Location:
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa
Geographic coordinates:
15 56 S, 5 42 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 410 sq km
land: 410 sq km
water: 0 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
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
60 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
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)
Terrain:
Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns
More about Saint Helena:
Introduction
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues
Free Download Now!
