| Surface: 122
sq. km or 47 sq. mi. |
| Location: South Atlantic Ocean
(15.56°S, 5.43°W); 1200 miles/ 1950 km from the South West Coast of
Africa, 1800 miles / 2900 km from the coast of South America and 683
miles / 1100km South-East of Ascension Island .......The
islands of Ascension and Tristan da Cunha are dependencies of St.
Helena..... Ascension Island, 700 miles to the north
west of St Helena, and Tristan da Cunha, 1200 miles to the south west,
were occupied in 1815 and 1816. Ascension Island’s capital is
Georgetown and the island has a total population of 1,122.
Tristan da Cunha has a population of 284. |
| Population :
5.157. Including Ascension Island and contract workers on the
Falklands Islands = 6004. (Based on 1998 census) |
| Climate: Although in the tropics,
St Helena´s climate is kept mild and equable by the south-east trade
wind. There are marked differences between the climate of the capital,
Jamestown, on the northern leeward shore and those of the inland areas.
Annual rainfall averages 152 mm in Jamestown and from 762 to 1016 mm
in the central hills. Temperatures in Jamestown range from 21 to 32
centigrade in the summer and from 15 to 26 centigrade in winter. In
the central hills temperatures are 5 to 6 degrees lower. Due to the
particular topography of the island, one can more or less "pick
one´s own climate". High winds are rare. |
| The capital and only town is
Jamestown, with a population of nearly 1,400. |
| System :
St Helena was discovered by the Portuguese in 1502 and has been
a British colony since it was first settled by the East India Company
in 1659. It was home to the exiled Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
from 1815 until his death in 1821. In 1834, the island became a
Crown Colony and is still a British Overseas Territory......The
Government is the Queen's representative in the Territory and he
administers the Government of St Helena in accordance with the
Constitution (which dates from 1988) and the laws currently in force
in St Helena. The Governor is generally required to obtain an act in
accordance with, the advice of the Executive Council which comprises
three Ex-officio Members and five Unofficial Members nominated by the
elected members of the Legislative Council, to the Chairs of the five
Council Committees which are responsible for the activities of the
five major spending Departments of Government. Elections to the
Legislative Council are by universal adult suffrage and secret ballot
at intervals of not more than four years. There are eight electoral
areas returning twelve Councillors in total. |
| Visa requirements: All
visitors require valid passports and will normally be granted an entry
permit for a period of three months. Visitors must have a return
ticket and pre-booked accomodation. The entry permit may be extended
up to a period of one year. |
| Bank/Currency: St Helena Pound.
Coins in use have values of 1p, 2p, 10p, 50p and £1. Notes in
circulation have values of £5, £10 and £20. One St Helena £ is
equal to One British £ Sterling. |
| Languages: English |
| Religions : Anglican
church (majority), Baptists, Catholics, Seventh Day Adventists,
Salvation Army, New Apostolics and Jehovah's Witnesses. |
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