*Saint Helena, Header
Affiliation: (dependent territory of the UK)
*Saint Helena, Geography
Location:
in the South Atlantic Ocean, 1,920 km west of Angola, about two-thirds of
the way between South America and Africa
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total area:
410 km2
land area:
410 km2
comparative area:
slightly more than 2.3 times the size of Washington, DC
note:
includes Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island,
and Tristan da Cunha
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
60 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds
Terrain:
rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
Natural resources:
fish; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns, no
minerals
Land use:
arable land:
7%
permanent crops:
0% meadows and pastures:
7%
forest and woodland:
3%
other:
83%
Irrigated land:
NA km2
Environment:
very few perennial streams
Note:
Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial; harbors at least 40 species
of plants unknown anywhere else in the world
*Saint Helena, People
Population:
6,720 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.32% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
9.82 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
6.67 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
38.39 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
74.43 years
male:
72.36 years
female:
76.27 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.16 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Saint Helenian(s)
adjective:
Saint Helenian
Ethnic divisions:
NA
Religions:
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic
Languages:
English
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1987)
total population:
98%
male:
97% female:
98%
Labor force:
2,516
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)
*Saint Helena, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Saint Helena
Digraph:
SH
Type:
dependent territory of the UK
Capital:
Jamestown
Administrative divisions:
1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan, da Cunha*,
Independence:
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution:
1 January 1989
Legal system:
NA
National holiday:
Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen, 10 June 1989 (second Saturday in
June)
Political parties and leaders:
Saint Helena Labor Party; Saint Helena Progressive Party
note:
both political parties inactive since 1976
Suffrage:
NA
Elections:
Legislative Council:
last held October 1984 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (15 total, 12 elected) number of seats by party NA
Executive branch:
British monarch, governor commander-in-chief, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government:
Governor A. N. HOOLE (since NA)
Member of:
ICFTU
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (dependent territory of the UK)
US diplomatic representation:
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag:
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
*Saint Helena, 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.
National product:
GDP $NA
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-1.1% (1986)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $3.2 million; expenditures $2.9 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1984)
Exports:
$23,900 (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities:
fish (frozen and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), handicrafts
partners:
South Africa, UK
Imports:
$2.4 million (c.i.f., 1984)
commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor
vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
partners:
UK, South Africa
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
9,800 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 1,390 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries:
crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing
Agriculture:
maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; crawfishing
on Tristan da Cunha
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$198 million
Currency:
1 Saint Helenian pound (#S) = 100 pence
Exchange rates:
Saint Helenian pounds (#S) per US$1 - 0.6527 (January 1993), 0.5664 (1992),
0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988); note - the Saint
Helenian pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March