View source for São Tomé

{{short description|Capital and the largest city of São Tomé and Príncipe}}
{{For|the island where the city is located|São Tomé (island)}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = São Tomé
| other_name         = 
| native_name        = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nickname           = 
| named_for          = [[Thomas the Apostle]]
| settlement_type    = City
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = {{Photomontage
 |photo1a            = 2012SaoTome-8 (8042889363).jpg
 |photo2a            = Sao Tome Pier Jumping 2 (16248251742).jpg
 |photo2b            = Forte de Sao Sebastiao (20026107129).jpg
 |photo3a            = Sao Tome Banco Internacional de Sao Tome e Principe (16247128161).jpg
 |size               = 250
 |spacing            = 2
 |color              = transparent
 |border             = 0
 }}
| image_caption      = (from top: left to right) Downtown São Tomé, Port of Sao Tome, Ana Chaves Bay and Bank International of Sao Tome.
| image_flag         = Bandeira São Tomé.svg
| flag_size          = 
| image_seal         = 
| seal_size          = 
| image_shield       = S.Tomé.PNG
| shield_size        = 
| image_map          = 
| mapsize            = 
| map_caption        = 
| pushpin_map        = São Tomé and Príncipe#Africa
| pushpin_relief     = 
| pushpin_map1       = 
| pushpin_map_caption1 = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location on [[São Tomé (island)|São Tomé Island]]
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{STP}}
| subdivision_type1  = Island
| subdivision_name1  = [[São Tomé (island)|São Tomé]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Districts of São Tomé and Príncipe|District]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Água Grande District|Água Grande]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| leader_name4       = 
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1485
| established_title2 = 
| established_date2  = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 17
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_percent = 
| population_as_of   = 2015 estimate
| population_footnotes = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 71,868
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone           = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
| utc_offset         = +0
| timezone_DST       = 
| utc_offset_DST     = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|0|20|15|N|6|43|42|E|region:ST|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 137
| elevation_ft       = 
| postal_code_type   = 
| postal_code        = 
| area_code          = +239-11x-xxxx through 14x-xxxx
| website            = 
}}
'''São Tomé''' is the [[capital city|capital]] and largest city of the [[Central Africa]]n island country of [[São Tomé and Príncipe]]. Its name is Portuguese for "[[Thomas the Apostle|Saint Thomas]]". Founded in the 15th century, it is one of Africa's oldest colonial cities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stp.gov.st/ |title=Home |website=stp.gov.st |access-date=27 November 2019 |archive-date=18 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118092633/http://www.stp.gov.st/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|Timeline of São Tomé|History of São Tomé and Príncipe}}
[[Álvaro Caminha]] founded the colony of São Tomé in 1493. The [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] came to São Tomé in search of land to grow [[sugarcane]]. The island was uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese sometime around 1470. São Tomé, situated about {{convert|40|km|mi}} north of the [[equator]], had a climate wet enough to grow sugarcane in wild abundance. In 1497, 2,000 Jewish children, eight years old and under, were kidnapped from the Iberian peninsula, and forcefully converted to receive catholic education, following the national policy of conversion to Catholicism.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Allen |first=Theodore |title=The invention of the white race |publisher=Verso |year=1997 |isbn=9781844677719 |edition=Second |location=London |pages=5; Appendix C |oclc=738350824 }}</ref> The nearby African [[Kingdom of Kongo]] eventually became a source of slave labor as well.<!-- In 1493, the Portuguese were primary using African labor for their colonies, as most Portuguese who emigrated were not expected to do any manual labor. It would be significant to specify how many African people were forced into labor for this purpose here and at what year. --> The island of São Tomé was the main center of sugar production in the sixteenth century; it was overtaken by Brazil by 1600.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Manning |first=Patrick |title=Themes in West Africa's history |date=2006 |publisher=Ohio University |others=Akyeampong, Emmanuel Kwaku. |isbn=978-0-8214-4566-2 |location=Athens |pages=102–103 |chapter=Slavery & Slave Trade in West Africa 1450-1930 |oclc=745696019 }}</ref>

São Tomé is centred on a sixteenth-century [[Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, São Tomé|cathedral]], that was largely rebuilt in the 19th century. Another early building is Fort São Sebastião, built in 1566 and now the [[São Tomé National Museum]]. On 9 July 1595, a slave revolt led by [[Rei Amador]] took control of the capital; they were subjugated in 1596.<ref>{{Cite book |pages=191–192 |volume=1 |first=Gerhard |last=Seibert |chapter=Rei Amador |title=Dictionary of African Biography |isbn=9780195382075 |editor1=Emmanuel Kwaku Akyeampong |editor2=Henry Louis Gates, Jr. |date=2012 |publisher=Oxford University Press USA }}</ref> In 1599, the [[Dutch Republic|Dutch]] took the city as well as the islands for two days; they re-occupied it in 1641 for a year. The city served as the capital of the [[Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe|Portuguese colony of São Tomé and Príncipe]] and, from São Tomé and Príncipe's independence in 1975, as capital of the sovereign nation.<ref>Roman Adrian Cybriwsky, ''Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture'', ABC-CLIO, USA, 2013, p. 275</ref>

==Geography==

Important as a port, São Tomé is located on Ana Chaves Bay in the northeast of [[São Tomé (island)|São Tomé Island]], and [[Ilhéu das Cabras]] lies nearby offshore. São Tomé is located northeast of [[Trindade (São Tomé and Príncipe)|Trindade]], southeast of [[Guadalupe, São Tomé and Príncipe|Guadalupe]] and northwest of [[Santana, São Tomé and Príncipe|Santana]]. It is linked to these towns by a highway which encircles almost the entire island of São Tomé. It is linked to Cape Verde by a weekly ferry.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.afrol.com/articles/35863 |title=São Tomé gets ferry link with Cape Verde |website=afrol.com |access-date=3 March 2021 |archive-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411005109/http://www.afrol.com/articles/35863 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Features of the town include the [[Presidential Palace of São Tomé e Príncipe|Presidential Palace]], the [[Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, São Tomé|cathedral]], and a [[movie theatre|cinema]]. The city is also home to schools, and middle schools, high schools, one polytechnic, two [[market (place)|market]]s, three radio stations, the public television station ''TVSP'', several clinics and hospitals, the country's main airport – [[São Tomé International Airport]] (with direct regular scheduled flights to Angola, Gabon, Ghana and Portugal as well as occasional domestic flights to [[Príncipe Airport|Príncipe]]), and many squares (''[[praça]]s''). São Tomé also serves as the centre of the island's road and bus networks The town is well known for the [[Sub-Saharan African music traditions#West Africa|tchiloli]] playing.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.telanon.info/topico/cultura/ |title=Cultura |access-date=27 November 2019 |archive-date=10 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210101721/https://www.telanon.info/topico/cultura/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Population history==
{{Historical populations|align = center
| 1990<br /><small>(June&nbsp;23, Census)</small> | 42331
| 2000<br /><small>(June&nbsp;16, Census)</small> | 49957
| 2003<br /><small>(Estimate)</small> | 53300
| 2018<br /><small>(July&nbsp;1, Estimate)</small> | 71868
}}

==Transport==
São Tomé is served by [[São Tomé International Airport]] with regular flights to Europe and other African countries.

==Climate==
São Tomé features a [[tropical wet and dry climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''As''), although it is not far above a [[semi-arid climate]] (''BSh'') due to the influence of the cold [[Benguela Current]], which makes even the wettest months drier than would be expected for such a low latitude but at the same time makes the city very cloudy and foggy even during the almost rainless dry season mid-year. The city has a relatively lengthy [[wet season]] from October through May and a short [[dry season]]. São Tomé sees on average just under {{convert|900|mm|0|abbr=on}} of rainfall per year. Temperatures in the city are relatively constant, with average high temperatures usually around {{convert|30|°C|0}} and average low temperatures around {{convert|22|°C|1}}.
{{Weather box
|location = São Tomé ([[São Tomé International Airport]])
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|temperature colour = 
|Jan record high C = 32.0
|Feb record high C = 33.6
|Mar record high C = 33.5
|Apr record high C = 33.4
|May record high C = 33.9
|Jun record high C = 31.0
|Jul record high C = 30.7
|Aug record high C = 31.0
|Sep record high C = 31.7
|Oct record high C = 31.5
|Nov record high C = 31.6
|Dec record high C = 32.0
|year record high C = 33.9
|Jan high C = 29.4
|Feb high C = 29.9
|Mar high C = 30.2
|Apr high C = 30.1
|May high C = 29.3
|Jun high C = 28.0
|Jul high C = 27.3
|Aug high C = 27.7
|Sep high C = 28.6
|Oct high C = 28.7
|Nov high C = 29.0
|Dec high C = 29.1
|year high C = 28.9
|Jan mean C = 25.9
|Feb mean C = 26.2
|Mar mean C = 26.4
|Apr mean C = 26.4
|May mean C = 26.0
|Jun mean C = 24.7
|Jul mean C = 23.8
|Aug mean C = 24.1
|Sep mean C = 25.0
|Oct mean C = 25.2
|Nov mean C = 25.5
|Dec mean C = 25.6
|year mean C = 25.4
|Jan low C = 22.4
|Feb low C = 22.5
|Mar low C = 22.6
|Apr low C = 22.6
|May low C = 22.6
|Jun low C = 21.4
|Jul low C = 20.4
|Aug low C = 20.5
|Sep low C = 21.3
|Oct low C = 21.8
|Nov low C = 22.0
|Dec low C = 22.1
|year low C = 21.8
|Jan record low C = 19.1
|Feb record low C = 19.6
|Mar record low C = 19.2
|Apr record low C = 19.4
|May record low C = 18.5
|Jun record low C = 14.0
|Jul record low C = 14.0
|Aug record low C = 13.4
|Sep record low C = 16.0
|Oct record low C = 18.3
|Nov record low C = 18.8
|Dec record low C = 19.6
|year record low C = 13.4
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 81
|Feb rain mm = 84
|Mar rain mm = 131
|Apr rain mm = 122
|May rain mm = 113
|Jun rain mm = 19
|Jul rain mm = 0
|Aug rain mm = 1
|Sep rain mm = 17
|Oct rain mm = 110
|Nov rain mm = 99
|Dec rain mm = 108
|unit rain days = 0.1 mm
|Jan rain days = 8
|Feb rain days = 8
|Mar rain days = 12
|Apr rain days = 11
|May rain days = 10
|Jun rain days = 3
|Jul rain days = 2
|Aug rain days = 3
|Sep rain days = 6
|Oct rain days = 12
|Nov rain days = 11
|Dec rain days = 8
|Jan humidity = 85
|Feb humidity = 84
|Mar humidity = 83
|Apr humidity = 83
|May humidity = 84
|Jun humidity = 79
|Jul humidity = 77
|Aug humidity = 78
|Sep humidity = 79
|Oct humidity = 82
|Nov humidity = 85
|Dec humidity = 85
|year humidity = 82
|Jan sun = 142.6
|Feb sun = 135.6
|Mar sun = 139.5
|Apr sun = 126.0
|May sun = 145.7
|Jun sun = 165.0
|Jul sun = 161.2
|Aug sun = 148.8
|Sep sun = 120.0
|Oct sun = 114.7
|Nov sun = 135.0
|Dec sun = 142.6
|year sun = 
|Jand sun = 4.6
|Febd sun = 4.8
|Mard sun = 4.5
|Aprd sun = 4.2
|Mayd sun = 4.7
|Jund sun = 5.5
|Juld sun = 5.2
|Augd sun = 4.8
|Sepd sun = 4.0
|Octd sun = 3.7
|Novd sun = 4.5
|Decd sun = 4.6
|yeard sun = 4.6
|source 1 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]]<ref name = DWD>{{cite web |url=http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_619310_kt.pdf |title=Klimatafel von Sao Tomé (Flugh.) / Sao Tomé und Principe |work=Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |language=de |access-date=26 January 2016 |archive-date=30 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330130932/https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_619310_kt.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|date=August 2010
}}

==Education==
* [[University of São Tomé and Príncipe]], formed in 2016
* [[National Lyceum (São Tomé and Príncipe)|National Lyceum]]
* [[Patrice Lumumba Preparatory School]]
* [[National Library of São Tomé and Príncipe]]

The following Portuguese international schools are in the city:<ref>"[http://www.dgae.mec.pt/web/14650/s.-tome-e-principe ESCOLAS COM CURRÍCULO PORTUGUÊS EM S. TOMÉ]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105020/http://www.dgae.mec.pt/web/14650/s.-tome-e-principe Archive]). Direção de Serviços de Ensino e Escolas Portuguesas no Estrangeiro (DSEEPE) of the [[Ministry of Education (Portugal)|Portuguese Education Ministry]]. Retrieved on 26 October 2015.</ref>
* Escola Portuguesa de S. Tomé
* Instituto Diocesano de Formação João Paulo II
* Escola Bambino
* Escola Internacional de S. Tomé e Príncipe

==Health==
The main hospital of the country is [[Hospital Ayres de Menezes]].

==Sports==
Sports clubs based in the city include [[Sporting Praia Cruz]] and [[Vitória FC (Riboque)|Vitória FC]] based in the neighborhood of Riboque. All clubs play at [[Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho]].

== Places of worship ==
<gallery>
File:Catedral_de_Nossa_Senhora_da_Gra%C3%A7a_S%C3%A3o_Tom%C3%A9_(20234213142).jpg|[[Our Lady of Grace Cathedral, São Tomé]]
File:Sao Tome 10 (16247155721).jpg|[[Our Lady of Conception Church, São Tomé]]
</gallery>
Among the [[places of worship]], they are predominantly Christian churches and temples : [[Roman Catholic Diocese of São Tomé and Príncipe]] ([[Catholic Church]]), [[Universal Church of the Kingdom of God]], [[Assemblies of God]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sao Tome and Principe &#124; Map, Population, Flag, Culture, History, & People &#124; Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Sao-Tome-and-Principe |access-date=12 February 2023 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en |archive-date=22 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222150337/https://www.britannica.com/place/Sao-Tome-and-Principe |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Forte de Sao Sebastiao (20026107129).jpg|[[São Sebastião Museum]].
File:2012SaoTome-8_(8042889363).jpg|São Tomé City
File:Sao_Tome_6_(16248990145).jpg|Downtown São Tomé
File:Sao Tome MiniPleco Minimart (16061556230).jpg|São Tomé City
File:São Tome DSC 8023 (32725545662).jpg|[[Supreme Court of São Tomé and Príncipe|Supreme Court]]
File:Sao_Tome_Pier_Jumping_2_(16248251742).jpg|Kids pier jumping
File:Sao_Tome_Banco_Internacional_de_Sao_Tome_e_Principe_(16247128161).jpg|Old seat of [[Banco Internacional de São Tomé e Príncipe]]
File:São_Tome_DSC_8001_(32064480143).jpg|Downtown São Tomé
File:São Tome DSC 8130 (32725666342).jpg|[[Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho]]
File:Sao Tome 35 (16062842099).jpg|São Tomé, STP
File:São_Tome_DSC_8084_(32755448031).jpg|Baía Ana Chaves, São Tomé
File:Palais présidentiel à São Tomé (6).jpg|[[Presidential Palace, São Tomé|Presidential Palace]]
File:Casa da Cultura à São Tomé (4).jpg|''Casa da Cultura de São Tomé''
</gallery>

==Notable people==
* [[José Vianna da Motta]] (1868–1948) Portuguese pianist, teacher and composer
* [[Alfredo Azancot]] (1872–??) Portuguese architect who emigrated to Chile
* [[Almada Negreiros]] (1893–1970) Portuguese artist, created literature and painting, and developed ballet choreographies
* [[Francisco José Tenreiro]] (1921–1963) geographer, poet and writer of the colonial era
* [[Alda Neves da Graça do Espírito Santo]] (1926–2010) poet working in Portuguese, who also served in the Santomean government after independence
* [[Guadalupe de Ceita]] (born 1929) writer and a doctor and national hero
* [[Miguel Trovoada]] (born 1936) was Prime Minister 1975–1979 and President 1991–2001 of São Tomé and Príncipe
* [[Fradique de Menezes]] (born 1942) President of São Tomé and Príncipe from 2003 to 2011
* [[Olinda Beja]] (born 1946) poet, writer and narrator, emigrated to Portugal and moved to [[Viseu]]
* [[Tomé Vera Cruz]] (born 1956) Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe from April 2006 to February 2008
* [[Conceição Lima]] (born 1961) poet from the town of Santana
* [[Patrice Trovoada]] (born 1962) politician, Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe 2008 to June 2008, 2010 to December 2012 and since November 2014
* [[Aurélio Martins]] (born 1966) journalist, businessman and politician

===Sports===
* [[Nuno Espírito Santo]] (born 1974) retired Portuguese footballer, Portuguese association football manager
* [[Naide Gomes]] (born 1979) former heptathlete and long jumper, competed in 100 metres hurdles at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Lasset Costa]], (born 1986) footballer
* [[Yazaldes Nascimento]] (born 1986) Portuguese athlete, runs the 100 metres, competed in the [[2004 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Alcino Silva]] (born 1990) sprint canoer, competed in the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in Beijing
* [[Harramiz]] (born 1990) professional footballer who plays in Portugal
* [[Zé (footballer, born 1991)|Zé]] (born 1991) footballer
* [[Buly Da Conceição Triste]] (born 1991) sprint canoeist, competed at the [[2016 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Faduley]] (born 1992) footballer in Portugal
* [[Charles Monteiro]] (born 1994) footballer who plays in Portugal
* [[Gilson Costa]] (born 1996) Portuguese professional footballer
* [[Romário Leitão]] (born 1997) long distance runner, competed at the [[2016 Summer Olympics]] in the men's 5000 metres
* [[Gedson Fernandes]] (born 1999) Portuguese professional footballer

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Africa#São Tomé and Príncipe|l1=List of twin towns and sister cities in São Tomé and Príncipe}}

São Tomé is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:

* {{flagicon|VCT}} [[Kingstown]], Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
* {{flagicon|ANG}} [[Luanda]], Angola
* {{flagicon|GAB}} [[Libreville]], Gabon
* {{flagicon|GHA}} [[Accra]], Ghana
* {{flagicon|POR}} [[Lisbon]], Portugal<ref name="Lisbon twinnings">{{cite web |url=http://www.anmp.pt/anmp/pro/mun1/gem101l0.php?cod_ent=M1100 |title=Lisboa – Geminações de Cidades e Vilas |access-date=23 August 2013 |work=Associação Nacional de Municípios Portugueses [National Association of Portuguese Municipalities] |language=pt |trans-title=Lisbon – Twinning of Cities and Towns |archive-date=1 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201175323/http://www.anmp.pt/anmp/pro/mun1/gem101l0.php?cod_ent=M1100 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Lisbon twinnings 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.cm-lisboa.pt/municipio/relacoes-internacionais |title=Acordos de Geminação, de Cooperação e/ou Amizade da Cidade de Lisboa |access-date=23 August 2013 |work=Camara Municipal de Lisboa |language=pt |trans-title=Lisbon – Twinning Agreements, Cooperation and Friendship |archive-date=31 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031202617/http://www.cm-lisboa.pt/municipio/relacoes-internacionais |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons|São Tomé}}
{{Portal|São Tomé and Príncipe}}
*[http://www.saotome.st www.saotome.st] – Facts about the country, how to get there, where to stay, what to do, images etc.

{{Água Grande}}
{{STP-Capitals}}
{{List of African capitals}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sao Tome}}
[[Category:São Tomé| ]]
[[Category:Capitals in Africa]]
[[Category:Populated places in Água Grande District]]
[[Category:1485 establishments]]
[[Category:15th-century establishments in Africa]]
[[Category:Former Portuguese colonies]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 1480s]]
[[Category:Pleistocene shield volcanoes]]