Forgotten World (239): Sao Tome & Principe
Previously a Portuguese colony and now one of Africa’s smallest countries, with a population of a mere 165,000, Sao Tome and Principe consists of two islands of volcanic origin and a number of smaller islets. It is trying to shake off its dependence on the cocoa crop, since falls in production and prices left the island state heavily reliant on foreign aid.
The government has been encouraging economic diversification and is set to exploit the billions of barrels of oil which are thought to lie off the country’s coast. Drilling is under way and commercial production is expected to begin within a few years. Already though, arguments have arisen over how to spend the expected windfall, leading to political tension.