Introduction - Saint Helena: |
Location - 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 |
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Geographic coordinates | 15 57 S, 5 42 W |
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Map references | Africa |
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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 |
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Area comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries | 0 km |
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Coastline | Saint Helena: 60 km
Ascension Island: NA
Tristan da Cunha: 40 km |
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Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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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) |
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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 |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Marys Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m |
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Natural resources | fish, lobster |
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Land use | arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (2005) |
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Irrigated land | NA |
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Natural hazards | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961 |
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Environment current issues | NA |
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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 Marys 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 |
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This page was last updated on 16 September, 2007