Saint Helena (overseas territory of the UK) |
Geography |
Location: islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way between South America and Africa
Geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 42 W
Map references: Africa
Area:
total:
410 sq km
land:
410 sq km
water:
0 sq km
note:
includes Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha Island
Area - 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
highest point:
Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land:
6%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
6%
forests and woodland:
6%
other:
82% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
Environment - current issues: NA
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
People |
Population: 7,212 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
19% (male 705; female 691)
15-64 years:
72% (male 2,691; female 2,472)
65 years and over:
9% (male 274; female 379) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.76% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 13.73 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.72 male(s)/female
total population:
1.04 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 23.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
76.83 years
male:
73.95 years
female:
79.85 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Saint Helenian(s)
adjective:
Saint Helenian
Ethnic groups: African descent, white
Religions: 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.)
Government |
Country name:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Saint Helena
Data code: SH
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: NA
Capital: Jamestown
Administrative divisions: 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June)
Constitution: 1 January 1989
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: NA years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
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
elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (15 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 9 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2001)
election results:
percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: ICFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation 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 shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
Economy |
Economy - overview: The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1998. The local population earns 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $13.9 million (FY94/95 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (FY94/95 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture:
NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%:
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force:
2,416 (1991 est.)
note:
a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas
Labor force - by occupation: farmers and fishermen 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.)
Unemployment rate: 18% (1996)
Budget:
revenues:
$11.2 million
expenditures:
$11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)
Industries: construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 6 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro:
0%
nuclear:
0%
other:
0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 6 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha)
Exports: $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports - commodities: fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts
Exports - partners: South Africa, UK
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
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)
Currency: 1 Saint Helenian pound = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds per US$1 - 0.6092 (January 2000), 6.180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications |
Telephones - main lines in use: 2,000 (1994)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)
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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 3,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Televisions: 2,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Communications - note: Gough Island has a meteorological station
Transportation |
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total:
NA km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km)
paved:
180.7 km (Saint Helena 98 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da Cunha 2.70 km)
unpaved:
NA km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km)
Ports and harbors: Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
1
over 3,047 m:
1 (1999 est.)
Military |
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues |
Disputes - international: none