Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

Communications - note

Gough Island has a meteorological station

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.sh

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

3,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: can communicate worldwide domestic: automatic network international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK ; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

2,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

0 note: television programs are received in St. Helena via satellite and distributed by cable (2002)

Televisions

2,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha)

Budget

revenues: $11.2 million expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92)

Currency

Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Currency code

SHP

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Economy - overview

The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of 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.

Electricity - consumption

4.65 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$704,000 f.o.b. (1995)

Exports - commodities

fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts

Exports - partners

South Africa, UK

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$14.434 million c.i.f. (1995)

Imports - commodities

food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Imports - partners

UK, South Africa

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force

3,500 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

14% (1998 est.)

Area

total: 410 sq km note: includes St. Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands water: 0 sq km land: 410 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

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)

Coastline

60 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

15 56 S, 5 42 W

Geography - note

harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 12.9% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (1998 est.)

Location

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Jamestown

Constitution

1 January 1989

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since NA June 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

ICFTU

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

National holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Suffrage

NA years of age

Background

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. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.8% (male 698; female 678) 15-64 years: 71.9% (male 2,727; female 2,531) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 296; female 387) (2002 est.)

Birth rate

13.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups

African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.2 years female: 80.23 years (2002 est.) male: 74.31 years

Literacy

definition: age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.)

Nationality

noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

7,317 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate

0.7% (2002 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.53 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Highways

total: 158 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) paved: 138 km (Saint Helena 98km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) unpaved: 20 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km)

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Ports and harbors

Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none