2019 Edition

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.; Saint Helena is one of the most remote populated places in the world. The British Government committed to building an airport on Saint Helena in 2005. After more than a decade of delays and construction, a commercial air service to South Africa via Namibia was inaugurated in October of 2017. The weekly service to Saint Helena from Johannesburg via Windhoek in Namibia takes just over six hours (including the refueling stop in Windhoek) and replaces the mail ship that had made a five-day journey to the island every three weeks.; 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 transatlantic 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.; The island hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are on Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), and at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US)). NASA and the US Air Force also operate a Meter-Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) on Ascension as part of the deep space surveillance system for tracking orbital debris, which can be a hazard to spacecraft and astronauts. Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough Islands. Tristan da Cunha, named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506), 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

122 sq km Saint Helena Island

Total

394 sq km

Water

0 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

Saint Helena: 60 km Ascension Island: NA Tristan da Cunha (island only): 34 km

Elevation

Highest Point

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

Lowest Point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment Current Issues

development threatens unique biota on Saint Helena

Geographic Coordinates

Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W; Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W; Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W

Geography Note

Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown elsewhere 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

0 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

30.8% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

10.3% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

20.5% (2011 est.)

Forest

5.1% (2011 est.)

Other

64.1% (2011 est.)

Location

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 1,300 km (800 mi) northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 4,300 km (2,700 mi) 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 Cunhavolcanism: the island volcanoes of Tristan da Cunha (2,060 m) and Nightingale Island (365 m) experience volcanic activity; Tristan da Cunha erupted in 1962 and Nightingale in 2004

Natural Resources

fish, lobster

Population Distribution

Saint Helena - population is concentrated in and around the capital Jamestown in the northwest, with another significant cluster in the interior Longwood area; Ascension - largest settlement, and location of most of the population, is Georgetown; Tristan da Cunha - most of the nearly 300 inhabitants live in the northern coastal town of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas

Terrain

the islands of this group are of volcanic origin associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean RidgeSaint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains; Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; terrain rises to the east; 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

15.69% (male 627 /female 603)

15 24 Years

12.21% (male 487 /female 470)

25 54 Years

43.59% (male 1,695 /female 1,723)

55 64 Years

12.86% (male 512 /female 496)

65 Years And Over

15.66% (male 627 /female 601) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

9.4 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death Rate

8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

The vast majority of the population of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha live on Saint Helena. Ascension has no indigenous or permanent residents and is inhabited only by persons contracted to work on the island (mainly with the UK and US military or in the space and communications industries) or their dependents, while Tristan da Cunha – the main island in a small archipelago – has fewer than 300 residents. The population of Saint Helena consists of the descendants of 17th century British sailors and settlers from the East India Company, African slaves, and indentured servants and laborers from India, Indonesia, and China. Most of the population of Ascension are Saint Helenians, Britons, and Americans, while that of Tristan da Cunha descends from shipwrecked sailors and Saint Helenians.Change in Saint Helena’s population size is driven by net outward migration. Since the 1980s, Saint Helena’s population steadily has shrunk and aged as the birth rate has decreased and many working-age residents left for better opportunities elsewhere. The restoration of British citizenship in 2002 accelerated family emigration; from 1998 to 2008 alone, population declined by about 20%.In the last few years, population has experienced some temporary growth, as foreigners and returning Saint Helenians, have come to build an international airport, but numbers are beginning to fade as the project reaches completion and workers depart. In the long term, once the airport is fully operational, increased access to the remote island has the potential to boost tourism and fishing, provide more jobs for Saint Helenians domestically, and could encourage some ex-patriots to return home. In the meantime, however, Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha have to contend with the needs of an aging population. The elderly population of the islands has risen from an estimated 9.4% in 1998 to 20.4% in 2016.

Ethnic Groups

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

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

10.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

15.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

12.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

English

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

82.9 years

Male

76.8 years

Total Population

79.8 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

1,000 JAMESTOWN (capital) (2018)

Median Age

Female

42.4 years

Male

42.4 years

Total

42.4 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Saint Helenian

Noun

Saint Helenian(s)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Population

7,841 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.14% (2018 est.)

Religions

Protestant 75.9% (includes Anglican 68.9, Baptist 2.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.8%, Salvation Army 1.7%, New Apostolic 1.4%), Jehovah's Witness 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.2%, other 2.5% (includes Baha'i), unspecified 0.8%, none 6.1%, no response 9.4% (2016 est.)

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.04 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.04 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

0.98 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

1.04 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total Population

1.01 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.59 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.73% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

39.9% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

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

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

15 56 S, 5 43 W

Name

Jamestown

Time Difference

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

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

several previous; latest effective 1 September 2009 (St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order, 2009)

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

Conventional Short Form

none

Etymology

Saint Helena was discovered in 1502 by Galician navigator Joao da NOVA, sailing in the service of the Kingdom of Portugal, who named it "Santa Helena"; Ascension was named in 1503 by Portuguese navigator Afonso de ALBUQUERQUE who sighted the island on the Feast Day of the Ascension; Tristan da Cunha was discovered in 1506 by Portuguese explorer Tristao da CUNHA who christened the main island after himself (the name was subsequently anglicized)

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

Chief Of State

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

Elections Appointments

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

Head Of Government

Governor Philip RUSHBROOK (since 11 May 2019)

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

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International Organization Participation

UPU

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 2 justices); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice - a nonresident - and NA judges); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

Court of Appeal and Supreme Court justices appointed by the governor acting upon the instructions from a secretary of state acting on behalf of Queen ELIZABETH II; justices of both courts serve until retirement at age 70, but terms can be extended

Subordinate Courts

Magistrates' Court; Small Claims Court; Juvenile Court

Legal System

English common law and local statutes

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral Legislative Council (17 seats including the speaker and deputy speaker; 12 members directly elected in a single countrywide constituency by simple majority vote and 3 ex-officio members - the chief secretary, financial secretary, and attorney general; members serve 4-year terms)

Election Results

percent of vote - NA; seats by party - independent 12; composition - men 14, women 3, percent women 17.6%

Elections

last held on 26 July 2017 (next to be held in 2021)

National Anthem

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

National Holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, third Monday in April (1926)

National Symbol S

Saint Helena plover (bird)

Political Parties And Leaders

none

Suffrage

18 years of age

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

20.7 million (FY06/07 est.)

Revenues

8.427 million (FY06/07 est.)

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.

Exchange Rates

2013

0.6391

2014

0.607

2015

0.6542

2016

0.6542

2017

0.7836

Currency

Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar -

Exports

2004

$19 million

Exports Commodities

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

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

GDP Per Capita Ppp

FY09/10

$7,800

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

FY09/10

$31.1 million

GDP Real Growth Rate

NA

Imports

2010

$20.53 million

Imports Commodities

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

Industries

construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, collectible postage stamps

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2012

4%

Labor Force

2,486 (1998 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

6%

Industry

48%

Services

46% (1987 est.)

Unemployment Rate

1998

14%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

10,650 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Consumption

6.51 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

8,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

7 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

70 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

65 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

17 (2017 est.)

Total

1,347

Broadcast Media

Saint 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 radio station on Saint Helena; 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

Communications Note

Ascension Island hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are on Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), and at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US)); South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island in the Tristan da Cunha archipelago

Internet Country Code

.sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

23.1% (July 2016 est.)

Total

1,800

Telephone System

Domestic

automatic digital network; fixed-line 35 per 100 and moblie-cellular 39 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

can communicate worldwide; ADSL- broadband service; LTE service; Wi-Fi hotspots in Jamestown, 1 ISP, many services are not offered locally but made available for visitors (2018)

International

country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; landing point for the SaEx1 submarine cable providing connectivity to South Africa, Brazil, Virginia Beach (US) and islands in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cunha; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

35 (July 2016 est.)

Total Subscriptions

576

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

39 (July 2016 est.)

Total Subscriptions

3,018

Airports

2 (2015)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 Saint Helena (HLE); (2017)

Over 3 047 M

1 Ascension Island - Wideawake Field (ASI) (2017)

Total

2 (2017)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

VQ-H (2016)

Ports And Terminals

Ascension Island

Georgetown

Major Seaport S

Saint Helena

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) (2002)

Total

198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km) (2002)

Unpaved

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

Transportation Note

the new airport on Saint Helena opened for limited operations in July 2016, and the first commercial flight took place on 14 October 2017, marking the start of weekly air service between Saint Helena and South Africa via Namibia; the military airport on Ascension Island is closed to civilian traffic; there is no air connection to Tristan da Cunha and very limited sea connections making it one of the most isolated communities on the planet

Military Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes International

none