St. Helena (island)

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St. Helena
NASA image of St. Helena
NASA image of St. Helena
Waters South Atlantic
Geographical location 15 ° 57 ′  S , 5 ° 42 ′  W Coordinates: 15 ° 57 ′  S , 5 ° 42 ′  W
St. Helena (Island) (Atlantic Ocean)
St. Helena (island)
length 15 km
width 11 km
surface 123.28 km²
Highest elevation Diana's Peak
818  m
Residents 4846 (December 17, 2017)
39 inhabitants / km²
main place Jamestown
Topographic map of St. Helena
Topographic map of St. Helena

St. Helena ( English also Saint Helena or St Helena , pronunciation ( BE ): [ ˌsɪntəˈliːna ]) is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic . Together with the island of Ascension and the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, it forms the British overseas territory of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha .

geography

The island of St. Helena is 1859 km from Africa ( Angola ) and 3286 km from South America ( Recife , Brazil ). It lies on the African plate . The distance from Jamestown to Georgetown on Ascension is 1,297 km, from Jamestown to Edinburgh of the Seven Seas on Tristan da Cunha 2,442 km.

places

In addition to the places whose names correspond to those of the districts , there are a few other places such as Ruperts and Scotland. The largest place is not the capital Jamestown with 629 inhabitants (2016), but its suburb Half Tree Hollow with 984 inhabitants (2016). Together, this “capital region” accounts for around 35 percent of the island's population.

Minor islands

Along the coast are numerous side islands , islets and rocks, including Castle Rock, Speery Island, The Needle, Lower Black Rock, Upper Black Rock (south), Bird Island (southwest), Black Rock, Thompson's Valley Island, Peaked Island, Egg Island , Lady's Chair, Lighter Rock (west), Long Ledge (northwest), Shore Island, George Island, Rough Rock Island, Flat Rock (east), The Buoys, Sandy Bay Island, The Chimney, White Bird Island and Frightus Rock (southeast ), all within one kilometer of the coast.

Landscape and environment

The highest point of the 123.28 km² island is the 818  m high Diana's Peak ; however, there are other peaks over 500  m high.

The isolated location of the island, described by Edward O. Wilson as “ […] one step removed from a satellite colony in space ” (German: “[only] one step away from a satellite colony in space”) has create a world of flora and fauna that is characterized by a large number of endemic species and genera . So far, more than 400 species have become known that are exclusively native to St. Helena. There are 36 endemic species among the Bedecktsamern on St. Helena alone .

The destruction of the natural vegetation took place in several phases:

  • 1502–1659: Destruction of the vegetation in the lower elevations through grazing by introduced mammals, especially goats
  • 1659–1750: Destruction of the Commidendrum forests due to the settlers' need for construction and firewood
  • 1860-1930: clearing of tree fern - and Melanodendron backlogs in the altitude of 600  m in favor of Phormium tenax plantations by
  • 1930 – today: Displacement of native species through the further spread of introduced species such as Phormium tenax , Buddleja madagascariensis and Fuchsia coccinea

The island's endemic plant species include the St. Helena Redwood ( Trochetiopis erythroxylon ), Baby's Toes (German: Babyzehen) ( Hydrodea cryptantha ) and Black Cabbage (German: Black Cabbage) ( Melanodendron integrifolium ). Some other endemic plant species became extinct in historical times, such as the bog bell species Wahlenbergia roxburghii and meanwhile also the St. Helena olive tree (Nesiota elliptica) , the last specimens of which perished of fungal diseases .

Introduced coconut trees that once grew in Jamestown and Sandy Bay are also extinct . In 1985, a shipload of 100 coconuts was re-imported from the Caribbean island of Antigua and planted in Rupert's Bay. They had to be specially protected from the white fly ( Aleurotrachelus atratus ). However, in 2002 they fell ill and today there are no more coconut palms on St. Helena.

The island's only endemic vertebrate is the St. Helena plover ( Charadrius sanctaehelenae ), known as the Wirebird by the islanders . It is both the national and heraldic animal of the island. Some of the endemic animal species have become extinct in recent years, such as the world's largest giant St. Helena earwig .

Today the island is mostly covered with grass and bushes. Attempts are made to protect the small remains of the native vegetation in the higher elevations of the island. In 1996 the area of ​​Diana's Peak was declared a national park. Because of their ecological uniqueness of the island is on the Since January 2012, suggestion list for World Heritage of UNESCO .

climate

There is a mild oceanic climate .

St. Helena
Climate diagram
J F. M. A. M. J J A. S. O N D.
 
 
48
 
21st
16
 
 
62
 
22nd
17th
 
 
83
 
22nd
18th
 
 
59
 
22nd
17th
 
 
56
 
21st
16
 
 
75
 
19th
15th
 
 
75
 
18th
13
 
 
63
 
17th
13
 
 
47
 
18th
13
 
 
33
 
18th
13
 
 
25th
 
19th
14th
 
 
31
 
20th
15th
Temperature in ° C ,  precipitation in mm
Source: wetterkontor.de
Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for St. Helena
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Max. Temperature ( ° C ) 21.4 22.3 22.4 21.7 20.6 19.0 17.9 17.4 17.6 17.7 18.5 19.8 O 19.7
Min. Temperature (° C) 16.3 17.3 17.5 17.0 15.9 14.5 13.4 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.9 15.0 O 15th
Precipitation ( mm ) 48 62 83 59 56 75 75 63 47 33 25th 31 Σ 657
Hours of sunshine ( h / d ) 4.9 6.3 5.7 5.0 5.2 4.1 3.5 3.0 1.9 2.2 2.4 3.9 O 4th
Rainy days ( d ) 9 8th 9 14th 5 12 13 9 9 7th 4th 6th Σ 105
Humidity ( % ) 85 86 85 84 82 82 82 83 83 84 84 84 O 83.7
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
21.4
16.3
22.3
17.3
22.4
17.5
21.7
17.0
20.6
15.9
19.0
14.5
17.9
13.4
17.4
13.0
17.6
13.1
17.7
13.2
18.5
13.9
19.8
15.0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
N
i
e
d
e
r
s
c
h
l
a
g 		48
62
83
59
56
75
75
63
47
33
25th
31
  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Source: wetterkontor.de

history

View of the bay and harbor at Jamestown in 1985

St. Helena was uninhabited until the 16th century due to its remoteness and cliffs . The Portuguese João da Nova landed on the island on May 21, 1502 (the date is not unequivocally confirmed) and named it after Helena , the mother of Emperor Constantine , since the day she was discovered was her name day. The Portuguese imported fruits and built some houses and a chapel. When they sailed on, they left their sick on the island but did not establish a permanent settlement. The Portuguese kept the island's existence a secret in order to secure its strategic importance. The island's first long-term resident was Fernão Lopes , a Portuguese soldier who had been severely punished by the governor of Goa for treason. On his way back to Portugal in 1516, he left the ship with a stopover on St. Helena and was left alone on the island. He died there around 1546.

The first Englishman on the island was Thomas Cavendish , who on June 8th 1588 anchored off St. Helena with his ship Desire from the Pacific and stayed for 12 days. He described the island as an earthly paradise ; from now on it was no longer a secret. James Lancaster arrived on the island in 1591 . Around 1600 the Portuguese gave up St. Helena. Immediately afterwards it was occupied by the Dutch . The Dutch occupation lasted until 1651. In 1659 the British East India Company took possession of the island and built the fort (Jamestown) and a garrison . In 1673 the Dutch occupied St. Helena again, but were soon driven out by the English. The company that officially owned the island set up large farms on which many blacks and Chinese worked. The wealth of St. Helena increased, because because of the safe location, large amounts of gold were kept and wealthy merchants resided on the island. There were also Huguenots among the governors , such as Stéphane Poirier , who tried in vain to grow wine. The famous astronomer Edmond Halley visited the island during this time. Halley's Mount was named after him.

From the 17th century a culture of excessive drinking in particular from forming on St. Helena arrack and arrack-based Punschen out, in connection with which the mortality and morbidity in the island reached a high level. Garrison soldiers rebelled against government measures to curb excessive alcohol consumption in 1783 and 1811 at Christmas time. In both cases, the uprisings were suppressed and many of those involved were executed.

Exile

Longwood House, Napoleon's abode during exile; today residence of the French consul and museum

The island of St. Helena has been a place of exile for heads of state and other personalities several times in history .

  • Napoleon : In 1815 the British government chose St. Helena as the place of exile for Napoleon , who was deported there in October 1815 and resided in Longwood House until his death on May 5, 1821 . During Napoleon's exile, the island was fully administered by Great Britain, and Governor Hudson Lowe was also appointed by the Crown. Thereafter, St. Helena was returned to the British East India Company . On April 22, 1834, St. Helena became the property of the British Crown.
    In 1858 the exile residence of Napoleon at the instigation of his then ruling nephew Napoleon III. Purchased by the French state for £ 7,100 . Since then, the French consul has resided in Longwood House.

population

Passport for citizens of St. Helena
Districts of St. Helena

St. Helena de jure has an estimated 4846 inhabitants (including short-term visitors , as of December 2017), of which 4267 have St. Helena status . The inhabitants are predominantly of European origin, a minority has Chinese ancestors ( migrant workers who came around 1810), other minorities are descendants of farm slaves, mostly from Madagascar and Asia, and few are of African descent (immigrants since 1840).

administration

Police shoulder badge
St. Paul's Cathedral in St. Paul's District

The island (i.e. the administrative area of ​​St. Helena including the small islands and rocks near the coast) is divided into eight districts , which, however, have no rights as independent administrative units. Especially the districts serve as statistical units and by 2013 as electoral districts ( English electoral areas ). The four most populous constituencies each send two representatives to the island council , the remaining four each one.

Infrastructure

Maritime transport

Before the airport opened for commercial operations in October 2017, St. Helena was only accessible by ship. In addition to some cruise ships that dock on the island, there was a regular connection every three weeks to and from Cape Town with the post ship St Helena , which required a journey time of five days each way. This was also used to supply the island. The St. Helena was shut down on February 18, 2018. This ship also ran regularly between St. Helena and Ascension. Since then, goods traffic has been ensured monthly by Helena . For the construction of the airport, a dock for goods ships, Rupert's Wharf on Rupert's Bay north of Jamestown, was built and converted into a permanent pier, where all shipments to the island, including fuel for air traffic, are unloaded.

Airport

St. Helena received an airport for the first time in 2016. The flight operations ended in October 2017 the role of the RMS St Helena as the only transport connection to the outside world. However, strong winds make it difficult for larger aircraft to approach the airport, so that the commercial opening of flight operations did not take place until October 14, 2017 and with a smaller aircraft. There is a weekly flight connection via Windhoek to Johannesburg and Cape Town as well as a monthly flight connection to Ascension with an Embraer E-190 aircraft from November 18, 2017 . Due to the limited usability of the airport, the desired financial independence of the island from growing tourism is seen as controversial.

schools

Prince Andrew School

→ Main article: Education system in St. Helena

There are three primary schools for students ages 4-11: Harford Primary School in Longwood, Pilling Primary School in Jamestown and St. Paul's Primary School in St. Paul's District, and one secondary school for students ages 11 and over, Prince Andrew School in Francis Plain.

hospital

There is one hospital in Jamestown, the Saint Helena General Hospital .

communication

In September 2015, a cellular network was put into operation on the island for the first time . The telecommunications infrastructure on the island is operated by the US company Cable and Wireless . 17 digital TV channels can be received via satellite, including BBC World News and programs from South Africa. So far, the island's internet connection has been a satellite connection with a data transfer rate of only 50 Mbit / s for the entire island. Since the 2020 originally planned connection of the island to the submarine does not take place South Atlantic Express Cable (SAEx) due to financing problems, the island is expected in August 2021 over the Equiano submarine cable by Google tethered.

Amateur radio

A shortwave transmitter founded in 1967 ceased its service in early 2000. Since November 2006 a new transmitter has been used for the so-called RSD ( Radio St. Helena Day ), which used to take place regularly. Since then it has been broadcast once towards the end of the year with a 1 kW transmitter that had been procured and installed by the German radio amateur and shortwave listener Robert Kipp (DJØPU). The date for the broadcast in 2009 was November 14th. The short-wave transmitter was activated for the time from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.  UTC . The programs were broadcast on the frequency 11,092.5 kHz in USB . Correct receipt reports to the head of the station Gary Walters were always confirmed with a QSL card if return postage (5 € note) was enclosed. The prefix of St. Helena for the amateur radio is "ZD7".

power supply

In 2017 around 75% of the electricity on St. Helena was generated by six diesel generators of the power plant in Rupert's with an output of 7600 kW. In addition, 20 to 30% of the electricity is generated by twelve wind turbines in Deadwood Plain. The wind turbines, however, are of small size, due to enormous logistical problems to get them to the island (size of the ship's cranes, very winding roads). The generation of electrical energy by solar cells began in 2012 and is steadily increasing. In 2017, 7.5% of the electricity will be generated by solar power plants . The power lines run partly above and partly below ground.

media

There are two radio stations and two weekly newspapers on St. Helena (as of February 2016). The radio station Saint FM , which was founded in 2005, ceased operations at the end of 2012. Only a little later, at the request of many residents, the free radio station Saint FM Community Radio was founded . This first went on air on March 11, 2013. SAMS Radio 1 has been on the air since February 13, 2013. The station belongs to the media company South Atlantic Media Services . With The St Helena Independent and The Sentinel , two weekly newspapers appear on the island on Thursdays.

economy

Financially, the island is largely dependent on the support of Great Britain . The main industries are fishing and fish processing . Fish exports accounted for 60% of the £ 95,000 export volume .

The median income in 2018 was £ 8,500 and the inflation rate was 3.8%.

The tourism should, with opening of the airport will be one of the most important economic sectors. In 2018, 3831 passengers came to the island. They stayed an average of 11 days and spent an estimated £ 4 million. Construction, agriculture, trade, real estate and the service sector are named as further growth sectors.

One of the island's best-known export products is St. Helena coffee , one of the most expensive in the world and accounting for 30%, £ 28,500, of the total export revenue of £ 95,000 in 2017.

Sports

Jacob's ladder

One of the most famous sporting events on the island is the annual St Helena Festival of Running , also known as "the most remote race in the world". Here the 699 steps of Jacob's ladder from Jamestown to Ladder Hill and the highest peak on the island, Diana's Peak , are climbed. In addition, a marathon or half marathon has to be mastered. There's also a triathlon in and around Jamestown.

literature

  • State of the Island 2015 (PDF; 1.3 MB) Key statistical data on the website of the government of St. Helena (English).
  • Statistical yearbook 2013/14 (PDF; 2.5 MB) on the website of the government of St. Helena, (English).
  • 2008 census results (PDF; 2.9 MB) on the government website of St. Helena, (English).
  • Julia Blackburn: The Emperor's Last Island. Napoleon on Saint Helena. Translated from the English by Isabella König. dtv, Munich 1998, ISBN 3-423-20080-4 ( review ).
  • Richard Grove, Green Imperialism. Colonial Expansion, Tropical Island Edens and the Origins of Environmentalism, 1600-1860 , Cambridge 1995.
  • Trevor W. Hearl, St Helena Britannica. Studies in South Atlantic Island History , London 2013.
  • Mario Marquet: Sankt Helena - an island without a history? Napoleon's last place of exile from discovery to the present . Hermann Böhlaus successor, Vienna / Cologne / Graz 1986, ISBN 3-205-05018-5 .
  • Stephen A. Royle, The Company's Island. St Helena, Company Colonies and the Colonial Endeavor , London 2007.
  • Felix Schürmann: Intoxication and rebellion in the South Atlantic. St. Helena and the Age of Revolutions . In: bpb Federal Agency for Civic Education , issue of August 3, 2018.
  • Felix Schürmann: “A hot dinner and a bloody supper”: St. Helena's Christmas Rebellions of 1783 and 1811 . In: Age of Revolutions - A HistorioBLOG , December 17, 2018.
  • Kathleen Wilson: Rethinking the Colonial State. Family, Gender, and Governmentality in Eighteenth-Century British Frontiers , in: The American Historical Review 5 (2011), pp. 1294-1322.

Web links

Commons : St. Helena  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ St Helena. Definition and pronunciation. In: Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary , online version. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  2. ↑ Google Earth Pro. Measured on September 2, 2017.
  3. ↑ Table 2.5 Population Density by Electoral Area. (PDF; 2.93 MB) In: The 2008 Population Census of St Helena. St Helena Government - Statistics Office, November 2009, p. 11 , accessed on April 28, 2017 .
  4. ^ Diana's Peak - our highest point. In: Saint Helena Island Info: All about St Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean. Moonbeams Shop, John Turner, accessed April 28, 2017 .
  5. ↑ Edward O. Wilson : The Diversity of Life . The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge (Massachusetts) 1992, ISBN 0-674-21298-3 , pp. 104 (English, limited preview in Google Book search).
  6. ↑ a b Island of St Helena. In: UNESCO World Heritage Center - Tentative Lists. UNESCO , accessed April 28, 2017 .
  7. ^ A b c Doug Smith: A Rescue Plan for the Threatened Tree Fern Thicket of Diana's Peak National Park, St Helena . In: BGCNews . tape 2 , no. 7 . Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), December 1996, ISSN  1017-9046 (English, online in the BGCNews archive).
  8. ↑ Some animals and plants endemic to the islands Kidstonmill.org, accessed October 18, 2017.
  9. ↑ St Helena olive (Nesiota elliptica). In: www.arkive.org. Wildscreen ARKive, archived from the original on May 9, 2017 ; accessed on April 28, 2017 (English).
  10. ↑ Rupert's - I've got a lovely bunch Saint Helena Island info, accessed October 29, 2017.
  11. ↑ Endemics Saint Helena Island info, accessed October 18, 2017.
  12. ↑ The giant earwig is extinct Spektrum.de , November 20, 2014, accessed on February 8, 2019.
  13. ^ Discovery of St Helena. In: Saint Helena Island Info: All about St Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean. Moonbeams Shop, John Turner, accessed December 13, 2019 .
  14. ↑ THE OTHER EXILE: The Remarkable Story of Fernao Lopes Geographical, accessed October 22, 2017.
  15. ↑ Famous Exiles St Helena Island info, accessed October 22, 2017.
  16. ^ Susan Britt-Gallagher, Tricia Hayne: St Helena Ascension. Tristan Da Cunha . Bradt Travel Guides, 2015, ISBN 978-1-84162-939-1 , pp. 6 ( Preview in Google Book Search).
  17. ↑ Felix Schürmann: “A hot dinner and a bloody supper”: St. Helena's Christmas Rebellions of 1783 and 1811 . In: Age of Revolutions - A HistorioBLOG , December 17, 2018.
  18. ↑ See also: Felix Schürmann: Rausch and Rebellion in the South Atlantic. St. Helena and the Age of Revolutions . In: bpb Federal Agency for Civic Education , issue of August 3, 2018.
  19. ↑ Stefan Ulrich: I'll be gone then. 25 years ago, Michel Dancoisne-Martineau became consul on Napoleon's island of exile, Saint Helena. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung. September 12, 2011.
  20. ↑ Colonel Schiel. 23 years of storm and sunshine in South Africa . Verlag FA Brockhaus, Leipzig 1902. [1] .
  21. ↑ Julien Durup: The Exile Sayyid Khalid bin Barghash Al-Busaidi in the Seychelles. In: seychellesweekly.com. September 5, 2010, accessed October 15, 2017 .
  22. ↑ Statistical Bulletin No. 2, 2018. St Helena Government, January 29, 2018.
  23. ↑ CIA World Factbook: Demographic Profile (English). Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  24. ^ The People. In: St Helena - Secret of the South Atlantic. St Helena Tourism, accessed April 28, 2017 .
  25. ↑ tagesschau.de: Journey with the post ship: St. Helena - a village in the middle of the Atlantic. Retrieved May 27, 2017 .
  26. ^ RMS St Helena docked for the final time in Cape Town. St Helena Government, 19th February 2018.
  27. ^ Schedules & Fares. RMS St Helena timetable . In: RMS St Helena. AW Ship Management Ltd, 2017, accessed April 28, 2017 .
  28. ↑ NEW SHIP! AWSM Names their New Cargo Ship MV Helena. The Sentinel, May 19, 2016. ( Memento from May 26, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
  29. ↑ Rupert's Saint Helena Island info, accessed October 19, 2017.
  30. ↑ Schedule and ticket prices (PDF) Saint Helena Gov., September 18, 2017, accessed on October 19, 2017.
  31. ↑ Flights to the impossible airport. In: Der Spiegel 36 (2017), from September 2, 2017, p. 97.
  32. ↑ St Helena luxury hotel boom on track as SA Airlink deal being finalized. Traveller24, June 13, 2017.
  33. ↑ St Helena aims for tourism boost despite airport woes. City AM, January 25, 2017.
  34. ↑ St Helena: World's 'most useless airport' finally gets scheduled flight. The Independent on July 25, 2017.
  35. ^ Education and Employment Saint Helena Gov., accessed October 20, 2017.
  36. ↑ Mobile. Sure. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  37. ↑ St Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha profiles - media BBC, March 16, 2016, accessed October 20, 2017.
  38. ↑ Achim Sawall: Equiano: Google's submarine cable opens up remote South Atlantic islands. In: golem.de . Golem Media GmbH, July 23, 2019, accessed April 4, 2020 .
  39. ^ The Radio St Helena Project. Documentation of the project from 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  40. ^ Electricity Generation Connect St Helena Ltd, accessed October 21, 2017.
  41. ^ Wind Power Connect St Helena Ltd, accessed October 21, 2017.
  42. ^ Solar Power Connect St Helena Ltd, accessed October 21, 2017.
  43. ^ About Saint FM. Saint FM. Retrieved February 10, 2016
  44. ^ SAMS Radio 1. South Atlantic Media Services. ( Memento of January 14, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Retrieved February 10, 2016
  45. ^ Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha: Economy. In: CIA World Factbook 2016, accessed February 10, 2016.
  46. ↑ a b St Helena's Sustainable Economic Development Plan 2018–2028. St Helena Government, p. 47. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  47. ↑ St Helena Statistics sainthelena.gov.sh , January 25, 2019, accessed February 3, 2019.
  48. ↑ "Africa, Africa!": St. Helena's dream of flying. In: tagesschau.de. Retrieved June 27, 2017 .
  49. ↑ St Helena: VISITORS TO ST HELENA HIGHLIGHTS IN 2018 sartma.com , January 28, 2019, accessed on February 2, 2019.
  50. ^ Growth Industries. Enterprise St Helena, accessed February 10, 2016.
  51. ^ Coffee. Saint Helena Island Info, accessed February 10, 2016.
  52. ^ Festival of Running ( Memento of August 18, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Saint Helena Tourism, accessed on October 19, 2017.