The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Saint Helena

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Saint Helena

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(dependent territory of the UK)

Map

Location: 15 56 S, 5 42 W -- Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, west of Angola, about two-thirds of the way from South America to Africa

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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

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Geography

Location: Southern Africa, island in the South Atlantic Ocean, west of Angola, about two-thirds of the way from South America to Africa
Geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 42 W
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 410 sq km
land area: 410 sq km
comparative area: nearly two 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
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak 2,060 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 7%
forest and woodland: 3%
other: 83%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
international agreements: NA
Geographic note: Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial (his remains were taken to Paris in 1840); harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

People

Population: 6,782 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 0.31% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 9.39 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 6.33 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
all ages: NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 35.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.34 years
male: 73.28 years
female: 77.16 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.12 children born/woman (1996 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 20 and over can read and write (1987 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Helena
Data code: SH
Type of government: 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)
National holiday: Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen, 10 June 1989 (second Saturday in June)
Constitution: 1 January 1989
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: NA years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (of the UK since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David Leslie SMALLMAN (since NA 1995)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative Council
Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Council: elections last held NA July 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (15 total, 12 elected) independents 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: none
International organization participation: 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

Economy

Economic 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP real growth rate: NA%
GDP per capita: $NA
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Labor force: 2,416 (1991 est.)
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)
note: a large proportion of the work force has left to seek employment overseas
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $11.2 million
expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)
Industries: crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity:
capacity: 9,800 kW
production: 10 million kWh
consumption per capita: NA kWh (1993)
Agriculture: maize, potatoes, vegetables; timber production being developed; crawfishing on Tristan da Cunha
Exports: $27,400 (f.o.b., FY92/93)
commodities: fish (frozen and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), handicrafts
partners: South Africa, UK
Imports: $9.8 million (c.i.f., FY92/93)
commodities: food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
partners: UK, South Africa
External debt: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Saint Helenian pound (ŁS) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds (ŁS) per US$1 - 0.6535 (January 1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Transportation

Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km (mainland 118 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km)
paved: 180.7 km (mainland 98 km, Ascension 80 km, Tristan da Cunha 2.70 km)
unpaved: NA km (mainland 20 km, Ascension NA km, Tristan da Cunha NA km)
Ports: Georgetown, Jamestown
Merchant marine: none
Airports:
total: 1
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications

Telephones: 550
Telephone system:
domestic: automatic network; HF radiotelephone to Ascension, then into worldwide submarine cable and satellite networks
international: major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK at Ascension; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 2,500 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: NA

Defense

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Saint Helena

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).