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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 Ascension, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island,
Nightingale Island, and Tristan da Cunha Island
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: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 6%
other: 82% (1993 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
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