Introduction
Background
Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory off the coast of Africa in the South Atlantic Ocean, and it consists of Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha.
Saint Helena: The island was uninhabited when the Portuguese first discovered it in 1502, and the British garrisoned troops on Saint Helena 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.
Saint Helena is one of the most remote populated places in the world. The British Government committed to building an airport on Saint Helena in 2005. After more than a decade of delays and construction, a commercial air service to South Africa via Namibia was inaugurated in 2017. The weekly service to Saint Helena from Johannesburg via Windhoek in Namibia takes just over six hours (including the refueling stop in Windhoek) and replaces the mail ship that had made a five-day journey to the island every three weeks.
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 transatlantic 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.
The island hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system -- the others are on Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), and at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US). NASA and the US Air Force also operate a Meter-Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) on Ascension as part of the deep space surveillance system for tracking orbital debris, which can be a hazard to spacecraft and astronauts.
Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough Islands. Tristan da Cunha, named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506), 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.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 1,300 km (800 mi) northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 4,300 km (2,700 mi) southwest of Saint Helena
Geographic coordinates
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
Map references
Africa
Area
total : 394 sq km
land: 122 sq km Saint Helena Island
water: 0 sq km
88 sq km Ascension Island, 184 sq km Tristan da Cunha island group (includes Tristan (98 sq km), Inaccessible, Nightingale, and Gough islands)
comparison ranking: total 203
Area - comparative
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
Saint Helena: 60 km
Ascension Island: NA
Tristan da Cunha (island only): 34 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate
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)
Terrain
the islands of this group are of volcanic origin 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; terrain 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
Elevation
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Diana's Peak on Saint Helena Island 818 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Natural resources
fish, lobster
Land use
agricultural land: 30.8% (2018 est.)
arable land: 10.3% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 20.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 5.1% (2018 est.)
other: 64.1% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Population distribution
Saint Helena - population is concentrated in and around the capital Jamestown in the northwest, with another significant cluster in the interior Longwood area; Ascension - largest settlement, and location of most of the population, is Georgetown; Tristan da Cunha - most of the nearly 300 inhabitants live in the northern coastal town of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas
Natural hazards
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
volcanism: the island volcanoes of Tristan da Cunha (2,060 m) and Nightingale Island (365 m) experience volcanic activity; Tristan da Cunha erupted in 1962 and Nightingale in 2004
Geography - note
Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown elsewhere 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
People and Society
Population
total: 7,943
male: 3,978
female: 3,965 (2024 est.)
comparison rankings: female 223; male 224; total 223
Nationality
noun: Saint Helenian(s)
adjective: Saint Helenian
note: referred to locally as "Saints"
Ethnic groups
St. Helena 82.1%, UK 7.6%, South Africa 3.6%, Ascension 2.8%, other 3.9% (2021 est.)
note: data represent population of Saint Helena by country of birth
Languages
English
Religions
Protestant 69.4% (includes Anglican 63.2%, Baptist 2.3%, Salvation Army 2%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.9%), Jehovah's Witness 3.8%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, New Apostolic 1.6%, other Christian 1.4%, other 1.1%, none 9%, unspecified 11.4% (2021 est.)
note: data represent Saint Helena only
Demographic profile
The vast majority of the population of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha live on Saint Helena. Ascension has no indigenous or permanent residents and is inhabited only by persons contracted to work on the island (mainly with the UK and US military or in the space and communications industries) or their dependents, while Tristan da Cunha – the main island in a small archipelago – has fewer than 300 residents. The population of Saint Helena consists of the descendants of 17th century British sailors and settlers from the East India Company, African slaves, and indentured servants and laborers from India, Indonesia, and China. Most of the population of Ascension are Saint Helenians, Britons, and Americans, while that of Tristan da Cunha descends from shipwrecked sailors and Saint Helenians.
Change in Saint Helena’s population size is driven by net outward migration. Since the 1980s, Saint Helena’s population steadily has shrunk and aged as the birth rate has decreased and many working-age residents left for better opportunities elsewhere. The restoration of British citizenship in 2002 accelerated family emigration; from 1998 to 2008 alone, population declined by about 20%.
In the 2010s, the population experienced some temporary growth, as foreigners and returning Saint Helenians, came to build an international airport, but numbers faded as the project reached completion and workers departed. With the airport fully operational, increased access to the remote island has the potential to boost tourism and fishing, provide more jobs for Saint Helenians domestically, and could encourage some ex-patriots to return home. In the meantime, however, Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha have to contend with the needs of an aging population. The elderly population of the islands has risen from an estimated 9.4% in 1998 to 18% in 2022.
Age structure
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 579/female 556)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 2,626/female 2,655)
65 years and over: 19.2% (2024 est.) (male 773/female 754)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 68.6 NA
youth dependency ratio: 23.6 NA
elderly dependency ratio: 45.1 NA
potential support ratio: 2.2 (2021) NA
Median age
total: 45.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 44.8 years
female: 45.4 years
comparison ranking: total 21
Population distribution
Saint Helena - population is concentrated in and around the capital Jamestown in the northwest, with another significant cluster in the interior Longwood area; Ascension - largest settlement, and location of most of the population, is Georgetown; Tristan da Cunha - most of the nearly 300 inhabitants live in the northern coastal town of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas
Urbanization
urban population: 40.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1,000 JAMESTOWN (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 18.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 21.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 86
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 80.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.1 years
female: 83.9 years
comparison ranking: total population 50
Gross reproduction rate
0.78 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 99.1% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0.9% of population (2020)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020)
Literacy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Environment
Environment - current issues
development threatens unique biota on Saint Helena
Climate
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)
Land use
agricultural land: 30.8% (2018 est.)
arable land: 10.3% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 20.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 5.1% (2018 est.)
other: 64.1% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 40.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
conventional short form: none
etymology: Saint Helena was discovered in 1502 by Galician navigator Joao da NOVA, sailing in the service of the Kingdom of Portugal, who named it "Santa Helena"; Ascension was named in 1503 by Portuguese navigator Afonso de ALBUQUERQUE who sighted the island on the Feast Day of the Ascension; Tristan da Cunha was discovered in 1506 by Portuguese explorer Tristao da CUNHA who christened the main island after himself (the name was subsequently anglicized)
Government type
parliamentary democracy
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
Capital
name: Jamestown
geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 43 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: founded in 1659 and named after James, Duke of York, who would become King JAMES II of England (r. 1785-1788)
Administrative divisions
3 administrative areas; Ascension, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday
Official birthday of King Charles III, April or June as designated by the governor
Legal system
English common law and local statutes
Constitution
history: several previous; latest effective 1 September 2009 (St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009)
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Suffrage
18 years of age
Executive branch
chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022)
head of government: Governor Nigel PHILLIPS (since 13 August 2022)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, 3 ex-officio officers, and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council
elections/appointments: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch
note: the constitution order provides for an administrator for Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, appointed by the governor
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Legislative Council (17 seats including the speaker and deputy speaker; 12 members directly elected in a single countrywide constituency by simple majority vote and 3 ex-officio members - the chief secretary, financial secretary, and attorney general; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 13 October 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
election results: vote - NA; seats - independent 12; composition - men 8, women 6, percent women 42.9%
note: the Constitution Order provides for separate Island Councils for both Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 2 justices); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice - a nonresident - and NA judges); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Supreme Court justices appointed by the governor acting upon the instructions from a secretary of state acting on behalf of King CHARLES III; justices of both courts serve until retirement at age 70, but terms can be extended
subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court; Small Claims Court; Juvenile Court
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK)
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 upper third of the shield depicts a white plover (wire bird) on a yellow field; the remainder of the shield depicts a rocky coastline on the left, offshore is a three-masted sailing ship with sails furled but flying an English flag
National anthem
note: as an overseas territory of the UK, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economic overview
upper middle-income, British Atlantic Ocean territorial economy; native (but pegged to British pound) currency user on 2 of 3 islands; significant UK financial support; unique land/farming commune structure; military-related economic activity; sport fishing locale
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA
Agricultural products
coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; fish, lobster; livestock; timber
Industries
construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, collectible postage stamps
Budget
revenues: $8.427 million (FY06/07 est.)
expenditures: $20.7 million (FY06/07 est.)
note: revenue data reflect only locally raised revenues; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the UK
Exports - partners
US 55%, Netherlands 17%, Singapore 10%, Japan 8%, Senegal 2% (2022)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
fish, shellfish, iron alloys, glass working machines, corn (2022)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
UK 44%, South Africa 25%, US 21%, Czechia 4%, Namibia 2% (2022)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
asphalt, baked goods, air pumps, plastic products, iron sheet piling (2022)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Exchange rates
Saint Helena pounds (SHP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.805 (2023 est.)
0.811 (2022 est.)
0.727 (2021 est.)
0.78 (2020 est.)
0.783 (2019 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 8,000 kW (2022 est.)
consumption: 6.963 million kWh (2022 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1.5 million kWh (2022 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 4; consumption 210; installed generating capacity 209
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Coal
imports: 69.9 metric tons (2022 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 81 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
13,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 13,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 215
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 4,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 74 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 207
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 4,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 74 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 223
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: capability to communicate worldwide; ADSL- broadband service; LTE coverage of 95% of population, includes voice calls, text messages, mobile data as well as inbound and outbound roaming; Wi-Fi hotspots in Jamestown, 1 ISP, many services are not offered locally but made available for visitors; some sun outages due to the reliance of international telephone and Internet communication relying on single satellite link (2020)
domestic: automatic digital network; fixed-line is 74 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 74 per 100 persons (2021)
international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; landing point for the SaEx1 submarine cable providing connectivity to South Africa, Brazil, Virginia Beach (US) and islands in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cunha; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1) (2019)
Broadcast media
Saint Helena has no local TV station; 2 local radio stations, one of which is relayed to Ascension Island; satellite TV stations rebroadcast terrestrially; Ascension Island has no local TV station but has 1 local radio station and receives relays of broadcasts from 1 radio station on Saint Helena; broadcasts from the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) are available, as well as TV services for the US military; Tristan da Cunha has 1 local radio station and receives BFBS TV and radio broadcasts
Internet country code
.sh; note - Ascension Island assigned .ac
Internet users
total: 2,287 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 37.6% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 227
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 1,000 (2018 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 205
Communications - note
Ascension Island hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are on Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), and at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US)); South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island in the Tristan da Cunha archipelago
Transportation
Heliports
2 (2024)
Roadways
total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km)
paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km)
unpaved: 30 km (2002) (Saint Helena 20 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km)
comparison ranking: total 210
Ports
total ports: 4 (2024)
large: 1
medium: 1
small: 1
very small: 1
ports with oil terminals: 2
key ports: Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Georgetown, Jamestown, North Point
Transportation - note
the new airport on Saint Helena opened for limited operations in July 2016, and the first commercial flight took place on 14 October 2017, marking the start of weekly air service between Saint Helena and South Africa via Namibia; the military airport on Ascension Island is closed to civilian traffic; there is no air connection to Tristan da Cunha and very limited sea connections making it one of the most isolated communities on the planet
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK