Time Zone |
Africa/Sao_Tome |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+0 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Time Zone |
Pacific/Kosrae |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+11 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
São Tomé and Príncipe is an island country in west-central Africa, consisting of the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe and the surrounding islets, with the capital, São Tomé, located in the northeastern part of São Tomé. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, about 200 kilometers from the African continent, the country was colonized by Portugal in the 15th century and became independent in 1975, with Portuguese as the official language and an economy based on agriculture (cocoa, palm oil) and tourism. It should be noted that "Java" is not a city or region of the country; Java is the main island of Indonesia, with cities such as Jakarta and Surabaya, and has nothing to do with São Tomé and Príncipe, possibly due to a confusion of names.
The Federated States of Micronesia is an island nation in the Western Pacific Ocean, consisting of 607 islands with a land area of only 702 square kilometers, but spread over 2.6 million square kilometers of the world's seas. The country belongs to the Caroline Islands and its capital is Palikir.
The capital, Palikir, is located on the island of Pohnpei and is the political center; Colonia is the largest town in the state of Yap and is famous for its stone coinage culture; and Vaino is the capital of the state of Chuuk and is home to the world-class diving resort of Chuuk Lagoon. The islands retain a traditional chieftaincy system and have a predominantly fishing and agricultural economic model.
Micronesia has pristine coral reefs, World War II shipwrecks and tropical rainforests, and is known as a "diving paradise". The unique ruins of the ancient city of Namadu and the megalithic complex of South Madurese reveal a mysterious island civilization. The local visa-free policy makes it suitable for eco-tourism and cultural exploration.
The population is about 104,000, predominantly Micronesian, with English as the official language. The economy is dependent on the export of fishery resources and U.S. aid, and is gradually developing tourism. Traditional navigational techniques, such as "twig charts" and woven handicrafts, are cultural treasures.