2018-05-15 Tue

The Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe (Saint Thomas and Prince) is an island nation in the Gulf of Guinea in Central Africa. Originally uninhabited, these islands were discovered by Portuguese explorers, gradually colonized and settled by the Portuguese throughout the 16th century.

The rich volcanic soil was suitable for sugar cultivation and other cash crops like cocoa and coffee. These rich islands also served as a vital commercial and trade centre for the Atlantic slave trade. Sao Tome and Príncipe is the second-smallest African country as well as the smallest Portuguese-speaking country in the world. Being a plantation and agriculture-based economy, cocoa is the most exported products of this country.

Banco Central de Sao Tome e Principe, a largest and the oldest bank in this region, is the central bank and is responsible for monetary policy and bank supervision. The banknote depicted beside is a 1000 Dobras note issued in 1989.

The obverse has a cluster of bananas in the centre with a left-facing portrait of Rei Amador, a member of the king of the Angolars and leader of a famous slave rebellion that took place in 1595 in these African islands. The reverse depicts a fruit gatherer or a former against the background of a bay and a garden of palm trees.

Image Courtesy: eBay.com