Saint Helena

Dependent territory of the U.K.

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Total area: 410 sq km
Land area: 410 sq km
Comparative area: slightly more than 2.3 times the size of Washington, DC

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

International Disputes

None

Climate

Tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

Terrain

Rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak 2,060 m

Natural Resources

Fish
Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns, no minerals

Land Use

Arable land: 7%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 7%
Forest and woodland: 3%
Other: 83%

Irrigated Land

Environment

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

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

PEOPLE

Population

6,782 (July 1996 est.)
6,762 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

15-64 Years

65 Years and Over

Population Growth Rate

0.31% (1996 est.)
0.31% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

9.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
9.5 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

6.33 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
6.43 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

35.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
36.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

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

1.12 children born/woman (1996 est.)
1.13 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Saint Helenian(s)
Adjective: Saint Helenian

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

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

Languages

English

Literacy

Age 20 and over can read and write (1987)

Total population: 97%
Male: 97%
Female: 98%

Labor Force

2,416 (1991 est.)

By occupation:

Professional, technical, and related workers 8.7%
Managerial, administrative, and clerical 12.8%
Sales people 8.1%
Farmer, fishermen, etc. 5.4%
Craftspersons, production process workers 14.7%
Others 50.3% (1987)

note: a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Saint Helena

Digraph

Type

Dependent territory of the U.K.

Capital

Jamestown

Administrative Divisions

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

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

Suffrage

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

None

Member of

ICFTU

Flag

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

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.

National Product

GDP NA

National Product Real Growth Rate

National Product Per Capita

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

-1.1% (1986)

Unemployment Rate

Budget

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

Exports

$27,400 (f.o.b., FY92/93)

Commodities:

Fish (frozen and salt-dried skipjack
Tuna)
Handicrafts

Partners:

South Africa
U.K.

Imports

$9.8 million (c.i.f., FY92/93)

Commodities:

Food
Beverages
Tobacco
Fuel oils
Animal feed
Building materials
Motor vehicles and parts
Machinery and parts

Partners:

U.K.
South Africa

External Debt

Industrial Production

Growth rate NA

Electricity

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

Industries

Crafts (furniture
Lacework
Fancy woodwork)
Fishing

Agriculture

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

Economic Aid

Recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1992-93), $13.5 million

Currency

1 Saint Helenian pound (#S) = 100 pence

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

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Total: NA (mainland 118 km, Ascension NA, Tristan da Cunha NA)
Paved: 180.7 km (mainland 98 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da Cunha 2.70 km)
Unpaved: NA (mainland 20 km, Ascension NA, Tristan da Cunha NA)

Ports

Georgetown, Jamestown

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

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

COMMUNICATIONS

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

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 2,500 (1993 est.)

Television

Broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: NA

DEFENSE FORCES

Note: Defense is the responsibility of the U.K.

History
World Atlas

Last modified: 14 december 1997

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