Melanie Staugaard, age 14, of Billings, Mont., for her question:
WHERE IS THE COUNTRY NAMED SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE?
Sao Tome and Principe is a republic that is made up of the islands of Sao Tome, Principe and several small islets. It is located off the western coast of Africa, in the Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean.
The entire area of Sao Tome and Principe is only 372 square miles.
The islands were probably uninhabited when first visited by Portuguese navigators in the early 1470s. From 1485 the Portuguese settled convicts and exiled Jews on the islands and developed a thriving slave trade and sugar growing economy.
Cacao, the seed from which cocoa and chocolate are made, was introduced in 1822 and by 1900 Sao Tome and Principe was a leading world producer of the commodity.
In 1951 Sao Tome and Principe became an overseas province of Portugal. On July 12, 1975, it became an independent republic.
The economy of Sao Tome and Principe is dependent on plantation agriculture. The major plantations were nationalized after independence.
Leading agricultural products are cacao, copra, palm kernels, bananas and coffee. Because agriculture is dominated by export crops, most food must be imported.
The country is governed under a constitution drawn up in 1975. Executive power is held by a president elected by the People's Assembly, the national legislature. The 33 members of the People's Assembly are elected to four year terms. The nation's sole legal political party is called the Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe.
Total population of Sao Tome and Principe is estimated at just over 100,000. The capital and principal port is Sao Tome, located on the northeast coast of Sao Tome Island. The country's population is predominately black African. Portuguese is the official language and Roman Catholicism is the principal religion.
The islands that make up Sao Tome and Principe are volcanic in origin, with mountainous interiors and fertile soils. The highest elevation is at Pico de Tome, which is 6,640 feet above sea level. It is located on Sao Tome Island.
The climate is tropical, with virtually no seasonal temperature variations. The average annual temperature is 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
The average annual rainfall on Sao Tome and Principe varies greatly with elevation but is plentiful in most locations. A dry season lasts from to October.
The nation's capital city, Sao Tome, has a population that is estimated at about 25,000. The port handles all of the nation's exports. There is limited light manufacturing, with products that include soap, beverages and tiles. The town also has an international airport.