Our History

The young Creole nation of Sao Tome and Principe, as it only gained independence in 1975.

São Tomé and Príncipe was discovered by João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar and claimed by the Portuguese in the late 15th century. The exact year of discovery is unclear, but it was probably between 1470 and 1471 (sources differ slightly regarding the exact year).

The island of São Tomé was discovered on Saint Thomas’s Day, December 21st (hence the name).

The archipelago was left “discovered” but abandoned until 1485, when the first feudal lord, João de Paiva, by royal decree, attempted to settle São Tomé and cultivate sugarcane. However, the attempt failed due to tropical diseases.

Effective settlement in São Tomé began in 1493 and in Príncipe around 1500. In the following century, the economy of São Tomé and Príncipe was based on sugar production and the slave trade.

From July 9 to July 29, 1595, there was a slave revolt on the island of São Tomé, during which the legendary King Amador was captured and hanged on August 14. From 1641 to 1648, the Dutch occupied the port and fort of São Tomé. In 1709, the French attacked the town.

The Dutch were expelled, but the instability caused by attacks from runaway slaves and the French lasted for many years. During this period, many of the investors from the early settlement left the island for safer places like Brazil. The islands then went through a period of severe economic, political, and social crisis.

By the mid-19th century, the islands’ economy began a new prosperous period thanks to the introduction of two new cash crops: coffee (in 1787, by Baptista da Silva) and cocoa (in 1822, by the Baron of Água Izé).

In 1875, slavery was abolished, and the islands began to recruit labor from Angola and later from Mozambique, Cape Verde, and other parts of the Portuguese Empire.

During the last decades of the 19th century, São Tomé became the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, with an annual production of about 13,500 tons (the largest producer being Ecuador, with 27,700 tons annually).

In 1909, São Tomé produced 30,300 tons of cocoa – its highest production ever – and became the world’s third-largest cocoa producer (after the Gold Coast and Brazil). However, soon after, a boycott of Santomean cocoa was launched by the British chocolate company Cadbury, due to the inhuman living conditions of African contract workers in São Tomé. The crisis was worsened by the First World War, and cocoa output continued to decline due to crop diseases, soil erosion, and high production costs.

On February 3, 1953, the Batepá Massacre began, during which possibly hundreds of people were killed on the orders of Governor Carlos Gorgulho (1945–1953). The Portuguese were struggling to maintain control over their colonies worldwide and were supposedly making an (exaggerated) example out of São Tomé.

When Caetano was overthrown in Portugal in April 1974, the dissolution of the overseas empire began, and on July 12, 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe achieved independence. A socialist republic was formed, and Manuel Pinto da Costa became the first president of the Republic.

The new republic of São Tomé and Príncipe then went through a period of nationalization of former Portuguese plantations, with assistance from the Soviet Union and its allies. During this time, contact with the rest of the world was limited.

In 1990, the socialist system was replaced by a multiparty system, and the first free elections were held in 1991, since this year, the political system of São Tomé and Príncipe has been characterized by democratic and peaceful elections.

São Tomé and Príncipe is a democratic republic characterized by a two-party political system. The government operates under a semi-presidential model, combining aspects of both presidential and parliamentary systems.

The legal system is primarily based on the Portuguese civil law tradition, complemented by customary laws that reflect local practices and social norms.

Voting rights are granted to all citizens aged 18 and above, ensuring universal suffrage and active participation in the country’s democratic process.