Introduction
São Tomé is the capital and largest city of São Tomé and Príncipe, an island nation in the Gulf of Guinea. The city of São Tomé lies on Ana Chaves Bay on the northeastern coast of São Tomé island, about 180 miles (290 kilometers) from the African mainland.
Places of interest
Many of the buildings of São Tomé date back to the time when Portugal ruled the islands as a colony. One of the most impressive old structures is the fort of São Sebastião, which now houses a national museum. The city also has a Roman Catholic cathedral.
Economy
São Tomé is the country's center of government. It is also its chief port. The country's export products—chiefly cocoa—are brought to the city and prepared for shipment to other nations. Townspeople also make a living by processing other foods and by fishing. An international airport is nearby.
History
No one lived on the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe before the Portuguese arrived in the 1470s. Portuguese merchants founded the town of São Tomé in about 1493. The Portuguese used the town as a station for holding slaves from West Africa until they could be shipped to the New World. French pirates attacked and burned the town in 1567. Rebelling slaves from local plantations did the same in 1574.
São Tomé served as the capital of the colony for most of the period of Portuguese rule. In the 1750s, however, the seat of government was moved to a town on Príncipe island. São Tomé became the capital again about a century later. When São Tomé and Príncipe gained its independence from Portugal in 1975, the city became the capital of the new nation. Population (1991 census), 43,420.
