Communications - note (Communications--note) [time series]

Gough Island has a meteorological station

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

2,500 (1993 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

550

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

NA

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Saint Helenian pound (LS) = 100 pence

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$NA

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

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

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

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.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

6 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

6 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

Saint Helenian pounds (LS) per US$1--0.6057 (January 1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994); note--the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound

Exports [time series]

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

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

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

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

South Africa, UK

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April--31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity--$13.9 million (FY94/95 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]

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

Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity?$2,000 (FY94/95 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

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

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

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

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

UK, South Africa

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Labor force [time series]

2,416 (1991 est.) note: a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

professional, technical, and related workers 8.7%, managerial, administrative, and clerical 12.8%, sales people 8.1%, farmers, fishermen 5.4%, craftspersons, production process workers 14.7%, others 50.3% (1987)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

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 (Area--comparative) [time series]

slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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 [time series]

60 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

NA

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

15 56 S, 5 42 W

Geography - note (Geography--note) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 6% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 6% other: 82% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way between South America and Africa

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Natural resources [time series]

fish

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Jamestown

Constitution [time series]

1 January 1989

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Data code [time series]

SH

Dependency status [time series]

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch [time series]

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 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

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

NA

Independence [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ICFTU

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

NA

Legislative branch [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

none

Suffrage [time series]

NA years of age

Military - note (Military--note) [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 20% (male 713; female 690) 15-64 years: 72% (male 2,664; female 2,449) 65 years and over: 8% (male 259; female 370) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

13.86 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.44 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

African descent, white

Infant mortality rate [time series]

27.98 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.88 years male: 72.78 years female: 79.13 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

7,145 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.74% (1999 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.5 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

1 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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)

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Railways [time series]

0 km

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha