Short facts about the geography of Saint Helena

Location:

islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way 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 St. 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 two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

60 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive fishing zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 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:  6% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  6% forests and woodland:  6% other:  82% (1993 est.)

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

Source: World Factbook