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| Geography |
| 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 |
| Location: |
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2,300 nm 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 |
| Area: |
total: 308 sq km land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 88 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 98 sq km water: 0 sq km
Size comparison: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
| Land Boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
Saint Helena: 60 km Ascension Island: NA Tristan da Cunha: 40 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 (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) |
| Terrain: |
the islands of this group result from volcanic activity 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; ground 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 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: |
arable land: 12.9% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
NA |
| Natural hazards: |
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha volcanism: the island volcanoes of Tristan da Cunha (elev. 2,060 m) and Nightingale Island (elev. 365 m) experience volcanic activity; Tristan da Cunha erupted in 1962 and Nightingale in 2004 |
| Current Environment Issues: |
NA |
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| People |
| Population: |
7,728 (July 2012 est.) note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 697/female 671) 15-64 years: 70% (male 2,731/female 2,656) 65 years and over: 12.3% (male 468/female 477) (2011 est.) |
| Median age: |
total: 39.4 years male: 39.4 years female: 39.3 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: |
0.349% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: |
10.48 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: |
6.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: |
total: 15.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 78.91 years male: 75.98 years female: 81.98 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: |
1.57 children born/woman (2012 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate: |
NA |
| HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| HIV/AIDS – deaths: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as “Saints” |
| Ethnic groups: |
African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% |
| Religions: |
Protestant (Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist), Roman Catholic |
| Languages: |
English |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) |
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| Government |
| Country name: |
conventional long form: Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha conventional short form: none |
| Government type: |
NA |
| Capital: |
name: Jamestown geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 43 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: |
3 administrative areas; Ascension, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha |
| Independence: |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| National holiday: |
|
| Constitution: |
the Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009, effective 1 September 2009 |
| Legal system: |
English common law and local statutes |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age |
| Executive branch: |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Mark CAPES (since 29 October 2011) note: the constitution order provides for an administrator for Ascension and Tristan da Cunha appointed by the governor Administrator Ascension Island: Colin WELLS (since 27 Ocotber 2011) Administrator Tristan da Cunha: Sean BURNS (since 15 September 2010) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, 3 ex-officio officers, and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch |
| Legislative branch: |
unicameral Legislative Council (17 seats, including a speaker and deputy speaker, 12 elected, and three ex officio members; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) note: the Constitution Order provides for separate Island Councils for both Ascension and Tristan da Cunha elections: last held on 4 November 2009 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote – NA; seats – independents 12 |
| Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
| Political parties and leaders: |
none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
other: private sector; unions |
| International organization participation: |
UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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| Economy |
| 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. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): |
GDP (purchasing power parity): $18 million (1998 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): |
GDP (official exchange rate): $NA |
| GDP – real growth rate: |
NA% |
| GDP – per capita (PPP): |
GDP – per capita (PPP): $2,500 (1998 est.) |
| GDP – composition by sector: |
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
| Labor force: |
2,486 (1998 est.) |
| Labor force – by occupation: |
agriculture: 6% industry: 48% services: 46% (1987 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: |
14% (1998 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (1997 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $10.58 million expenditures: $26 million note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.) |
| Agriculture – products: |
coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; fish, lobster; livestock; timber |
| Industries: |
construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales |
| Industrial production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity – production: |
8 million kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity – consumption: |
7.44 million kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity – exports: |
0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity – imports: |
0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Oil – production: |
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil – consumption: |
100 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil – exports: |
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil – imports: |
84.68 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil – proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Natural gas – production: |
0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas – consumption: |
0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas – exports: |
0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas – imports: |
0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas – proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Exports: |
$19 million (2004 est.) |
| Exports – commodities: |
fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts |
| Imports: |
$45 million (2004 est.) |
| Imports – commodities: |
food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts |
| Debt – external: |
$NA |
| Exchange rates: |
Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar – 0.6176 (2011) 0.6468 (2010) 0.6175 (2009) 0.5302 (2008) 0.4993 (2007) |
| Fiscal year: |
1 April – 31 March |
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| Communications |
| Telephones in use: |
3,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 219 |
| Cellular Phones in use: |
|
| Telephone system: |
general assessment: can communicate worldwide domestic: automatic digital network international: country code (Saint Helena) – 290, (Ascension Island) – 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations – 5 (Ascension Island – 4, Saint Helena – 1) |
| Radio broadcast stations: |
|
| Television broadcast stations: |
|
| Internet country code: |
.sh; note – Ascension Island assigned .ac |
| Internet hosts: |
6,724 (2010) |
| Internet users: |
900 (2009) |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: |
1 (Ascension Island) (2012) country comparison to the world: 232 |
| Airports (paved runways): |
total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2012) |
| Roadways: |
total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km) paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2002) |
| Ports and terminals: |
Saint Helena: Jamestown Ascension Island: Georgetown Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor (Edinburgh) |
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| Military |
| Defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49: 1,565 females age 16-49: 1,579 (2010 est.) |
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