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Geography of Saint Helena

Location:islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm 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: 413 sq km
land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:Saint Helena: 60 km
Ascension Island: NA
Tristan da Cunha: 40 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 result from volcanic activity 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; ground 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 extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m
Natural resources:fish, lobster
Land use:arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else 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

Saint Helena Quickstats

  • Population: 7,543
  • Area: 413 sq km
  • Density: 18.1 /km²
  • GDP (total):
  • GDP (per capita):
  • Literacy: 97%

Languages of Saint Helena

Useful to know

  • Currency: Saint Helenian pound (SHP)
  • Dial code: +290

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Saint Helena Internet

  • Usage: 1,000
  • Penetration: 21.5 %
  • Top Domain: .sh

WT eBusiness info:

  • Success Ranking: 100
  • Market testing: Untested
  • Overall risk: High
  • Overall reward: Low

e-maturity:

  • Tourism: 10%
  • eCommerce: 10%
  • Gaming: 10%
  • eLearning: 10%

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