Sao Tome and Principe Emigration and Immigration

Sao Tome and Principe Emigration and Immigration
"Emigration" means moving out of a country. "Immigration" means moving into a country. Emigration and immigration sources list the names of people leaving (emigrating) or arriving (immigrating) in the country. These sources may be passenger lists, permissions to emigrate, or records of passports issued. The information in these records may include the emigrants’ names, ages, occupations, destinations, and places of origin or birthplaces. Sometimes they also show family groups.

Immigration into Sao Tome and Principe

 * The islands were uninhabited until their discovery by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century. Gradually colonized and settled by the Portuguese throughout the 16th century, they collectively served as a vital commercial and trade center for the Atlantic slave trade.
 * The rich volcanic soil and proximity to the Equator made São Tomé and Príncipe ideal for sugar cultivation, followed later by cash crops such as coffee and cocoa; the lucrative plantation economy was heavily dependent upon imported African slaves.
 * Cycles of social unrest and economic instability throughout the 19th and 20th centuries culminated in peaceful independence in 1975.

Emigration From Sao Tome and Principe
KNOMAD Statistics: Emigrants: 36,100. Top destination countries: Portugal, Angola, Gabon, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, France, the Netherlands, the United States, Italy, Brazil