Country name:
conventional long form: Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
conventional short form: none
etymology: Saint Helena was discovered in 1502 by Galician navigator Joao da NOVA, sailing in the service of the Kingdom of Portugal, who named it "Santa Helena"; Ascension was named in 1503 by Portuguese navigator Afonso de ALBUQUERQUE who sighted the island on the Feast Day of the Ascension; Tristan da Cunha was discovered in 1506 by Portuguese explorer Tristao da CUNHA who christened the main island after himself (the name was subsequently anglicized)

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Jamestown
geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 43 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: founded in 1659 and named after James, Duke of York, who would become King James II of England (r. 1785-1788)

Administrative divisions:
3 administrative areas; Ascension, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, third Monday in April (1926)

Constitution:
history: several previous; latest effective 1 September 2009 (St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order, 2009)

Legal system:
English common law and local statutes

Citizenship:
see United Kingdom

Suffrage:
18 years of age
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Philip RUSHBROOK (since 11 May 2019)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, 3 ex-officio officers, and 5 elected members of the Legislative Council
elections/appointments: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch
note: the constitution order provides for an administrator for Ascension and Tristan da Cunha appointed by the governor

Legislative branch:
description: unicameral Legislative Council (17 seats including the speaker and deputy speaker; 12 members directly elected in a single countrywide constituency by simple majority vote and 3 ex-officio members - the chief secretary, financial secretary, and attorney general; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 26 July 2017 (next to be held in 2021)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - independent 12; composition - men 14, women 3, percent women 17.6%
note: the Constitution Order provides for separate Island Councils for both Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Judicial branch:
highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 2 justices); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice - a nonresident - and NA judges); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Supreme Court justices appointed by the governor acting upon the instructions from a secretary of state acting on behalf of Queen ELIZABETH II; justices of both courts serve until retirement at age 70, but terms can be extended
subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court; Small Claims Court; Juvenile Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the upper third of the shield depicts a white plover (wire bird) on a yellow field; the remainder of the shield depicts a rocky coastline on the left, offshore is a three-masted sailing ship with sails furled but flying an English flag

National symbol(s):
Saint Helena plover (bird)

National anthem:
note: as a territory of the UK, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)