Geography of Saint Helena (U.K.)

The archipelago of Saint Helena is located in the South Atlantic Ocean and is a British overseas territory. Saint Helena Island, Ascension Island, and the Tristan da Cunha group make up its three main island groups. These islands are renowned for their volcanic history, distinctive topography, and abundant wildlife. The largest island, Saint Helena, has Diana's Peak as its highest point. Trade winds and the Benguela Current influence the tropical, mild climate.

The islands still house unique and native species despite human impact. With a designated fishing zone and territorial sea, fishing is a valuable natural resource. Travellers looking for a distinctive and unspoiled environment find Saint Helena to be an appealing location due to its seclusion and beauty.

Physical Features

Saint Helena is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between South America and Africa. The region of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha, which also comprises Ascension Island and the Tristan da Cunha Island group, includes St. Helena, which has a land area of 122 square kilometres.

It is located 1,200 miles (1,950 km) west of Africa's southwest coast. St. Helena has a maximum length of 10.5 miles (17 km) and a maximum breadth of 6.5 miles (10 km) when measured from southwest to northeast. Jamestown serves as both the city and port. Ascension Island is about 700 miles (1,100 km) to the northwest of St. Helena, while the Tristan da Cunha group of islands is about 1,300 miles (2,100 km) to the south. Together, they make up the British overseas territory of St. Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha. St. Helena Island has 4,439 people as of 2021.

The Prosperous Bay Plain in the island's eastern dry region is the greatest tract of flat ground on Saint Helena, which features a rough, volcanic topography with small, dispersed plateaus and plains. The group's other islands were formed by volcanic activity. Diana's Peak, which rises to a height of 818 meters (2,684 feet), is the highest point on the island, although Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha, at 2,062 meters, is the highest point in the British colony. Active volcanism is a natural danger on Tristan da Cunha, although it is not present on St Helena. St. Helena is covered in volcanic ash and has numerous notable rock formations, but the island no longer experiences volcanic activity.

The island's eastern, northern, and western sides are bordered by perpendicular cliffs that rise 1,600 to 2,300 feet (490 to 700 meters) above the ground. The island's two highest points, Diana Peak (2,690 feet [820 meters]) and Mount Actaeon (2,625 feet [800 meters]), are located on a semi-circular rim of mountains north of Sandy Bay. Deep valleys close to the sea are formed as water-cut gorges disseminate south of the mountains. There are many springs. James Bay, where a narrow valley stretches 1.5 miles (2.4 km) inland, is the sole practical location for ship landings on the island. The town and port of Jamestown are tucked away in this valley.

Geology

The St. Helena hotspot, which was located close to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge's constructive plate border when basaltic lava production first started there around 145 million years ago, is responsible for St. Helena's existence. The chain of St. Helena seamounts has been left behind as the African Plate has moved away from the hotspot; these seamounts may relate to the Cameroon Volcanic Line. Although St. Helena, the chain's most southerly point, is near to the plate boundary, the last volcanic eruptions there were roughly 7 million years ago.

When Charles Darwin visited the island in July 1836 while travelling on the H.M.S. Beagle, the first geological studies of St. Helena were conducted. He "used the findings on St. Helena to formulate an intermediate theory" (published in 1844 in his book "Geological findings on the Volcanic Islands and Parts of South America Visited During the Voyage of H.M.S. "Beagle"), according to which volcanoes rise through slow, gradual, and episodic phenomena.

Climate

The Benguela Current and the nearly constant trade winds of Saint Helena Island help to moderate the island's tropical, marine, and mild climate. Similar to Tristan da Cunha, where the climate is mild and is moderated by trade winds despite being temperate in nature. Compared to St. Helena, Ascension Island is warmer and wetter.

Island

There are numerous little islands just off the shore of St. Helena Island. Shore Island, George Island, Rough Rock Island, Flat Rock, The Buoys, Sandy Bay Island, Black Horse Island, White Bird Island, Frightus Island, Jar Rock, Castle Point Rock, Robert Rock, Salt Rock, Speery Island, Flat Rock, The Needle, Lower and Upper Black Rock, Bird Island, Black Rock, Thompson's Valley Island, Peaked Island, Egg Island, Lady's Chair, Lighter Rock, Long Ledge, and Red Rock are the ones listed in order of north to south.

Flora And Fauna

The indigenous flora and wildlife of St. Helena, which had lived in isolation for millions of years, were utterly destroyed when people first arrived in the 16th century, and later imports of foreign species have continued to do harm. However, rare species still exist. The island can be divided into three vegetation zones: a rocky, arid coastal zone with cactus that extends inland for about one mile (1.6 km); a middle zone that extends another 0.25 to one mile (0.4 to 1.6 km) and supports grassy hillslopes and gorse, willows, poplars, and Scotch pines; and the central zone, which is about three miles (5 km) long and two miles (3 km) wide and is home to the island's natural animals are mostly modest in size, and they include a variety of insects and invertebrates including blushing snails.

Fish are one of Saint Helena's principal natural resources. Arable land makes approximately 12.9% of the island group's total land area, while the rest 87.1% is used for other purposes. St. Helena has a 200-nautical-mile exclusive fishing zone and a 12-nautical-mile territorial sea in terms of maritime rights.

Conclusion

The archipelago of Saint Helena is located in the South Atlantic Ocean and is a British overseas territory. It comprises of the Tristan da Cunha Island group, Saint Helena Island, and Ascension Island. The islands' varied topography includes cliffs and volcanic landscapes, with Diana's Peak serving as their highest point. The St. Helena hotspot, which caused volcanic activity about 145 million years ago, is credited with creating St. Helena.

Tropical and pleasant weather prevails thanks to trade winds and the Benguela Current. The island still has unusual animal and plant species despite human interference. A key natural resource on the island is fishing, and it has a territorial sea and exclusive fishing zone.

FAQs

1. Where is Saint Helena located?

An archipelago called Saint Helena is located in the South Atlantic Ocean around halfway between South America and Africa.

2. What are the main islands in Saint Helena?

The Tristan da Cunha Island group, Ascension Island, and Saint Helena Island are Saint Helena's principal islands.

3. What is the highest point in Saint Helena?

Diana's Peak, which rises to a height of 818 meters (2,684 feet), is the highest peak on Saint Helena Island.

4. How did Saint Helena form?

The St. Helena hotspot, a volcanic activity that began close to the constructive plate border of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge around 145 million years ago, is responsible for Saint Helena's existence.