<text id=94CT1239><title>Sao Tome and Principe—Government</title>
<article><source>CIA Factbook</source>
<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Sao Tome and Principe<nl>Government</hdr><body>
<list>
<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Sao Tome and Principe
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> Sao Tome e Principe
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> TP
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> republic
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Sao Tome
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 2 districts (concelhos, singular—concelho); Principe, Sao Tome
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> new constitution approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on Portuguese law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991); election last held 3 March 1991 (next to be held NA March 1996); results—Miguel TROVOADA was elected without opposition in Sao Tome's first multiparty presidential election
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Noberto Jose D'Alva COSTA ALEGRE (since 16 May 1992)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister
<item><hi format=bold>National People's Assembly:</hi> (Assembleia Popular Nacional) elections last held 20 January 1991 (next to be held NA January 1996); results—PCD-GR 54.4%, MLSTP 30.5%, CODO 5.2%, FDC 1.5%, other 8.4%; seats—(55 total) PCD-GR 33, MLSTP 21, CODO 1; note—this was the first multiparty election in Sao Tome and Principe
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group (PCD-GR), Daniel Lima Dos Santos DAIO, secretary general; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe (MLSTP), Carlos da GRACA; Christian Democratic Front (FDC), Alphonse Dos SANTOS; Democratic Opposition Coalition (CODO), leader NA; other small parties
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi> Sao Tome and Principe has no embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone (212) 697-4211
<item><hi format=bold>US diplomatic representation:</hi> ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia