exports 0 Consumption 5 Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production - Imports 0 Exports 0 Consumption 0 Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production - Imports 0 Exports - Consumption 0 Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production - Imports 0 Exports 0 Consumption 0 Sao Tome and Principe: Environment Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Natural hazards NA Sao Tome and Principe: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 6.25% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 44.79% (2001) Natural resources fish, hydropower Sao Tome and Principe: Economy Economy - overview: This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, and is expected to benefit from an additional round of HIPC debt relief in early 2006, to help bring down the country's $300 million debt burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF PRGF program worth $4.3 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea that is being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria. The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's receipt of more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP growth reached 6% in 2004 and also probably in 2005 as a result of increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment. GDP - per capita $1,200 (2003 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 6% (2004 est.) Agriculture - products cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 16.7%, industry: 14.8%, services: 68.4% (2005 est.) Industries light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber Economic aid - recipient $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program Debt - external $318 million (2002) Population below poverty line (%) 54% (2004 est.) Labor force - by occupation (%) population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing Sao Tome and Principe: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 187,410 Population growth rate (%) (2005) 3.16% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 187.2 Percent rural (2003) 62.4% Median age (years) total: 16.12 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 5.71 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups (%) mestico, 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) [an error occurred while processing this directive] Sao Tome and Principe: Infrastructure Telephones - main lines in use 7,000 (2003) Telephones - mobile cellular 4,800 (2003) Roadways (km) total: 320 km paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.) Sao Tome and Principe: Health Life expectancy at birth (years) total population: 66.99 years male: 65.43 years female: 68.59 years (2005 est.) Infant mortality rate 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) NA Major infectious diseases degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2004) Sao Tome and Principe : References & Data Sources  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com