Saint Helena (2001) | Holy See (Vatican City) (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
19.08% (male 699; female 687) 15-64 years: 71.72% (male 2,711; female 2,500) 65 years and over: 9.2% (male 286; female 383) (2001 est.) |
- |
Agriculture - products | corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha) | - |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | none |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
- |
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 |
total:
0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, St. Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station. | Popes in their secular role ruled much of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Vatican and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. |
Birth rate | 13.49 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues:
$11.2 million expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92) |
revenues:
$209.6 million expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | Jamestown | Vatican City |
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) | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) |
Coastline | 60 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 1 January 1989 | Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968) |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Saint Helena |
conventional long form:
The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) |
Currency | Saint Helenian pound (SHP) | Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 6.33 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00162 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 5758346 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission:
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriele MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997) | none |
Economy - overview | The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. |
Electricity - consumption | 5.6 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Electricity - production | 6 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m |
lowest point:
unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
Ethnic groups | African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% | Italians, Swiss, other |
Exchange rates | Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Vatican lire per US dollar - 2,099 (2000), 1817.2 (1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira; the Vatican will start using euros in 2002 in conjunction with Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.17 lire per euro |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since NA June 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch |
chief of state:
Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 2 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope |
Exports | $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995) | - |
Exports - commodities | fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts | - |
Exports - partners | South Africa, UK | - |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
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 shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
- |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 15 56 S, 5 42 W | 41 54 N, 12 27 E |
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 | urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total:
158 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) paved: 138 km (Saint Helena 98km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) unpaved: NA km 20 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) |
none; all city streets |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995) | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Imports - commodities | food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts | - |
Imports - partners | UK, South Africa | - |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 11 February 1929 (from Italy) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing | printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities |
Infant mortality rate | 22.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.2% (1997 est.) | - |
International organization participation | ICFTU | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 93 (Holy See and Italy) (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1993) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court | none; normally handled by Italy |
Labor force | 3,500 (1998 est.)
note: 1,200 of whom are working offshore |
NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.) | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
Land use | arable land:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 6% other: 82% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (urban area) |
Languages | English | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages |
Legal system | NA | NA |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (15 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 July 1997 (next to be held NA August 2001) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15 |
unicameral Pontifical Commission |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
77.01 years male: 74.13 years female: 80.04 years (2001 est.) |
- |
Literacy | definition:
age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) |
definition:
NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way between South America and Africa | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) |
Map references | Africa | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope |
National holiday | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) | Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) |
Nationality | noun:
Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian |
noun:
none adjective: none |
Natural hazards | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha | NA |
Natural resources | fish | none |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) |
Population | 7,266 (July 2001 est.) | 890 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.72% (2001 est.) | 1.15% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 3,000 (1997) | NA |
Railways | 0 km | total:
862 m; note - a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station standard gauge: 862 m 1.435-m gauge (1999) |
Religions | Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic | Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
- |
Suffrage | NA years of age | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old |
Telephone system | general assessment:
can communicate with any place in the world domestic: automatic network international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK ; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: uses Italian system |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2,000 (1997) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1997) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | 1 (1996) |
Terrain | Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin |
low hill |
Total fertility rate | 1.53 children born/woman (2001 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 14% (1998 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | none |