2010 Edition

Background

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

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. 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. It remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.

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

land

Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 88 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 98 sq km

total

308 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

Ascension Island

tropical marine; mild, semi-arid

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

Ascension Island

NA

Saint Helena

60 km

Tristan da Cunha

40 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

Ascension Island

7 57 S, 14 22 W

Saint Helena

15 57 S, 5 42 W

Tristan da Cunha island group

37 15 S, 12 30 W

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%

other

87.1% (2005)

permanent crops

0%

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 2,300 nm southwest of Saint Helena

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

volcanism

the island volcanoes of Tristan da Cunha (elev. 2,060 m, 6,758 ft) and Nightingale Island (elev. 365 m, 1,197 ft) experience volcanic activity; Tristan da Cunha erupted in 1962 and Nightingale in 2004

Natural resources

fish, lobster

Terrain

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

Ascension

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

Saint Helena

rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains

Tristan da Cunha

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.3% (male 712/female 685) 15-64 years: 70.4% (male 2,744/female 2,629) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 412/female 455) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

10.95 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

6.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 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

female

13.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

19.97 deaths/1,000 live births

total

16.98 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.67 years (2010 est.)

male

75.68 years

total population

78.6 years

Literacy

definition: age 20 and over can read and write

female

98% (1987 est.)

male

97%

total population

97%

Median age

female

38.1 years (2010 est.)

male

38.2 years

total

38.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as "Saints"

noun

Saint Helenian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

7,670 note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.404% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.049 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.56 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

39% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

3 administrative areas; Ascension, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha

Capital

geographic coordinates

15 56 S, 5 44 W

name

Jamestown

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

The Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009, effective 1 September 2009

Country name

conventional long form

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

conventional short form

none

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, 3 ex-officio officers, and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

elections

the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch

head of government

Governor Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007)

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 upper third of the shield depicts a white plover (wire bird) on a yellow field; the remainder of the shield depicts a rocky coastline on the left, offshore is a three-masted sailing ship with sails furled but flying an English flag

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

UPU

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Legal system

English common law and statutes supplemented by local statutes

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (17 seats, including a speaker and deputy speaker, 12 elected, and three ex officio members; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) note: the Constitution Order provides for separate Island Councils for both Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12

elections

last held on 4 November 2009 (next to be held in 2013)

National anthem

note: as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

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

Agriculture - products

coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster; livestock

Debt - external

$NA

Economy - overview

The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $27 million in FY06/07 or more than twice the level 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 (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

8 million kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar - 0.6494 (2009), 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5462 (2004) note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound

Exports

$19 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

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 (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

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 (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

80 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

14% (1998 est.)

Broadcast media

St. Helena has no local TV station; 2 local radio stations, one of which is relayed to Ascension Island; satellite TV stations rebroadcast terrestrially; Ascension Island has no local TV station, but has 1 local radio station and receives relays of broadcasts from 1 St. Helena radio station; broadcasts from the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) are available, as well as TV services for the US military; Tristan da Cunha has 1 local radio station and receives BFBS TV and radio broadcasts (2007)

Communications - note

South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island

Internet country code

.sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac

Internet hosts

6,873 (2010)

Internet users

900 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

automatic digital network

general assessment

can communicate worldwide

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

2,900 (2009)

Airports

1 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Ascension Island

Georgetown

Saint Helena

Jamestown

Tristan da Cunha

Calshot Harbor (Edinburgh)

Roadways

paved

168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km)

total

198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km)

unpaved

30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2002)

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

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,575 females age 16-49: 1,591 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

47 (2010 est.)

male

48

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes - international

none page last updated on January 3, 2011 ======================================================================