| Geography and Climate |
Saint Helena are islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way between South America and Africa. Area - comparative: slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC.
Climate in Saint Helena is 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 in Saint Helena is rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains; note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin. Elevation extreme has the lowest point in Atlantic Ocean 0 m and highest point in Queen Mary's Peak 2,060 m. Major natural resources are fishes.
Land use: arable land: 6%, permanent crops: NA%, permanent pastures: 6%, forests and woodland: 6%, other: 82% (1993 est.). Natural hazard is the active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha.
Geography—note: Napoleon Bonaparte's place of exile and burial (his remains were taken to Paris in 1840); harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns.
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |