São Tomé & Príncipe

Just north of the Equator in the Gulf of Guinea lie the volcanic Islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. These uninhabited islands were first discovered by the Portuguese roughly five hundred years ago, and were first established as a stop along their trade route. They later populated it with convicts from Portugal who, with sailors, national workers, and tradesmen, composed the population of the islands. Unfortunately, slavery was a large part of the island’s history and the years before its independence were marked by a series of uprisings and general unrest. But since its autonomy in 1975, it has become one of the most peaceful countries Africa can boast.

With an area of 964 square kilometers, it is Africa’s second-smallest country. The capital city of São Tomé holds approximately one-fourth of the islands’ two hundred thousand citizens. Although there are some national languages spoken there, Portuguese is the official and most-widely spoken language.

The Portuguese first inhabited this country. They brought trade to its shores and introduced its cash crops. They gave these islands their names, left them their language, and unfortunately, also imparted their religion. Over half the island is Catholic. As this religion loses its hold on the new generations, many are drifting to atheism with over twenty percent claiming no religion at all: a startling figure for Africa. A high rate of literacy would enable many to find Truth in the Bible, if someone were there present it to them. Cults are present, collecting those they can persuade, while there is very little Gospel presence as of yet.

Missionaries in São Tomé & Príncipe: