2000 Edition

Background

Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, the island was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It became famous as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821.

Area

land

410 sq km

note

includes Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha Island

total

410 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Coastline

60 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

15 56 S, 5 42 W

Geography - note

harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

6%

forests and woodland

6%

other

82% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

6%

Location

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way between South America and Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains

note

the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Age structure

0-14 years: 19% (male 705; female 691) 15-64 years: 72% (male 2,691; female 2,472) 65 years and over: 9% (male 274; female 379) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

13.73 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

African descent, white

Infant mortality rate

23.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.85 years (2000 est.)

male

73.95 years

total population

76.83 years

Literacy

definition

age 20 and over can read and write

female

98% (1987 est.)

male

97%

total population

97%

Nationality

adjective

Saint Helenian

noun

Saint Helenian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

7,212 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.76% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.53 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Jamestown

Constitution

1 January 1989

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Saint Helena

Data code

SH

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch

head of government

Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since NA June 1999)

Flag description

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

ICFTU

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (15 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15

elections

last held 9 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2001)

National holiday

Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June)

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

NA years of age

Agriculture - products

corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha)

Budget

expenditures

$11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)

revenues

$11.2 million

Currency

1 Saint Helenian pound = 100 pence

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Economy - overview

The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1998. The local population earns 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.

Electricity - consumption

6 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

6 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Saint Helenian pounds per US$1 - 0.6092 (January 2000), 6.180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$704,000 (f.o.b., 1995)

Exports - commodities

fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts

Exports - partners

South Africa, UK

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $13.9 million (FY94/95 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,000 (FY94/95 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995)

Imports - commodities

food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Imports - partners

UK, South Africa

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

2,416 (1991 est.)

note

a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas

Labor force - by occupation

farmers and fishermen 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

18% (1996)

Communications - note

Gough Island has a meteorological station

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

3,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

automatic network; HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension, then into worldwide submarine cable and satellite networks

international

major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK at Ascension; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

2,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

0 (1997)

Televisions

2,000 (1997)

Airports

1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

180.7 km (Saint Helena 98 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da Cunha 2.70 km)

total

NA km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km)

unpaved

NA km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km)

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Railways

0 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes - international

none

SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS