.ST साओ तोमे देश की जानकारी So Tom and Prncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of So Tom and Prncipe, is an island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Africa. It consists of two islands: So Tom and Prncipe, located about 140 kilometres apart and about 250 and 225 kilometres, respectively, off the northwestern coast of Gabon. Both islands are part of an extinct volcanic mountain range. So Tom, the sizable southern island, is situated just north of the equator. It was named in honor of Saint Thomas by Portuguese explorers who happened to arrive at the island on his feast day.
So Tom and Prncipe is the second-smallest African country in terms of population; only the Seychelles are smaller. It is the smallest country in the world that is not a former British overseas territory, a former United States trusteeship, or one of the European microstates. It is also the smallest Portuguese-speaking country. The islands of So Tom and Prncipe, situated in the equatorial Atlantic about 300 and 250 kilometers (200 and 150 miles), respectively, off the northwest coast of Gabon, constitute Africa's smallest country. Both are part of the Cameroon volcanic mountain line, which also includes the islands of Annobn to the southwest, Bioko to the northeast (both part of Equatorial Guinea), and Mount Cameroon on the African west coast.
So Tom is 50 kilometers (31 miles) long and 32 kilometers (20 miles) wide and the more mountainous of the two islands. Its peaks reach 2,024 meters (6,640 feet). Prncipe is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) long and 6 kilometers (4 miles) wide. Swift streams radiating down the mountains through lush forest and cropland to the sea cross both islands.
At sea level, the climate is tropicalhot and humid with average yearly temperatures of about 27C (80F) and little daily variation. The temperature rarely rises beyond 32C. At the interior's higher altitudes, the average yearly temperature is 20C (68F), and nights are generally cool. Annual rainfall varies from 5 m (200 inches) on the southwestern slopes to 1 m (40 in) in the northern lowlands. The rainy season runs from October to May.
The equator lies immediately south of So Tom Island, passing through or near the islet named Ilhu das Rolas. |
