Communications - note [time series]

Gough Island has a meteorological station

Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

NA

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

3,000 (1997)

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 - main lines in use) [time series]

2,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

0 (1994)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

2,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

corn, 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 = 100 pence

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 [time series]

6 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

6 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

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

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

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 [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

UK, South Africa

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

construction, 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 [time series]

farmers and fishermen 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

18% (1996)

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 [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 [time series]

NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

15 56 S, 5 42 W

Geography - note [time series]

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: 0% 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 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

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 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

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

Background [time series]

Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, the island was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It became famous as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821.

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

13.73 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

African descent, white

Infant mortality rate [time series]

23.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 76.83 years male: 73.95 years female: 79.85 years (2000 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 (2000 est.)

Population [time series]

7,212 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.76% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.53 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports [time series]

1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Railways [time series]

0 km

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha