2008 Edition

Ascension Island

This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.

Background

Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha.

Saint Helena

Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.

Tristan da Cunha

The island group consists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island.

Area

total: 413 sq km land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Ascension

surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east

Ascension Island

7 57 S, 14 22 W

NA

tropical marine; mild, semi-arid

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geography - note

Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 12.9% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (2005)

Location

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest of Saint Helena

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961

Natural resources

fish, lobster

Saint Helena

15 57 S, 5 42 W

60 km

tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains

Terrain

the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge

Tristan da Cunha

40 km

temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs

Tristan da Cunha island group

37 15 S, 12 30 W

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.5% (male 716/female 690) 15-64 years: 70.7% (male 2,754/female 2,618) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 381/female 442) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

11.45 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

6.58 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 18.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 21.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.27 years male: 75.36 years female: 81.33 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.)

Median age

total: 37.1 years male: 37.2 years female: 37 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as "Saints"

Net migration rate

NA (2008 est.)

Population

7,601 note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

0.487% (2008 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.56 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Jamestown geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

1 January 1989

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

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

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative Council elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch

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

UPU, WFTU

Judicial branch

Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Legal system

English common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12

National holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: private sector; unions

Suffrage

NA years of age

Agriculture - products

coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock

Budget

revenues: $13.09 million expenditures: $32.16 million note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.)

Currency (code)

Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Currency code

SHP

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$29.56 million obtained in a grant from the United Kingdom (FY06/07)

Economy - overview

The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which will amount to about $27 million in FY06/07 or almost 70% of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.

Electricity - consumption

7.44 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

8 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound

Exports

$19 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria 4.8%, Spain 4.5% (2006)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,500 (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

GDP (official exchange rate)

$NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$18 million (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$45 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3%, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania 8.5%, US 4.6% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force

2,486 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 6% industry: 48% services: 46% (1987 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

60 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

85.42 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

14% (1998 est.)

Ascension

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)

Communications - note

South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island

Internet country code

.sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac

Internet hosts

306 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

1,000; note - includes Ascension Island (2003)

Radios

3,000 (1997)

Saint Helena

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Telephone system

general assessment: can communicate worldwide domestic: automatic digital network international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)

Telephones - main lines in use

2,200 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005)

Televisions

2,000 (1997)

Airports

1 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)

Ascension Island

Georgetown

Roadways

total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km) paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2002)

Saint Helena

Jamestown

Transportation - note

there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010

Tristan da Cunha

Calshot Harbor

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 47 female: 43 (2008 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008