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 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
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:
12.9%
permanent crops:
0%
other:
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
- See also : Saint Helena
