Príncipe

Príncipe is the smaller, northern major island of the country of São Tomé and Príncipe lying off the west coast of African in the Gulf of Guinea.^[1] It has an area of 136 square kilometres (53 sq mi) and a population of approximately 5,000. The island is a heavily eroded volcano speculated to be over three million years old, surrounded by smaller islands including Ilheu Bom Bom, Ilhéu Caroço, Tinhosa Grande and Tinhosa Pequena. Part of the Cameroon Line archipelago, Príncipe rises in the south to 948 metres at Pico de Príncipe, in a thickly forested area forming part of the Obo National Park.^[2]

The island was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese and named "Príncipe" (Prince's island) in honor of Afonso, Prince of Portugal, his father's favorite. Subsequently, the north and centre of the island were made into plantations, most of them formed by Portuguese colonialists using slave labor. These concentrated initially on producing sugar and later on cocoa, becoming the world's greatest cocoa producer.^[3] Since independence, these plantations have largely reverted to forest.

Príncipe was the site where Einstein's Theory of Relativity was experimentally corroborated by Arthur Stanley Eddington and his team during the total solar eclipse of May 29, 1919.

Administration

The island is part of Pagué District, the only district of Príncipe Province.

Settlements

Príncipe has one town, Santo António, and an airport (IATA code: PCP, ICAO: FPPR), as well as some villages including Bela Vista, Bombom, Futuro, Neves Ferreira, Paciencia, Ponta Fonte, Ribeira Ize, Santo António de Ureca and Vila Rosa. Few of them are connected to the small road network.

Demographics

Portuguese is the official and main language of the island. Portuguese creoles are also spoken: Principense or Lunguyê and, in some scale, Forro are also spoken.

Ecological reserve

UNESCO established the Island of Príncipe Biosphere Reserve in 2012 under the Man and the Biosphere Programme. The reserve encompasses the entire emerged area of the island of Príncipe, and its islets Bom Bom, Boné do Jóquei, Mosteiros, Santana, and Pedra da Galei, and the Tinhosas islands.^[4]

Twin towns – Sister cities

Príncipe is twinned with:

• Faro, Portugal^[5]

References

External links

• Map of Príncipe
• Bom Bom Island resort (Príncipe)
• Principe portal
• Wikimedia Atlas of São Tomé and Príncipe
• Sao Tome and Principe travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Príncipe at DMOZ

Islands of São Tomé and Príncipe
Major	Príncipe São Tomé
Minor	Ilheu Bom Bom Ilhéu das Cabras Ilhéu Caroço Ilhéu das Rolas Ilhéu de Santana Tinhosa Grande Tinhosa Pequena

Provinces and Districts of São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé Province	Água Grande Cantagalo Caué Lembá Lobata Mé-Zóchi
Príncipe Province	Pagué

Portuguese overseas empire
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East Asia and Oceania 16th century 1511–1641 Portuguese Malacca [Malaysia] 1512–1621 Maluku [Indonesia]  • 1522–1575  Ternate  • 1576–1605  Ambon  • 1578–1650  Tidore 1512–1665 Makassar 1537–1999 Macau [China] 1571–1639 Decima (Dejima / Nagasaki) [Japan] 17th century 1642–1975 Portuguese Timor (East Timor)1 19th century Portuguese Macau  • 1864–1999 Coloane  • 1851–1999 Taipa  • 1890–1999 Ilha Verde 20th century Portuguese Macau  • 1938–1941 Lapa and Montanha (Hengqin) 1 1975 is the year of East Timor's Declaration of Independence and subsequent invasion by Indonesia. In 2002, East Timor's independence was fully recognized.
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