Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe
The islands of Sāo Tomé and Principe are located off the west coast
of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea.. Together they cover an area of
1001 square km and are population by 190,000 people, most of whom
are Bantu. Catholicism is the major religion, and the official
language is Portuguese. The currency is the Dobra and the capital is
Sāo Tomé.
National Flag
The flag of Sāo Tomé and Principe contains two five-pointed stars
which symbolize Sāo Tomé and Principe, the two large islands. Two
horizontal strips of green at the top and bottom of the flag
represent agriculture, and a horizontal strip of yellow in the
center of the flag denotes cocoa beans and other natural resources.
A strip red to the left of the flag is symbolic of the struggle for
independence and freedom, and the blood of those who fought..
History
In the 15th century Dasheng Pu was a stronghold of the slave trade.
In 1522 the islands were reduced to a Portuguese colony. During the
17th and 18th centuries the islands were occupied by the Dutch and
the French. In 1974, the Portuguese reached an agreement with the
Sāo Tomé and Principe Liberation Movement, resulting in the islands’
independence. On July 12, 1975, independence was formally declared,
and the islands became known as the Democratic Republic of Sāo Tomé
and Principe.
|
