ST. THOMAS (Sao Tome), a volcanic island in the Gulf of Guinea immediately north of the equator (o° 23' N.) and in 6° E. With the island of Principe (Prince's island, see below), and the small territory of Sarame around the fortress of Sao Joao Batista of Ajuda, on the coast of Dahomey, it forms the Portuguese province of S. Tome and Principe. From the Gabun, the nearest point of the mainland of Africa, St. Thomas is dis tant 166 m., and from Cameroon 297 m. The length of the island is 32 m., the breadth W. to E. 21 m. ; the area 400 sq.m.
From the coast the land rises towards lofty mountains (St. Thomas over 7,000 f t.). Malaria is common in the lower regions, but the unhealthiness of the island is largely due to the absence of hygienic precautions and to alcoholism. Conditions are now being improved. Manufacture of brandy is to cease at the end of 1929. During the dry season (June to September) the temperature ranges in the lower parts between 66.2° and 80.6° F, and in the higher parts between 57.2° and 68° ; in the rainy season it ranges between 69.8° and 89.6° in the lower parts, and between and 80.6° in the higher parts. On Coffee mount (2,265 ft.) the mean of ten years was 68.9°, the maximum 90.5° and the mini mum The heat is tempered by the equatorial ocean current. The rainfall is very heavy save on the north coast, but has steadily decreased of recent years, simultaneously with disafforestation.
products are oranges, lemons, figs, mangroves, • and, in the lower districts, the vine, pineapple, guava and banana. The first object of cultivation was sugar, and to this the island owed its prosperity in the 16th century. Sugar has been displaced by coffee, and, principally, cocoa, introduced in 1795 and 1822 respectively. The cocoa zone lies between 65o and 2,000 ft. above the sea. Four fifths of the total production of the island is cocoa. In 1907 the export of cocoa (including that from Principe) was over 24,000 tons, about a sixth of the world's supply. In 1912 it had risen to 35,706 tons, the Province then ranking as the second producing country in the world. 125,000 acres are under cocoa. In 1906 and 1918 plant diseases gave much trouble. These are now con trolled ; but labour difficulties and, especially, the severe competi tion of the west coast of Africa, particularly Nigeria, have caused a great diminution, production being now 15,000 tons.
Vanilla and cinchona bark both succeed well, the latter at altitudes of from 1,800 to 3,30o ft. In 1905, 125 tons of bark were exported. Production has since diminished. Rubber, cinna mon, camphor and the kola-nut are grown. Coffee, of splendid quality, reached its maximum production in 1902, when S. Tome produced 1,769,959 kg. and Principe 247 kg. Products of the oil palm in 1921 were 2,808,664 kg.
The chief exports in 1925, in order of their importance, were (in kilos) : cocoa 20,861,00o; coconut 3,338,00o; coffee 171, 953 ; and cinchona 70,807. In the same year imports (in tons) were, in order of importance: maize 2,635; rice 2,069; dried fish 1,830; and beans 1,674. In 1927 the chief exports from S. Tome were (in kilos) : cocoa, 15,767,156, valued at $76,755,155.00; and coconut, 2,997,316, valued at From Principe: cocoa 1,000,692, value .$5,355,171.53 ; and coconut, 395,480, value $588,476.56. Imports in 1925 (both islands) were valued at and exports at $68,513,874.00, a fav ourable balance of £383,218 ($ here means escudos, not dollars).