01678cas a2200241 a 4500 AALejournalIMF007710 230101c9999 xx r poo 0 0eng d 5.00 USD 9781451834994 1934-7685 BD-DhAAL BD-DhAAL International Monetary Fund. Sao Tome and Principe : Staff Report for the 1999 Article IV Consultation and Request for an Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility. Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, 2000. 1 online resource (76 pages) IMF Staff Country Reports <strong>Off-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required <strong>On-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required Electronic access restricted to authorized BRAC University faculty, staff and students In the fiscal area, the primary budget balance of Sao Tome and Principe has turned around from a deficit of 2.2 percent of GDP in 1997 to a surplus of 0.7 percent of GDP in 1998 (Dobra 1.9 billion). The primary surplus is estimated to have increased further to 1.3 percent of GDP in 1999. Monetary policy has remained tight in 1999, as the central bank has maintained the reserve requirement ratio at 22 percent and commercial banks have kept their savings and lending rates substantially above the central bank reference interest rate. Mode of access: Internet IMF Staff Country Reports; Country Report ; No. 2000/066 Full text available on IMF http://elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2000/066/002.2000.issue-066-en.xml IMF e-Library