Map of Saint Helena | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: The island hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas (the others are on Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) Kwajalein (Marshall Islands) and at Cape Canaveral Florida (US)) that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system. 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.
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.
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.
Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of Tristan da Cunha Nightingale Inaccessible and Gough Islands. Tristan da Cunha named after its Portuguese discoverer 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.


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Location: islands in the South Atlantic Ocean about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 1300 km (800 mi) northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 4,300 km (2,700 mi) southwest of 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

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 394 km²
Land: Saint Helena Island 122 km²; Ascension Island 88 km²; Tristan da Cunha island group 184 km² Inaccessible Nightingale and Gough islands)
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 204
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline
Saint Helena: 60 km
Ascension Island: NA
Tristan da Cunha: 34 km

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

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

Terrain: the islands of this group are of volcanic origin associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge
Saint 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

Elevation
Mean elevation: NA
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m: 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

Natural resources: fish lobster

Land use
Agricultural land: 30.8%
Forest: 5.1%
Other: 64.1%

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
Volcanism: the island volcanoes of Tristan da Cunha and Nightingale Island (365 m) experience volcanic activity; Tristan da Cunha erupted in 1962 and Nightingale in 2004

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


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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: 7,828
Note: Saint Helena's statistical agency estimated the enumerated national population to be 5,901 in 2016 according to the 2016 census; only Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited none of the other nearby islands/islets (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 225
Growth rate: 0.18% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 183
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Saint Helenian
Adjective: Saint Helenian
Note: referred to locally as 'Saints'

Ethnic groups: African descent 50% white 25% Chinese 25%

Languages: English

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%
Note: data represent Saint Helena only

Demographic profile:

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.97%
15-24 years: 12.19%
25-54 years: 43.89%
55-64 years: 12.83%
65 years and over: 15.13% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 41.9 years
Male: 42 years
Female: 41.9 years
Rank: 35

Population growth rate: 0.18% (2017 est.)
Rank: 183

Birth rate: 9.6 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 200

Death rate: 7.8 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 100

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 95

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 39.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.96% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: JAMESTOWN (capital) 1000 (2014)

Environment
Current issues: development threatens unique biota on Saint Helena

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male/female
25-54 years: 0.98 male/female
55-64 years: 1.09 male/female
65 years and over: 1.04 male/female
Total population: 1.02 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.3 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 15.7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 10.7 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 107

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.6 years
Male: 76.7 years
Female: 82.7 years
Rank: 45

Total fertility rate: 1.59 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 184

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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

Government type: parliamentary democracy (Legislative Council); limited self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Capital
Name: Jamestown
Geographic coordinates: 15 56 S 5 43 W
Time difference: UTC 0

Administrative divisions: 3 administrative areas; Ascension Saint Helena Tristan da Cunha

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II third Monday in April (1926)

Constitution: several previous; latest effective 1 September 2009 (The St. Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009) (2016)

Legal system: English common law and local statutes

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see United Kingdom

Suffrage: 18 years of age

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
Head of government: Governor Lisa PHILLIPS
Cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor 3 ex-officio officers and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council
Electionsappointments: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch
Note: the constitution order provides for an administrator for Ascension and Tristan da Cunha appointed by the governor

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Legislative Council
Note: the Constitution Order provides for separate Island Councils for both Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Elections: last held on 26 July 2017
Election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - independent 12

Judicial branch
Highest resident court: Court of Appeal ; Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice - a non-resident - 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 appointed until retirement at age 70 but terms can be extended
Subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court; Small Claims Court; Juvenile Court

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
From the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)

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

National symbols: Saint Helena plover (bird)

National anthem
Note: as a territory of the UK 'God Save the Queen' is official

National heritage


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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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $31.1 million (FY09/10 est.)
Rank: 227

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $7,800 (FY09/10 est.)
Rank: 153

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: coffee corn potatoes vegetables; fish lobster; livestock; timber

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 2,486 (1998 est.)
Rank: 227
By occupation agriculture: 6%
By occupation industry: 48%
By occupation services: 46%

Unemployment rate: 14% (1998 est.)
Rank: 166

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $8.857 million
Expenditures: $21.76 million
Note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the UK

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4% (2012 est.)
Rank: 164

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: $19 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 213
Commodities: fish (frozen canned and salt-dried skipjack tuna) coffee handicrafts

Imports: $20.53 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 221
Commodities: food beverages tobacco fuel oils animal feed building materials motor vehicles and parts machinery and parts

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 10 million kWh (2015 est.)
Production rank: 216
Consumption: 9.3 million kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 214
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 195
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 199
Installed generating capacity: 8,000 kW (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 211
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 18
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 180
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 202
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 203

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 192
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 188
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 187
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 190

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products production rank: 195
Products consumption: 80 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption rank: 214
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products exports rank: 196
Products imports: 84.68 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products imports rank: 211

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 192
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 129
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 180
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 186
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 es)
Proven reserves rank: 192

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 12,080 Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 212

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total: 2,758
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35
Fixed lines rank: 211
Mobile cellular total: 2,499
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32

Telephone system
General assessment: can communicate worldwide
Domestic: automatic digital network
International: country code - 290 (Ascension Island) - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4 Saint Helena - 1) (2010)

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 (2007)

Internet
Country code: .sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac
Users total: 1800
Users percent of population: 23.1%
Users rank: 214

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: VQ-H (2016)

Airports: 2 (2015)
Rank: 232
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 Ascension Island - Wideawake Field
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 Saint Helena ; note - weekly commercial air service to South Africa via Namibia commenced on 14 October 2017 (2017)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 198 km
Paved: 168 km
Unpaved: 30 km (2002)
Rank: 210

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals
Saint Helena: Jamestown
Ascension Island: Georgetown
Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs
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