The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe is located in the Gulf Of Guinea, close to the equator, and covers an area of about 1,000 km2. It comprises the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, the former being the larger of the two. The islands are surrounded by small islets, the main ones being Rolas, Cabras and Pedras Tinhosas.

As an island state, it has no land borders but it is relatively close to the coasts of Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Nigeria. It is only an hour and a half by plane from Angola.