São Tomé and Príncipe
The two volcanic islands of São Tomé and Príncipe were discovered off the coast of West Africa in the Gulf of Guinea in the 15th century by Portuguese explorers Pêro Escobar and João de Santarém.
São Tomé was uninhabited until 1493 when Álvaro Caminha, who served as its Captain-major (Governor) formed its first settlement after the island was given to him as a grant by the Portuguese crown. Príncipe, likewise, also followed suit. The first inhabitants on the islands were mostly unwanted Jewish commoners brought from Portugal. African slaves were later on brought to the islands from the mainlands.
International tourist arrivals in 2016: 29,000
