1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 410 km2 land area: 410 km2 comparative area: slightly more than 2.3 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha
Climate
tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds
Coastline
60 km
Environment
very few perennial streams
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 3% other: 83%
Location
in the South Atlantic Ocean, 1,920 km west of Angola, about two-thirds of the way between South America and Africa
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns, no minerals
Note
Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial; harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world
Terrain
rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
People and Society
Birth rate
9.82 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
6.67 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
NA
Infant mortality rate
38.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
2,516 by occupation: professional, technical, and related workers 8.7%, managerial, administrative, and clerical 12.8%, sales people 8.1%, farmer, fishermen, etc. 5.4%, craftspersons, production process workers 14.7%, others 50.3% (1987)
Languages
English
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.43 years male: 72.36 years female: 76.27 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1987) total population: 98% male: 97% female: 98%
Nationality
noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
6,720 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
0.32% (1993 est.)
Religions
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic
Total fertility rate
1.16 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan, da Cunha*,
Capital
Jamestown
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government: Governor A. N. HOOLE (since NA)
Constitution
1 January 1989
Digraph
SH
Diplomatic representation in US
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Executive branch
British monarch, governor commander-in-chief, Executive Council (cabinet)
Flag
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
Independence
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
NA
Legislative branch
unicameral Legislative Council
Legislative Council
last held October 1984 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total, 12 elected) number of seats by party NA
Member of
ICFTU
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena
National holiday
Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen, 10 June 1989 (second Saturday in June)
Political parties and leaders
Saint Helena Labor Party; Saint Helena Progressive Party note: both political parties inactive since 1976
Suffrage
NA
Type
dependent territory of the UK
US diplomatic representation
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Economy
Agriculture
maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; crawfishing on Tristan da Cunha
Budget
revenues $3.2 million; expenditures $2.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1984)
Currency
1 Saint Helenian pound (#S) = 100 pence
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $198 million
Electricity
9,800 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 1,390 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
Saint Helenian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 0.6527 (January 1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound
Exports
$23,900 (f.o.b., 1984) commodities: fish (frozen and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), handicrafts partners: South Africa, UK
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Imports
$2.4 million (c.i.f., 1984) commodities: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts partners: UK, South Africa
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-1.1% (1986)
National product
GDP $NA
National product per capita
$NA
National product real growth rate
NA%
Overview
The economy depends primarily on financial assistance from the UK. The local population earns some income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
total: 1 useable: 1 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
Highways
87 km paved roads and 20 km earth roads on Saint Helena; 80 km paved roads on Ascension; 2.7 km paved roads on Tristan da Cunha
Ports
Jamestown (Saint Helena), Georgetown (Ascension)
Telecommunications
1,500 radio receivers; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 550 telephones in automatic network; HF radio links to Ascension, then into worldwide submarine cable and satellite networks; major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK at Ascension; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the UK