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PEOPLE
Of
Sao Tome and Principe's total population, about 137,500 live on
Sao Tome and 6,000 on Principe. All are descended from various
ethnic groups that have migrated to the islands since 1485. Six
groups are identifiable:
- Mestico,
or mixed-blood, descendants of African slaves brought to the
islands during the early years of settlement from Benin, Gabon,
Congo, and Angola (these people also are known as filhos
da terra or "sons of the land";
- Angolares, reputedly descendants
of Angolan slaves who survived a 1540 shipwreck and now earn
their livelihood fishing;
- Forros, descendants of freed
slaves when slavery was abolished;
- Servicais, contract laborers
from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde, living temporarily
on the islands;
- Tongas, children of servicais
born on the islands; and
- Europeans, primarily Portuguese.
In the 1970s, there were two significant
population movements--the exodus of most of the 4,000 Portuguese
residents and the influx of several hundred Sao Tomean refugees
from Angola. The islanders have been absorbed largely into a common
Luso-African culture. Almost all belong to the Roman Catholic,
Evangelical Protestant, or Seventh-day Adventist Churches, which
in turn retain close ties with churches in Portugal.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Sao Tomean(s).
Population (July 2008 est.): 206,178.
Annual growth rate (2008 est.): 3.116%.
Ethnic groups: Mixed African, Portuguese-African.
Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-day Adventist) 80%.
Language: Portuguese (official).
Education: Literacy (census 2001)--68.1%. Years compulsory--to secondary level.
Health: Life expectancy (2008 est.)--68 yrs. Infant mortality rate (2008 est.)--38.36/1,000.
Work force (by household, 2000 UN Development Program est.): Agriculture--15.3%; industry, commerce, services--36.5%; government--11.5%.
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