Officially name: Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
Capital: São Tomé
Largest city: São Tomé
Official language: Portuguese
Government: Democratic semi-presidential Republic
Although São Tomé has a rich and diverse culture, there are not many festivals to this effect. However, there are many public holidays which travelers should take note of, such as Independence Day, which celebrates the nation’s hard-fought sovereignty, and Labor Day, which commemorates all of the workers who have made the country great. On these days, the country generally shuts down and public amenities are closed.
São Tomé and Príncipe is a small nation composed of an archipelago located in the Gulf of Guinea of the equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The nation's main islands are São Tomé Island and Príncipe Island, for which the country is named. These are located about 300 and 250 kilometres (190 and 160 mi), respectively, off the northwest coast of Gabon in Central Africa. The nation's geographic coordinates are a latitude of 1°00′N and a longitude of 7°00′E.