Location
São Tomé is the capital city of São Tomé and Príncipe and is by far that nation’s largest town. Its name is Portuguese for “Saint Thomas”.
History of the City
São Tomé was founded by Alvaro Caminha in 1493. The Portuguese came to São Tomé in search of land to grow sugar. The island was uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese sometime around 1470.
São Tomé was right on the equator and wet enough to grow sugar in wild abundance. Its proximity to the African Kingdom of Kongo provided an eventual source of slave labourers to work the sugar plantations.
It was the capital of the Portuguese colony of São Tomé and Príncipe an since São Tomé and Príncipe’s independence in 1975 capital of the sovereign nation.
Population
Sao Tome City covers an area of 7 km2 with an estimated population of over 56,166 people.
São Tomé is served by São Tomé International Airport with regular flights to Europe and other African Countries, other means of transport include; ferries, minibuses and buses in the city
Attractions in Sao Tome
The following are major tourist attractions of Sao Tome City
- Ilheu das Rolas, São Tomé
- Boca do Inferno
- Obo National Park
- Pico Cão Grande
- São Sebastião Museum