| Saint Helena Island |
Saint Helena, named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha. Saint Helena measures about 16 by 8 kilometres (10 by 5 miles) and has a population of 4,255 (2008 census).
The island was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese in 1502. It is one of the most isolated islands in the world. For centuries, it was an important stopover for ships sailing to Europe from Asia and South Africa. The British also used the island as a place of exile, most notably for Napoleon I, Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo and more than 5,000 Boer prisoners. Saint Helena is now Britain's second oldest remaining territory (after Bermuda). |
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| 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.
The Coat of Arms of Saint Helena were authorised on January 30, 1984.
The Arms feature a shield, with the top third showing a plover, charadrius sanctaehelenae, known locally as the wirebird; and the bottom two thirds showing a costal scene of the islands, a sailing ship with the mountainous islands in the background.
The costal scene is taken from the colonial seal of the colony. The crest is a woman holding a cross and a flower. The cross is shown as Helena is credited with finding the relics of the True Cross (cross upon which This represents Helena of Constantinople, also known as Saint Helena, after whom the Island is named. Jesus was crucified). |
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| The motto is Loyal and unshakable. The Arms are not used by Saint Helena's dependencies. Tristan da Cunha uses its own arms, while Ascension Island uses the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom. |
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| Geography |
Saint Helena is one of the most isolated places in the world, located in the South Atlantic Ocean more than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) from the nearest major landmass. The island is associated with two other isolated islands in southern Atlantic, also British territories, Ascension Island about 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) to the due northwest in more equatorial waters and Tristan da Cunha, which is well outside the tropics 2,430 kilometres (1,510 mi) to the south.
The island of Saint Helena has a total area of 122 km2 (47 sq mi), and is composed largely of rugged terrain of volcanic origin (the last volcanic eruptions occurred roughly 7 million years ago). The centre is covered by forest, of which some has been planted, including the New Millennium Forest Project. The highland areas contain most of the island's endemic flora, fauna, insects and birds. The coastal areas are barren, covered in volcanic rock and are warmer and drier than the centre of the island. There are no native land mammals on St Helena, but rabbits, rats and mice have been introduced, as well as feral cats and dogs. The highest point of the island is Diana's Peak at 818 m (2,684 ft).
When the island was discovered, it was covered with unique indigenous vegetation, including a remarkable cabbage tree species. The flora of Saint Helena contains a high proportion of endemic species. The island's hinterland must have been a dense tropical forest but the coastal areas were probably quite green as well. The modern landscape is very different, with widespread bare rock in the lower areas, although inland it is green, mainly due to introduced vegetation.
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| The dramatic change in landscape must be attributed to the introduction of goats and the introduction of new vegetation. As a result, the string tree (Acalypha rubrinervis) and the St Helena olive (Nesiota elliptica) are now extinct, and many of the other endemic plants are threatened with extinction. |
| There are several rocks and islets off the coast, including: Castle Rock, Speery Island, The Needle, Lower Black Rock, Upper Black Rock (South), Bird Island (Southwest), Black Rock, Thompson's Valley Island, Peaked Island, Egg Island, Lady's Chair, Lighter Rock (West), Long Ledge (Northwest), Shore Island, George Island, Rough Rock Island, Flat Rock (East), The Buoys, Sandy Bay Island, The Chimney, White Bird Island and Frightus Rock (Southeast), all of which are within one kilometre of the shore. |
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| Climate |
| The climate of Saint Helena is tropical, marine and mild, tempered by trade winds which blow almost continuously. The climate varies noticeably across the island. Temperatures in Jamestown, on the north leeward shore, range between 20–32 °C (68–90 °F) in the summer and 15–26 °C (59–79 °F) in the winter. The temperatures in the central areas are, on average, 5–6 °C lower. Jamestown also has a very low annual rainfall, while 750–1,000 mm (30–39 in) falls per year on the higher ground and the south coast. |
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| Administrative Divisions |
Saint Helena is divided into eight districts, each with a community centre. The districts also serve as statistical subdivisions and electoral areas.
The four most populated districts send two representatives each to the island council, and the remaining districts send one representative each. |
| Alarm Forest |
Alarm Forest is one of the smaller of the eight districts of Saint Helena, in the northern part of the island of Saint Helena, southeast of Jamestown.
The district was created between census years 1987 and 1998 from parts of Jamestown and Longwood. There is no settlement by that name, however. The main settlement is Briars Village, with the community centre of the district. The village is located at the high point of the Side Path, a steep road leading out southward on the eastern slopes of Jamestown valley. Briar Village, but not the rest of the district, is considered a suburb of Jamestown. The village has few amenities of its own, and the population looks to nearby Jamestown for shopping and entertainment. The village is also headquarters of Cable and Wireless, with its large satellite dishes, which connect Saint Helena to the outside world. The upper part of the village, The Briars, is a newer settlement of relatively wealthy citizens.
Also Seaview, Two-gun Saddle and Hunts Vale are part of Alarm Forest. Another settlement is Alarm Hill. Napoleon's tomb is located in Sane Valley in the district. Napoleon had selected this spot as is burial site during one of his walks. |
| Blue Hill |
Blue Hill is one of eight districts of the island of Saint Helena, located in the west and southwest of the island. Its main settlement, with the location of the community centre, is Blue Hill Village. The district also includes the settlements Barren Ground, Head o' Wain, Woodlands, Thompson's Wood, Broad Bottom, and the new housing areas High Hill and Burnt Rock/Horse Pasture.
Blue Hill is the largest, most remote, most rural, least populated and least densely populated of the eight districts of Saint Helena. |
| Half Tree Hollow |
| Half Tree Hollow is the "suburb" of Jamestown, Saint Helena. The village is built at the top of Jacob's Ladder, a hillside stairway connecting it with Jamestown. The village was built because of the lack of adequate space in Jamestown and because of its geology. Today, Half Tree Hollow actually has a population (901) that is greater than that of Jamestown. |
| Jamestown |
Jamestown is the capital of the island of Saint Helena. Located on the island's north-western coast, it is the island's port, with facilities for unloading goods delivered to the island, and the centre of the island's road and communications network. It has a population of 714 (2008 figures).
Jamestown was founded in 1659 by the East India Company and named after James, Duke of York, the future King James II of England. It is built on igneous rock in a small enclave, sandwiched between steep cliffs that are unsuitable for building.
The town is therefore rather long, thin and densely populated, with tightly knit, long and winding streets. Shrubs and trees decorate some of the street corners.
The surrounding terrain is rough and steep. The town's population has been shrinking, in line with the shrinking island population as a whole though also as a result of the growth of Jamestown's "suburb", Half Tree Hollow.
The town has some examples of British Georgian-era colonial architecture and is proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many buildings are built out of local volcanic rock. |
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| St James' church dates from 1774 and is the oldest Anglican church in the Southern Hemisphere. Another of the town's prominent features is Jacob's Ladder, a staircase of 699 steps, built in 1829 to connect Jamestown to the former fort on Ladder Hill. The ladder is very popular with tourists, is lit at night and a timed run takes place there every year, with people coming from all over the world to take part. |
| Levelwood |
| Levelwood is one of eight districts of the island of Saint Helena. |
| Longwood |
Longwood is a district of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena Island, where Napoleon was exiled from 1815 until his death on 5 May 1821. France owns the land around Napoleon's original grave, but the United Kingdom retains full sovereignty.
As of the 10 February 2008 census, Longwood had a population of 715. The area of the town is 33.8 km2.
Longwood House was the residence of Napoleon I during his exile on the island of Saint Helena, from 10 December 1815 until his death on 5 May 1821. It is situated on a windswept plain some 4 miles (6 km) from Jamestown. |
| Sandy Bay |
| Sandy Bay is one of eight districts of the island of Saint Helena. |
| St. Paul's |
| St. Paul's is a settlement and one of eight districts of the island of Saint Helena. |
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| Politics |
| Executive authority in Saint Helena is invested in Queen Elizabeth II and is exercised on her behalf by the Governor of Saint Helena. The Governor is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the British Government. Defence and Foreign Affairs remain the responsibility of the United Kingdom. |
There are fifteen seats in the Legislative Council, a unicameral legislature. Twelve of the fifteen members are elected in elections held every four years. The other three members are the Governor and two ex officio officers. The Executive Council consists of the Governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council appointed by the Governor. There is no elected Chief Minister, and the Governor acts as the head of government. The current Governor, since November 2007, is Andrew Gurr, who succeeded Michael Clancy.
Both Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha have an Administrator appointed to represent the Governor of Saint Helena.
One commentator has observed that, notwithstanding the high unemployment resulting from the loss of full passports during 1981–2002, the level of loyalty to the British monarchy by the St Helena population is probably not exceeded in any other part of the world. King George VI is the only reigning monarch to have visited the island. This was in 1947 when the King, accompanied by Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret were travelling to South Africa.
Prince Philip arrived at St Helena in 1957 and then his son Prince Andrew visited as a member of the armed forces in 1984 and his sister the Princess Royal arrived in 2002. |
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Plantation House |
Home to the Governor |
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| Demographics |
Saint Helena was first settled by the English in 1659, and the island presently has a population of about 4,250 inhabitants, mainly descended from people from Britain – settlers ("planters") and soldiers – and slaves who were brought there from the beginning of settlement – initially from Africa (the Cape Verde Islands, Gold Coast and west coast of Africa are mentioned in early records), then India and Madagascar. Eventually the planters felt there were too many slaves and no more were imported after 1792.
In 1840, St Helena became a provisioning station for the British West Africa Squadron, preventing slavery to Brazil (mainly), and many thousands of slaves were freed on the island.
These were all African, and about 500 stayed while the rest were sent on to the West Indies and Cape Town, and eventually to Sierra Leone.
Imported Chinese labourers arrived in 1810, reaching a peak of 618 in 1818, after which numbers were reduced. Only a few older men remained after the British Crown took over the government of the island from the East India Company in 1834.
The majority were sent back to China, although records in the Cape suggest that they never got any further than Cape Town. There were also a very few Indian lascars who worked under the harbour master.
The citizens of Saint Helena hold British Overseas Territories citizenship. On 21 May 2002, full British citizenship was restored by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002. |
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| During periods of unemployment, there has been a long pattern of emigration from the island since the post-Napoleonic period. The majority of "Saints" emigrated to the UK, South Africa, and in the early years, Australia. The population has steadily declined since the late 1980s and has dropped from 5,157 at the 1998 census to 4,255 in 2008. In the past emigration was characterised by young unaccompanied persons leaving to work on long-term contracts on Ascension and the Falkland Islands, but since "Saints" were re-awarded UK citizenship in 2002, emigration to the UK by a wider range of wage-earners has accelerated due to the prospect of higher wages and better progression prospects. |
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| Religion |
| The majority of people belong to the Church of England, being members of the Diocese of St Helena, which includes Ascension Island, and which has its own Bishop residing on St Helena. The 150th Anniversary of the Diocese was celebrated in June 2009. Other Christian denominations on the island include: Roman Catholic (since 1852), Salvation Army (since 1886), Baptist (since 1845), and, in more recent times, Seventh-day Adventist (since 1949), New Apostolic, and Jehovah's Witness (one out of every 35 residents is a Jehovah's Witness, the highest ratio in the world). The Baha'i Faith has also been represented on the island since 1954. |
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| Economy |
The island had a monocrop economy until 1966, based on the cultivation and processing of New Zealand flax for rope and string. St Helena's economy is now very weak, and the island is almost entirely sustained by aid from London.
The public sector dominates the economy, accounting for about half of GDP. Inflation was running at 3.6% in 2005 but is thought to be much higher today, reflecting recent increases in the cost of fuel, power and all imported goods.
The Saint Helena tourist industry is heavily based on the promotion of Napoleon's imprisonment.
A golf course also exists and the possibility for sportfishing tourism is great. Three hotels operate on the island but since the arrival of tourists is directly linked to the arrival and departure schedule of the RMS (Royal Mail Ship), occupancy levels are very low at about 10%. Some 1,180 short- and long-term visitors arrived on the island in 2005.
Saint Helena produces what is said to be the most expensive coffee in the world. It also produces and exports Tungi Spirit, made from the fruit of the prickly or cactus pears, Opuntia ficus-indica ("Tungi" is the local St Helenian name for the plant).
Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha and Saint Helena all issue their own postage stamps which provide a significant income. |
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| Currency |
In 1821, Saul Solomon issued a token copper currency of 70,560 halfpennies Payable at St Helena by Solomon, Dickson and Taylor — presumably London partners — which circulated alongside the East India Company's local coinage until the Crown took over the Island in 1836. The coin remains readily available to collectors.
Today Saint Helena has its own currency, the Saint Helena pound which is at parity with the pound sterling. The government of Saint Helena produces its own coinage and banknotes. The Bank of Saint Helena was established on Saint Helena and Ascension Island in the year 2004. It has branches in Jamestown on Saint Helena, and Georgetown, Ascension Island and it took over the business of the St. Helena government savings bank and the Ascension Island Savings Bank. |
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| Media & Communications |
| Radio |
Radio St Helena, which started operations on Christmas Day 1967, provides a local radio service that has a range of about 100 km from the island, and also broadcasts internationally on Shortwave Radio (11092.5 kHz) on one day a year. The station presents news, features and music in collaboration with its sister newspaper, the St Helena Herald.
Saint FM provides a local radio service for the island which is also available on internet radio[26] and relayed in Ascension Island. The station is non-government funded and officially launched in January 2005. It currently broadcasts news, features and music in collaboration with its sister newspaper, the St Helena Independent. |
| Television |
| St Helena Broadcasting Service will broadcast television in 2014 on channel 1. Cable & Wireless currently offers television for the island via three digital satellite TV channels. |
| Internet |
| Saint Helena has a 4/2 Mbit/s internet link via Cable & Wireless International UK. |
| Newspapers |
| The island has two local newspapers, both of which are available on the internet. The St Helena Herald has been published by the partially publicly funded St Helena News Media Services (SHNMS) since 2000. The St Helena Independent[28] has been published since November 2005. |
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| Culture & Society |
| Education is free and compulsory between the ages of 5 and 15. There is no tertiary education institution in Saint Helena. Saint Helena is a member of the International Island Games Association. The Saint Helena cricket team is due to make its debut in international cricket in Division Three of the African region of the World Cricket League in 2011. |
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