Geoheritage at the Equator: Selected Geosites of São Tomé Island (Cameron Line, Central Africa)

Maria Helena Henriques and Keynesménio Neto
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Maria Helena Henriques: Department of Earth Sciences and Geosciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra (Polo II), Rua Sílvio Lima, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal
Keynesménio Neto: Instituto Superior de Educação e Comunicação, University of São Tomé e Príncipe and Geosciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Rua Padre Martinho Pinto da Rocha, No. 939, Caixa Postal No. 300, São Tomé e Príncipe, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: This work presents, for the first time, an overview of the rich geodiversity outcropping in the São Tomé island, one of the two islands that make up the archipelago of São Tomé and Príncipe, the second smallest state of Africa in area. Located at the equator, in the alignment known as the “Cameroon Volcanic Line”, this archipelago represents a privileged area for the comparative study between oceanic and continental alkaline volcanism, and therefore between the subcontinental and suboceanic mantle. Ten geosites of São Tomé island were selected, described and evaluated on the basis of their geoheritage value and using a qualitative system of classification, which integrates both the meaning attributed to the objects by scientific communities and the public understanding of such meanings related to its social use. The selected geosites display different heritage values (documental, scenic, symbolic, iconographic and indicial) potentially usable for different purposes, namely scientific and educational, but mostly tourism. Geotourism can play a key role in the promotion of sustainable development in the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, and the geosites here described are likely to ground a geo-itinerary on this “pearl” of the Cameron Line.

Keywords: geomorphological heritage; geotourism; geo-itinerary; São Tomé island; Cameroon Volcanic Line; African Alive Corridors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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