Saint Helena

This article is about the tropical island in the South Atlantic. For the British Overseas Territory, see Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. For other uses, see Saint Helena (disambiguation).

Saint Helena
Constituent part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Flag of Saint Helena
Flag
Official seal of Saint Helena
Coat of arms
Motto: 
"Loyal and Unshakable"
Anthem: "God Save the King"
Unofficial anthem: "My Saint Helena Island"
Topographic map of Saint Helena
Map of Saint Helena
Location of Saint Helena in the southern Atlantic Ocean
Location of Saint Helena in the southern Atlantic Ocean
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Colonial charter1656
Crown colony22 April 1834[1]
Current constitution1 September 2009
CapitalJamestown
15°56′S 05°43′W / 15.933°S 5.717°W / -15.933; -5.717
Largest cityHalf Tree Hollow
15°56′0″S 5°43′12″W / 15.93333°S 5.72000°W / -15.93333; -5.72000
Official languagesEnglish
Demonym(s)
  • Saint Helenian
  • Helenian
  • Saint (informally)
GovernmentDevolved parliamentary dependency under a constitutional monarchy
• Monarch
Charles III
• Governor
Nigel Phillips
Julie Thomas
LegislatureLegislative Council
Government of the United Kingdom
• Minister
Stephen Doughty
Area
• Total
121.8 km2 (47.0 sq mi)
Highest elevation
820 m (2,690 ft)
Population
• 2021 census
4,439[2]
• Density
36.5/km2 (94.5/sq mi)
CurrencyPound sterling
Saint Helena pound (£) (SHP)
Time zoneUTC±00:00 (GMT)
Driving sideleft
Calling code+290
ISO 3166 codeSH-HL
Internet TLD.sh

Saint Helena (/ˌsɛnt (h)ɪˈliːnə, ˌsɪnt-, sənt-/, US: /ˌseɪnt-/[3][4]) is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha,[5] a remote British overseas territory.

Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km (1,165 miles) west of mainland Africa, with Angola and Namibia being the closest nations, geographically. The island is located around 1,950 km (1,210 mi) west of the coast of southwestern South Africa, and 4,000 km (2,500 mi) east of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Saint Helena measures about 16 by 8 km (10 by 5 mi) and has a population of 4,439 per the 2021 census.[2] It was named after Helena, mother of Constantine I. It is one of the most remote major islands in the world and was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese enroute to the Indian subcontinent in 1502. For about four centuries, the island was an important stopover for ships from Europe to Asia and back, while sailing around the African continent, until the opening of the Suez Canal. Saint Helena is the United Kingdom's second-oldest overseas territory after Bermuda. Until the opening of its airport in 2017, the primary method of reaching Saint Helena was a 6-day journey by sea on the RMS St Helena.

Saint Helena is known for being the site of Napoleon's second exile, following his final defeat in 1815.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference crown colony was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "St-Helena at a Glance" (PDF). St Helena Government. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  3. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). "St Helena". Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
  4. ^ "Saint Helena". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.
  5. ^ "Constitution of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha". UK Archives. 2009. Archived from the original on 12 March 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2012.