Pray for: São Tomé and Príncipe—Poverty, weak healthcare and education systems, syncretism, Catholic error. Pray for continued rapid growth of genuine Christianity.
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São Tomé and Príncipe

Population: 194,390

Rank: Central Africa #33, World #188

Languages: Portuguese, Sãotomense, Principense, Angolar
Major People Groups: Mesticos/Forros 76%, Other 24%

Pray for São Tomé and Príncipe's evangelical churches, for the growth of the nation's economy so that healthcare and education may be improved. Pray for the family in São Tomé and Príncipe—traditional families are not the norm, and Christian marriage is primarily reserved for the elite. Both sexes usually have multiple partners, but men typically support their children in multiple households.

São Tomé and Príncipe is named for the two major islands in the chain, which are 87 miles apart from each other. There are only about 386 square miles in the country, and about 194,000 people live here. It is the smallest African country by area but not by population. At one time it was Africa's largest producer of sugar and the world's largest producer of cocoa. Because of frequent droughts agriculture is declining. Over 54% of the population is below the poverty line. São Tomé and Príncipe has no major industry. Oil, tourism, and fisheries are areas for potential growth.

Gordon-Conwell Seminary's Center for the Study of Global Christianity ranked São Tomé and Príncipe as having the highest percentage of Christians (at 96%) in Africa. Other sites estimate that 87% of the population is nominally Christian, but only 4.3% is evangelical. A huge majority of the citizens claim Catholicism, but syncretism is prevalent among Christians, as it is among the 2% of the population that is Muslim. Operation World ranks the country 13th among nations with the fastest evangelical growth and notes that its growth rate is 6.5% annually.

São Tomé and Príncipe Government

A constitutional republic, São Tomé and Príncipe has a president, who is head of state, a prime minister, who is head of government, a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly, and an independent judiciary. The constitution was rewritten in 1990. The president has a five-year term and is elected democratically. He may hold up to two consecutive terms. The president appoints the prime minister but the majority party must ratify his choice. The prime minister, in turn, names the 14 members of the cabinet. The legislature has 55 members, elected from 7 districts, with proportional representation.

Manuel Pinto da Costa, President of São Tomé and Príncipe since September 3, 2011 was also São Tomé and Príncipe's first president, from 1975-1991.
Patrice Emery Trovoada, Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe since November 25, 2014

The country's human rights record is said to be exemplary, and it is ranked 143 out of 188 (medium development) in the UN's Human Rights Index.

Christian ministries operating

Seventh Day Adventist missionaries began work in 1938 while YWAM missionaries came from Brazil in 1990. Deeper Life missionaries and missionaries associated with the Assembly of God Church of Portugal also began missions work in the 1990's.

In São Tomé & Príncipe
Assembleias de Deus
Igreja Adventista do Setimo Dia
Igreja de Vida Profonda do Biblia
The Manna Church from Portugal
Igreja Evangelica
Igreja Evangelica YWAM
Igreja Metodista
Pentecostal Churches
BIMI

São Tomé and Príncipe Conditions

The São Toméan Government has traditionally obtained foreign assistance from various donors, including the UN Development Programme, the World Bank, the European Union (EU), Portugal, Taiwan, and the African Development Bank. In April 2000, in association with the Banco Central de São Tomé e Príncipe, the IMF approved a poverty reduction and growth facility for São Tomé aimed at reducing inflation to 3% for 2001, raising ideal growth to 4%, and reducing the fiscal deficit.

There are only seven doctors in the country, with a hopsital in São Tomé. They make occasional visits to Principe Island as well. (WHO estimates that at least 2.5 physicians, nurses and midwives are needed to provide adequate care for 1,000 people.)

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Malaria infection has been high, (currently 42.5 per 100,000 die from Malaria) especially during 2010. The HIV infection rate is unknown because of the great stigma attached, but is suspected to be high. About 30% of children are malnourished, and vitamin A, iron and iodine deficiency is widespread. A 2009 WHO study reveaeld that it had the highest prevalance of iron-deficiency anemia in the world.

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The "World Factbook" population pyramid graphs the age and sex of the population. The infant mortality rate is 36.7 per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy is 66.5 years of age.
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São Tomé & Príncipe is off the western coast of Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

While São Tomé & Príncipe reportedly ranks high among African nations for progression to secondary schooling, the country's educational system is not adequately funded and is dependent upon foreign aid.
GMO's Stats on São Tomé and Príncipe

In 2015, Global Media Outreach registered 6,322 Gospel Visits, 969 indicated decisions, (putting it in the top 30 countries by percentage) and 210 discipleship visits from São Tomé & Príncipe. We have no Online Missionaries from São Tomé & Príncipe.

 

"I want very much that my faith grow in the Lord and want to live my whole way in communion with Jesus Christ." —Edson, São Toméan contact, 5/5/16
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