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
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
water: 0 sq km
land: 410 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice 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: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (1998 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
NOTE: The information regarding Saint Helena on this page is re-published from the 2003 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Guinea Geography 2003 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Saint Helena Geography 2003 should be addressed to the CIA.