Geoheritage of the São Tomé Island (West Africa)

Abstract Remote islands are a focus of great interest for biodiversity studies, and it is common to neglect their geodiversity that conditions the composition and evolution of the biotic component of nature. Just like endemic species, which stand out in the composition of the biodiversity of remote islands, geosites are places that represent geological processes and products that characterize the genesis and evolution of these islands. The geological heritage of the island of São Tomé, located in the Gulf of Guinea (West Africa), was previously described based on several selected geosites. The main objective of this work is to present the complete inventory of the geological heritage of São Tomé Island, based on detailed field analysis of its different stratigraphic units, and using an evaluation methodology that considers the specificities of oceanic islands in a low to middle income social context. The results provide an overview of all the geosites on the island, which are described in accordance with its main geological interests and intended for public understanding. Such records allow the dissemination of geosciences in communities with low levels of scientific literacy and can be used to advance geoscience, improve geoeducation, and promote geotourism. In the long term, it is expected that this will have the effect of reducing poverty among the population whose income depends significantly on tourism activity.