Communications - note [time series]

South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island

Internet country code [time series]

.sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

343 (2009) country comparison to the world: 178

Internet users [time series]

1,100; note - includes Ascension Island (2008) country comparison to the world: 213

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

2,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 223

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock

Budget [time series]

revenues: $12.33 million expenditures: $30.28 million note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

7.44 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

8 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Exchange rates [time series]

Saint Helenian pounds (SHP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004) note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound

Exports [time series]

$19 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$NA

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

$18 million (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 225

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 (PPP)) [time series]

$2,500 (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

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]

$45 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.2% (1997 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 3.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2,486 country comparison to the world: 217 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 6% industry: 48% services: 46% (1987 est.)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 118

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Oil - consumption [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Oil - imports [time series]

79.73 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

14% (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Area [time series]

total: 308 sq km country comparison to the world: 208 land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 88 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 98 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

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)

Coastline [time series]

Saint Helena: 60 km Ascension Island: NA Tristan da Cunha: 40 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

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

Geography - note [time series]

Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else 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

Irrigated land [time series]

NA

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 12.9% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (2005)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961

Natural resources [time series]

fish, lobster

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

name: Jamestown geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

1 January 1989

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

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 Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, 3 ex-officio officers, and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council elections: 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]

UPU, WFTU

Judicial branch [time series]

Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Legal system [time series]

English common law and statutes supplemented by local statutes

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12

National holiday [time series]

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

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

none

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

other: private sector; unions

Suffrage [time series]

NA

Background [time series]

Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha. Saint Helena: 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. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903. Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena. It served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War. It remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic. Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island.

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 1,586 females age 16-49: 1,600 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 47 female: 45 (2009 est.)

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 18.3% (male 712/female 685) 15-64 years: 70.4% (male 2,744/female 2,629) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 412/female 455) (2009 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

11.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Death rate [time series]

6.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

NA

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 17.63 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 116 male: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 78.44 years country comparison to the world: 44 male: 75.52 years female: 81.5 years (2009 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Median age [time series]

total: 37.6 years male: 37.7 years female: 37.5 years (2009 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as "Saints"

Net migration rate [time series]

NA (2009 est.)

Population [time series]

7,637 country comparison to the world: 225 note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2009 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.445% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.56 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 39% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 216

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Saint Helena: Jamestown Ascension Island: Georgetown Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor

Roadways [time series]

total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km) country comparison to the world: 207 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)

Transportation - note [time series]

there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010