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NAVIGATION
Saint Helena
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British 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. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa |
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Geographic coordinates:
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15 56 S, 5 42 W |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 410 sq km
note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands water: 0 sq km land: 410 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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60 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) |
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Terrain:
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Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish |
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Land use:
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arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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7,367 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 18.9% (male 704; female 685)
15-64 years: 71.6% (male 2,732; female 2,545) 65 years and over: 9.5% (male 309; female 392) (2003 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 34.2 years
male: 34.4 years female: 33.9 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.67% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.9 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 20.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 24.66 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 77.38 years
male: 74.49 years female: 80.42 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.54 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Saint Helenian(s)
adjective: Saint Helenian |
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Ethnic groups:
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African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% |
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Religions:
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Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic |
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Languages:
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English |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 20 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) |