1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Affiliation

(dependent territory of the UK)

Agriculture

maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; crawfishing on Tristan da Cunha

Airports

total: 1 usable: 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:

Area

total area: 410 sq km land area: 410 sq km 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

Birth rate

9.64 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Budget

revenues: $3.2 million expenditures: $2.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1984 est.)

Capital

Jamestown

Climate

tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

Coastline

60 km

Constitution

1 January 1989

Currency

1 Saint Helenian pound (#S) = 100 pence

Death rate

6.55 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Digraph

SH

Diplomatic representation in US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Economic aid

recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1992-93), $13.5 million

Electricity

capacity: 9,800 kW production: 10 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,390 kWh (1989)

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha international agreements: NA

Ethnic divisions

NA

Exchange rates

Saint Helenian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 0.6699 (January 1994), 0.6033 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor A. N. HOOLE (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council

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

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

Highways

total: NA (mainland 107 km, Ascension NA, Tristan da Cunha NA) paved: 169.7 km (mainland 87 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da Cunha 2.70 km) unpaved: NA (mainland 20 km earth roads, Ascension NA, Tristan da Cunha NA)

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

Independence

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Infant mortality rate

37.24 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-1.1% (1986)

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 3% other: 83%

Languages

English

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral

Legislative Council

elections 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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.75 years male: 72.68 years female: 76.58 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1987) total population: 98% male: 97% female: 98%

Location

Southern Africa, 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

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)

National product

GDP $NA

National product per capita

$NA

National product real growth rate

NA%

Nationality

noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian

Natural resources

fish; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns, no minerals

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial (the remains were taken to Paris in 1840); harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world

defense is the responsibility of the UK

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.

Political parties and leaders

Saint Helena Labor Party; Saint Helena Progressive Party note: both political parties inactive since 1976

Population

6,741 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.31% (1994 est.)

Ports

Jamestown (Saint Helena), Georgetown (Ascension)

Religions

Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Suffrage

NA

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

Terrain

rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains

Total fertility rate

1.14 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

dependent territory of the UK

Unemployment rate

NA%

US diplomatic representation

none (dependent territory of the UK)