The early anti-Spanish sentiment, combined with the isolation from mainland Equatorial Guinea and the proximity of São Tomé and Príncipe—which is just 175 kilometers (109 mi) from the island—has helped preserve the island's cultural ties with Portugal.
Ipak, raniji anti-španjolski sentiment, u kombinaciji s izolacijom od kopna Ekvatorijalne Gvineje i blizina Svetog Tome i Principa, koji je samo 175 km od otoka, pomogli su očuvati otočne kulturne veze s Portugalom.