Sao Tome e Principe

7.3

An island country in the Gulf of Guinea off the west coast of Central Africa

proper noun
/ˈsaʊ təˈmeɪ ə ˈprɪn.sə.peɪ/

: Sao Tomé y Príncipe

After gaining independence in 1975, Sao Tome e Principe established its own government.

Examples

Many tourists visit Sao Tome e Principe for its unique biodiversity and beautiful beaches.
Oil exploration is a growing industry in Sao Tome e Principe.
I want to visit Sao Tome e Principe next summer.
Have you ever been to Sao Tome e Principe?
After gaining independence in 1975, Sao Tome e Principe established its own government.
Many tourists visit Sao Tome e Principe for its unique biodiversity and beautiful beaches.
Oil exploration is a growing industry in Sao Tome e Principe.

Synonyms

Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe

vsSao Tome e Principe

7.2

An island country in the South Atlantic off the west coast of Central Africa made of two islands

is the shorter common form used without the full official title

Sao Tome and Principe

vsSao Tome e Principe

6.3

An island country off the west coast of Africa made of two main islands

gives a more precise position in the Gulf of Guinea off Central Africa

Surface Forms

Sao Tome e Principe main

Morphology

Sao + Tome + e + Principe

This is a proper name composed of Portuguese elements (São Tomé e Príncipe) rather than an English compositional phrase; knowing the individual words does not let a B1 learner infer the meaning 'an island nation'. Even if a learner recognized parts like 'São' (Saint) or 'e' (and), that knowledge does not predict the geopolitical meaning without prior exposure to the toponym.

Etymology

Sao Tome e Principe comes from the two island names Sao Tome and Principe and means 'Saint Thomas and the Prince' in Portuguese. One popular story says Portuguese sailors found Sao Tome on Saint Thomas's day and named the other island Principe to honor a prince, so the country name simply joins those island names.