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.

Geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 42 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 410 km²
Land: 410 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha Island
Comparative: slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 60 km

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

Climate: 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)

Terrain: Saint Helena_rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
Note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

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

Natural resources: fish

Land use
Arable land: 6%
Permanent crops: NA%
Permanent pastures: 6%
Forests and woodland: 6%
Other: 82% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Geography
Note: Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial (his remains were taken to Paris in 1840; harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

Population: 7,091 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 0.76% (1998 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: African descent, white

Languages: English

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 20% (male 718; female 694)
15-64 years: 71% (male 2,643; female 2,423)
65 years and over: 9% (male 249; female 364) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.76% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 14.1 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.49 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: NA
International agreements signed but not ratified: NA

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 28.81 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.73 years
Male: 72.66 years
Female: 78.96 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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

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

Government type: NA

Capital: Jamestown

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

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

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

Constitution: 1 January 1989

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: NA years of age

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952): ead of
Government: Governor and Commander in Chief David Leslie SMALLMAN (since NA 1995)
Cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex-officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council
Elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor is appointed by the queen

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (15 seats, including the governor, 2 ex-officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held 9 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2001)
Election results: percent of vote_NA; seats_independents 15

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

International organization participation: ICFTU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (dependent territory of the UK)
From the us: none (dependent 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 shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

Economy overview: The economy depends primarily on financial assistance from the UK. 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.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $NA

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

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

Industries: crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force
Total: 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 farmer 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%

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

Fiscal year: 1 April_31 March

Exports: total value:$704,000 (f.o.b., 1995)
Commodoties: fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), handicrafts
Partners: South Africa, UK

Imports: total value:$14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995)
Commodoties: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
Partners: UK, South Africa

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds (£S) per US$1_0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993; note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound

Electricity
Capacity: 4,000 kW (1995)
Production: 6 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 887 kWh (1995)

Telephones: 550

Telephone system
Domestic: automatic network; HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension, then into worldwide submarine cable and satellite networks
International: major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK at Ascension; satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: none

Disputes international: none