Overview

Príncipe Island's historical trajectory is profoundly shaped by plantation agriculture cycles that created the roça (plantation) system—the deepest reflection of the island's memory and identity. Understanding this history provides essential context for visiting the island's abandoned and restored plantation sites, which form major attractions for contemporary visitors.

Discovery & Early Colonial Period

Portuguese Discovery (15th Century)

Portuguese navigators Pêro Escobar and João de Santarém discovered the island on 17 January 1471, initially naming it "Ilha de Santo Antão" (Saint Anthony Island). In 1502, King João II of Portugal renamed it "Ilha do Príncipe" (Prince's Island) in honor of his only son and heir, Prince Afonso. This renaming coincided with the island becoming a donataria (royal land grant) to encourage settlement.

The first successful settlement in the archipelago occurred on São Tomé in 1493, with Príncipe following shortly after. Early inhabitants included "undesirables" sent from Portugal, notably including Jewish populations forcibly relocated during Portugal's religious persecutions. This diverse founding population established patterns of cultural mixing that would intensify during subsequent plantation cycles.

Political Seat & Marginalization (18th-19th Centuries)

Príncipe served as the political seat of the archipelago for nearly a century from 1753 to 1852. Despite this administrative prominence, the island remained an extremely poor region, ultimately marginalized and governed by the larger neighboring island of São Tomé. This paradox—political importance without corresponding economic development—established patterns of subordination that persist in contemporary debates about regional autonomy and resource allocation.

Autonomy & Modern Era

Path to Autonomy

On 29 April 1995, the island achieved autonomous region status, formed by Pagué district. The creation of the Autonomous Region of Príncipe (RAP) was formally institutionalized by law in 2010. Autonomy emerged from long-standing demands for greater political and administrative attention for the archipelago's smaller island, with promises to promote more equitable and sustainable development.

The first truly autonomous regional elections occurred in 2006 under the leadership of Tozé Cassandra (José Cardoso Cassandra), who became a central figure in regional politics for subsequent decades. His administration emphasized sustainable development and successfully led the campaign for UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designation in 2012.

Contemporary Challenges

Three decades after achieving autonomous status, autonomy remains incompletely fulfilled. The island continues facing the same structural challenges and chronic dependence on São Tomé that motivated the original autonomy movement. Development on Príncipe has stagnated in many sectors, and regional support remains scarcer than on São Tomé, creating ongoing political tensions that visitors may observe in local discourse and infrastructure limitations.

Agricultural Cycles & Economic History

Príncipe's economic history divides into five major cycles, generally imposed externally, based on endogenous resources (raw materials and enslaved or poorly compensated labor). These cycles created the landscape visitors experience today, with abandoned and restored plantation buildings scattered across the island.

Sugar Cane Cycle (Early Colonial Era)

Sugar cane cultivation was introduced immediately after the island became a donataria in 1502. This cycle was sustained entirely by enslaved labor forcibly transported from Africa. The sugar cycle ended by mid-16th century as competition from Brazilian plantations and soil exhaustion made Príncipe's production uneconomical. Between the sugar and cocoa cycles, the island functioned as a slave trade entrepôt, serving as a holding and acclimatization point for enslaved Africans destined for the Americas.

Coffee & Cocoa Cycle (The Roça Era)

This cycle, beginning in the late 18th century and extending into the early 20th century, profoundly marked the archipelago and created the cultural landscape visitors encounter today. Príncipe, alongside São Tomé, became a significant producer of coffee and especially cocoa. The island transformed into intensive cultivation territory for sugar cane initially, then coffee and cocoa as global commodity markets shifted.

The Roça System

The roça system—large colonial plantations—constituted the productive and settlement structure's backbone for centuries. The word "roça" originally meant "clearing bush" or "opening clearings," reflecting the process of converting primary forest into agricultural land. Roças functioned as agro-industrial installations supporting intensive cocoa exploitation, primarily in the island's north and central regions.

At this cycle's peak, São Tomé and Príncipe became the world's largest cocoa supplier in 1913, a remarkable achievement for such small islands. The roça system served as the principal factor in territorial organization and the living and working space for most local communities. Cohabitation between enslaved people from different African regions and European managers created important cultural and racial mixing that shaped contemporary Santomean identity.

Roças were essentially self-contained worlds, featuring not only agricultural fields and processing facilities but also housing, schools, hospitals, churches, and recreational spaces for the resident workforce. These comprehensive plantation complexes created the architectural heritage visitors explore today at sites like Sundy, Belo Monte, and Porto Real.

Post-Independence Collapse & Reorganization (1975-Present)

Following independence in 1975, most roças collapsed economically and transformed into villages or communities. The immediate post-independence period is characterized by attempted socialist economic organization. The Regional Government distributed roças (except Roça Sundy) in 2.5-hectare parcels to anyone willing to work them, attempting to maintain agricultural activity through smallholder farming.

New owners' lack of experience and resources led to widespread land abandonment and production disorganization. Many former plantation buildings fell into ruin, creating the romantic decay visitors photograph today—nature reclaiming colonial infrastructure in spectacular fashion.

Current Primary Sector

Agriculture and fishing, though poorly organized, remain Príncipe's main economic bases, crucial for family subsistence. Small-scale agro-food processing industries predominate, producing palm oil, cassava flour, and aguardente (sugarcane spirits) using traditional methods. Commercial agriculture remains limited, with most food production directed toward household consumption or local markets.

Ecotourism Cycle (Contemporary)

The history and infrastructure of plantation cultures enriches historical heritage that now drives economic development. The island is attempting to inaugurate a new economic cycle—the cultural or ecotourism cycle—financed by ecological tourism rather than agricultural exports. HBD Príncipe was involved in transforming old roças for sustainable agriculture development, producing goods for hotels operated by local workers, though this initiative faces uncertainty following HBD's 2025 withdrawal.