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HISTORY
Discovery
The history of São Tomé and Príncipe is linked to the history of Portuguese discovery and colonization. It is believed that this link probably began in late 1470 and early 1471, when the Portuguese navigators João de Santarém and Pero Escobar discovered the uninhabited islands (São Tomé island on December 21, 1470, and Príncipe island on January 17, 1471, respectively).
Settlement
15 years after the discovery (September 1485), there was the first attempt to colonize the islands, however without success. Only on July 29, 1493, when the island of São Tomé was donated to Álvaro de Caminha, did colonization begin. The first settlers consisted of about two thousand Jewish children whose parents had been expelled from Spain, slaves from the African coast, convicts, European colonists, and natives resulting from relations between domestic slaves and the colonists. The settlement of Príncipe Island did not begin until 1500.
Economic cycles
COMERCIO TRANSATLANTICO DE ESCRAVOS
From the beginning of colonization until independence, the country's economy went through several cycles. From the middle of the 16th century, sugarcane was introduced, and São Tomé became the main exporter of sugar in Africa by the end of the same period. At the beginning of the 17th century, the country's economy went through a troubled period due to the slave revolts, which resulted in the destruction of several sugar mills and the consequent abandonment of the colonizing traders to more prosperous regions such as Brazil. In the early 19th century, cocoa was introduced, and years later, coffee, thus initiating a new economic cycle that lasted until independence in 1975.
Today, Sao Tome and Principe is a country that depends largely on international aid, and tourism, fishing, and cocoa and palm oil are the main export products.
Main Slave Uprisings
From the beginning of colonization until independence, the country's economy went through several cycles. From the middle of the 16th century, sugarcane was introduced, and São Tomé became the main exporter of sugar in Africa by the end of the same period. At the beginning of the 17th century, the country's economy went through a troubled period due to the slave revolts, which resulted in the destruction of several sugar mills and the consequent abandonment of the colonizing traders to more prosperous regions such as Brazil. In the early 19th century, cocoa was introduced, and years later, coffee, thus initiating a new economic cycle that lasted until independence in 1975.
Today, Sao Tome and Principe is a country that depends largely on international aid, and tourism, fishing, and cocoa and palm oil are the main export products.
The Independence
From the beginning of colonization until independence, the country's economy went through several cycles. From the middle of the 16th century, sugarcane was introduced, and São Tomé became the main exporter of sugar in Africa by the end of the same period. At the beginning of the 17th century, the country's economy went through a troubled period due to the slave revolts, which resulted in the destruction of several sugar mills and the consequent abandonment of the colonizing traders to more prosperous regions such as Brazil. In the early 19th century, cocoa was introduced, and years later, coffee, thus initiating a new economic cycle that lasted until independence in 1975.
Today, Sao Tome and Principe is a country that depends largely on international aid, and tourism, fishing, and cocoa and palm oil are the main export products.
