<text><span class="style42"></span><span class="style12">SÃO TOMÉ E PRÍNCIPE</span><span class="style13"></span><span class="style42">Official name:</span><span class="style13"> A República de São Tomé e Príncipe (Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe)Member of: </span><span class="style42">UN, OAUArea: </span><span class="style13">964 km2 (372 sq mi)</span><span class="style42">Population: </span><span class="style13">125000 (1993 est)</span><span class="style42">Capital: </span><span class="style13">São Tomé 43000 (1993 est)</span><span class="style42">Languages: </span><span class="style13">Portuguese (official); Fang (90%)</span><span class="style42">Religion: </span><span class="style13">Roman Catholic (50%)</span><span class="style42">GOVERNMENT</span><span class="style13">The 55-member National Assembly is elected by universal adult suffrage for four years. The President – who appoints a Prime Minister and Council of Ministers – is also directly elected for five years.</span><span class="style42">GEOGRAPHY</span><span class="style13">The republic consists of two mountainous islands about 144 km (90 mi) apart. São Tomé rises to 2024 m (6640 ft). </span><span class="style42">Climate: </span><span class="style13">The climate is tropical. A wet season – with heavy rainfall – lasts from October to May.</span><span class="style42">ECONOMY</span><span class="style13">Cocoa is the mainstay of a largely agricultural economy. Most of the land is nationalized. </span><span class="style42">Currency: </span><span class="style13">Dobra.</span><span class="style42">HISTORY</span><span class="style13">The islands were first settled as a convict colony by the Portuguese in the late 15th century, and became slave-trading centers. Early in the 20th century, the islands’ plantations were notorious for forced labor. Independence was gained in 1975 as a one-party socialist state. The Marxist system was abandoned in 1990, and multi-party elections were held in 1991.</span></text>