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Flag of São Tomé and Príncipe

Africa

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Quick Facts

Capital
São Tomé
Flag adopted
1975
Population
209,607
Area
964 km²
Languages
Portuguese
Currency
São Tomé and Príncipe dobra (Db) — STN
Demonym
Sao Tomean
Government
semi-presidential republic
Subregion
Middle Africa
Driving side
Right
Timezones
UTC
Independence
1975

Religions

  • Roman Catholic 55.7%
  • None 21.2%
  • Other 6.2%
  • Adventist 4.1%
  • Assembly of God 3.4%
  • New Apostolic 2.9%
  • Mana 2.3%
  • Universal Kingdom of God 2%
  • Jehovah's Witness 1.2%
  • Unspecified 1%

About This Flag

The flag of Sao Tome and Principe consists of three horizontal bands — green on top and bottom with a wider yellow band in the center — and a red triangle at the hoist. Two five-pointed black stars sit on the yellow band, representing the two islands that form the nation.

Adopted on November 5, 1975, upon independence from Portugal, the flag draws on Pan-African colors. Green symbolizes the islands' lush vegetation, yellow reflects the tropical sun and cocoa — the country's historic cash crop — and red honors the blood shed during the struggle for independence.

What the colors & design mean

Green represents abundant tropical vegetation; yellow symbolizes the sun and cocoa, the islands' primary export crop; red recalls the blood of those who fought for independence. The two black stars stand for the two main islands, Sao Tome and Principe.

green yellow red black

Pattern: Horizontal Stripes

Fun Facts

  • Sao Tome and Principe is the smallest Portuguese-speaking country in the world and the second-smallest African nation by area.
  • The islands sit almost exactly on the Equator and the Prime Meridian, placing them near the geographic center of the Earth's surface.
  • Cocoa once accounted for over 90% of the country's exports, earning it the nickname 'Chocolate Islands.'
  • The obo giant snail and Sao Tome shrew are among several endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.

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