Geography

The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe are part of an archipelago located in the Gulf of Guinea of equatorial Atlantic Ocean, about 300 and 250 kilometres (200 and 150 miles), respectively, off the northwest coast of Gabon. Both are part of an extinct volcanic mountain range, which also includes the islands of Annobón to the southwest and Bioko to the northeast, both part of Equatorial Guinea, and Mount Cameroon on the African west coast. They have a total of 209 km of coastline.

São Tomé is 48 km (30 mi) long and 32 km (20 mi) wide and the more mountainous of the two islands. Its peaks reach 2,024 m (6,640 ft). Principe is about 16 km (10 mi) long and 6 km (4 mi) wide, making it the smaller of the two, and making the total land area of the country 1,001 sq km, about two-thirds the size of Greater London. Both islands are crossed by swift streams radiating down the mountains through lush forest and cropland to the sea.

The equator lies immediately south of São Tomé Island, passing through or near the islet named Ilhéu das Rolas. The highest point is Pico de São Tomé, at 2,024 m (6,640 ft).