Map of Saint Helena | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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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.


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Location: Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, west of Angola, about two-thirds of the way from South America to Africa

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 410 km²
Land: 410 km²
Comparative: slightly more than 2.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Comparative note: Includes Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 60 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: Tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

Terrain: Rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Queen Mary's Peak 2,060 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 7%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 7%
Forests and woodland: 3%
Other: 83%

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Saint Helenian(s)
Adjective: Saint Helenian

Ethnic groups: NA

Languages: English

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrants/1000 population 1995 est. Infant Mortality Rate:

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
Current issues Natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
International agreements: NA
International agreements 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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.34 years (1996 est.), 75.07 years (1995 est.)
Male: 73.28 years (1996 est.), 73.01 years (1995 est.)
Female: 77.16 years (1996 est.), 76.89 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 20 and over can read and write (1987)
Total population: 97%
Male: 97%
Female: 98%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Saint Helena

Government type: Dependent territory of the U.K.

Capital: Jamestown

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

Dependent areas

Independence: None (dependent territory of the U.K.)

National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen, 10 June 1989 (second Saturday in June)

Constitution: 1 January 1989

Legal system: NA

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: NA

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
Head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David Leslie SMALLMAN (since NA 1995)
Cabinet: Executive Council

Legislative branch: Unicameral Legislative Council:Elections last held July 1993 (next to be held NA; results_percent of vote NA; seats_(15 total, 12 elected) independents 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ICFTU

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: Blue with the flag of the U.K. in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a bird above a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy depends primarily on financial assistance from the U.K.. 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. GDP NA

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity_ NA

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; crawfishing on Tristan da Cunha

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate NA

Labor force: 2,416 (1991 est.)
By occupation professional technical and related workers: 8.7%
By occupation managerial administrative and clerical: 12.8%
By occupation salespeople: 8.1%
By occupation fishermen etc.: 5.4%
By occupation craftspersons production process workers: 14.7%
By occupation others: 50.3% (1987)
Note: a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas

Unemployment rate: NA

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $11.2 million
Expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY92/93)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April_31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value. $27,400 (f.o.b., FY92/93)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$9.8 million (c.i.f., FY92/93)
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds (#S) per US$1_0.6535 (January 1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990; note_the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound


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Electricity
Capacity: 9,800 kW
Production: 10 million kWh
Consumption per capita: NA kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 550 telephones; automatic network
Local: NA
Intercity: HF radio links to Ascension, then into worldwide submarine cable and satellite networks
International: major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and U.K. at Ascension; 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1
With paved runways: over 3,047 m :1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: None

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs