Overview of Saint Helena

Profile

The territory comprises three island areas: Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and the Tristan da Cunha archipelago. All three are volcanic islands formed on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, spanning approximately 3,600km from north to south. With a population of just a few thousand, islanders are referred to as 'Saints,' 'Ascension Islanders,' and 'Tristanians.' Main industries include fishery, philatelic and numismatic sales, tourism, and defense-related employment, with high import dependency. Transportation is limited to aircraft and cargo-passenger ships, requiring long lead times for supplies and travel planning. The climate ranges from subtropical to cool temperate, with high ecological value including endemic bird species and sea turtle nesting sites.

Official name: Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Common name: Saint Helena
Numeric code: 654
Alpha-3 code: SHN
Alpha-2 code: SH
Population: Approximately 4,150 (2023)
Population density: Approximately 10/km2
Primary languages: English
Major religions: Christianity (predominantly Church of England)
National anthem: God Save the King
Calling code: +290（セントヘレナ・トリスタンダクーニャ）、+247（アセンション島）
Internet TLD: .sh, .ac

History

Discovered by Portuguese in the 16th century, came under British control in the 19th century. The 2009 constitution established equal status for all three areas, resulting in the current name.

Portuguese navigators discovered the islands in the early 1500s. During the age of sail, they served as important trans-Atlantic provisioning stops. Saint Helena became an East India Company possession from 1659 and Napoleon I's place of exile from 1815. Ascension and Tristan da Cunha were occupied by British forces from 1816 and incorporated as Saint Helena dependencies in the early 20th century. Constitutional reform effective September 1, 2009 dissolved the dependency relationship, creating an equal union of three areas. The territory remains under constitutional monarchy with the British monarch as head of state, represented by a Governor.

Geography & climate

Volcanic island terrain with steep basalt cliffs and eruption domes. Central areas have cloud forests, coastal areas feature dry grassland and black lava plateaus.

Maritime subtropical (Saint Helena/Ascension) to cool maritime (Tristan da Cunha)

Area: Africa / 420 km²
Capital: Jamestown
Largest city: Jamestown
Coastal status: Yes

Natural resources

Fishery resources (tuna/lobster), Fertile volcanic soil, Renewable energy (wind/solar), Unique biodiversity, Geographic location as observation base, Cloud-captured freshwater sources, High-value coffee plantations, Cactus fruit, Basalt building materials, Tourism resources (historic sites/nature)

Politics

Government: Parliamentary democracy under constitutional monarchy (British Overseas Territory)

Economy

Currency: Saint Helena Pound (SHP) *Sterling pound also in use (SHP)

GDP (nominal):

GDP (PPP): 48 million USD (2022)

Language & timezone

Primary languages: English

Time zone: GMT

Culture & customs

Ethnic groups

African descent, British descent, Portuguese descent, Chinese descent, Indian descent, Mixed

Life expectancy

Approximately 78 years

Literacy rate

97%

National sports

Football, Cricket, Fishing, Athletics, Golf