Saint Helena
Updated: Sep 18, 2022
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Country Name
Saint Helena.
Location
The island of St. Helena is a British Overseas Territory located southwest of Africa in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is roughly halfway between Namibia and Brazil. Spread across just 47 sq miles, the island has volcanic origins.
Saint Helena is one of the most remote places in the world.
Capital
Jamestown.
Reason for naming the country
It was named after Saint Helena of Constantinople. It is one of the most isolated islands in the world and was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese in 1502. It was an important stopover for ships sailing to Europe from Asia and Southern Africa for centuries. Saint Helena is the United Kingdom's second-oldest overseas territory after Bermuda.
Flag
The flag of Saint Helena was adopted on October 4, 1984.
The official flag of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha are the same as the Flag of the United Kingdom, but the flag below is used more frequently.
The flag is composed of a blue background, with the Union Jack in the upper hoist-side and the shield from the coat of arms of Saint Helena centered on the outer half of the flag.
The shield features a rocky coastline and a three-masted sailing ship, with a Saint Helena plover, also known as a wire bird located at the top.
Before the adoption of the current coat of arms and flag in 1984, the flag and shield showed the ship and coastal scene taken from the colonial seal of the colony.
Language
The official language of Saint Helena is English with a distinctive local flavor to certain words and phrases. This dialect is locally known as "Saint".
All of the inhabitants of the nation speak English, either Standard British English or the local dialect that includes influences from across the world. English is used as the only language for the media, government, and religious ceremonies in Saint Helena.
The English dialect spoken in Saint Helena is a hybridized language consisting of phrases and sounds from African, European, Indian, and Asian languages among the British English vocabulary.
Minority languages in Saint Helena are incredibly scarce as the non-Europeans on the island from Africa, India, and Malaysia have not maintained their original culture which includes language. Many inhabitants of Saint Helena are of mixed ethnicity and English provides a method of mutual communication for all.
An example of the local English dialect is the phrases `bita`, meaning a bit of, and `chirren` which means children. Many phrases and words used by locals may be hard to understand at first for tourists.
Religion
Most residents are Anglican and are members of the Diocese of St Helena, which has its bishop and includes Ascension Island.
Other Christian minorities on the island include the Roman Catholic, the Salvation Army, Baptist, and, in more recent times, the Seventh-day Adventist, the New Apostolic Church, and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Currency
Saint Helena pounds (£) (SHP).
Time Zone
+00:00 GMT.
Government Regime
Devolved parliamentary dependency under a constitutional monarchy.
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Climate
The climate of Saint Helena is tropical, marine, and mild, tempered by the Benguela Current and trade winds that blow almost continuously.
The climate varies noticeably across the island. Temperatures in Jamestown, on the north leeward shore, are in the range of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F) in the summer (January to April) and 17–24 °C (63–75 °F) during the remainder of the year. The temperatures in the central areas are, on average, 5–6 °C (9.0–10.8 °F) lower.
Jamestown also has a very low annual rainfall, while 750–1,000 mm (30–39 in) falls per year on the higher ground and the south coast, where it is also noticeably cloudier.
There are weather recording stations in the Longwood and Blue Hill districts.
International Phone Code
+290
Internet Code
.sh
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