Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

Communications - note

Gough Island has a meteorological station

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

2,500 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

domestic : automatic network; HF radiotelephone 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

550

Television broadcast stations

0

Televisions

NA

Agriculture - products

maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; crawfishing on Tristan da Cunha

Budget

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

Currency

1 Saint Helenian pound (£S) = 100 pence

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - overview

The economy depends primarily on financial assistance from the UK. The local population earns some 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 - capacity

NA kW

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Exchange rates

Saint Helenian pounds (£S) per US$1 - 0.6023 (January 1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

total value : $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: fish (frozen and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), handicrafts partners : South Africa, UK

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Imports

total value: $14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts partners : UK, South Africa

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Inflation rate - consumer price index

NA%

Labor force

total: 2,416 (1991 est.) by occupation: professional, technical, and related workers 8.7%, managerial, administrative, and clerical 12.8%, sales people 8.1%, farmer, fishermen, etc. 5.4%, craftspersons, production process workers 14.7%, others 50.3% (1987) note : a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas

Unemployment rate

NA%

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

Area - comparative

slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds

Coastline

60 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

15 56 S, 5 42 W

Geography - note

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

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

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

Location

Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, west of Angola, about two-thirds of the way from South America to Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

1 January 1989

Country name

conventional long form : none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Data code

SH

Dependency status

dependent territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (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 queen is a hereditary monarch; governor is appointed by the queen

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (dependent territory of the UK)

International organization participation

ICFTU

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (16 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 NA July 1993 (next to be held NA July 1997) election results : percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15

National capital

Jamestown

National holiday

Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen, 10 June 1989 (second Saturday in June)

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

NA years of age

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure

0-14 years: 20% (male 722; female 698) 15-64 years : 71% (male 2,621; female 2,396) 65 years and over: 9% (male 240; female 359) (1997 est.)

Birth rate

14.21 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

African descent, white

Infant mortality rate

29.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.58 years male : 72.53 years female: 78.79 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

7,036 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

0.78% (1997 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

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: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS

Airports

1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total : NA km (mainland 118 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km) paved: 180.7 km (mainland 98 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da Cunha 2.70 km) unpaved: NA km (mainland 20 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Railways

0 km