James Baquet The tiny Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe has the distinction of being Africa’s second smallest country — though it’s not actually on the continent. It sits in the Gulf of Guinea, due west of the nation of Gabon. It has two main islands (as indicated by its name), each the focus of a small archipelago. The larger of the two islands, Sao Tome, lies 140 kilometers to the south of Principe. They lie 250 and 225 kilometers off the coast, respectively. Uninhabited until the arrival of the Portuguese (who lent them their names) around 1470, they — like some other European settlements in the area — served as centers for the slave trade. Settlement came a few decades after discovery. The islands’ rich soil and equatorial climate made them ideal for growing sugar, and later cocoa and coffee. The availability of slave labor, of course, completed the requirements for this plantation economy. Independence was gained from Portugal in 1975. Portuguese is still the official language; several creoles are also recognized. Sao Tome may have been discovered on the feast day of Saint Thomas (in 1471), one of the 12 apostles who followed Jesus, and who is often called “Doubting Thomas.” Sights on Sao Tome include a 16th-century cathedral and a fort from the same period. There is also a national museum. Except for Dutch occupation for two days in 1599 and a year-long stretch starting in 1641, the island has always been in Portuguese hands. At least seven other named islets are part of Sao Tome Province. The smaller island, Principe, is home to roughly 6,000 people (versus 157,000 people in Sao Tome Province). Originally named “Santo Antao” (Saint Anthony of Egypt, on whose feast day it may have been discovered in 1472), the name was changed in 1502 in honor of Afonso, Prince of Portugal, who was his father’s favorite. Portuguese for most of its history, Principe was also occasionally occupied by the Dutch, as well as the French and even a Welsh pirate. Vocabulary: Which word above means: 1. person who robs ships at sea 2. things to be seen 3. out of respect for 4. celebration of the life of a saint, usually the day of his or her death 5. perfect 6. shown, represented 7. having no occupants, empty of population 8. main church for an area, usually large 9. central point 10. period of time | 