São Tomé, population 53,300 (in 2003), is the capital of São Tomé and Príncipe. The name is Portuguese for "Saint Thomas."

The cathedral of Sao Tomé

The city is a port on São Tomé Island, in the Gulf of Guinea. The chief exports are cocoa, coffee, copra, and palm products. There is also a fishing industry.

Fishermen land in Sao Tomé

Large reserves of oil are in the ocean between Nigeria and São Tomé. The discovery has been lamented by some as endangering the nation's political stability and natural environment. In response to these concerns the government of São Tomé and Príncipe has drawn up innovative legislation to ensure the efficient and equitable use of oil revenues over time.

Rainforest trekking is one of the island's attractions.

Inside the main market of Sao Tomé