Saint Helena is probably the most unusual place in the world. The isolation sets it apart, but the climate, the history, the environment and the breathtaking scenery all add to the wealth of interest. The 4,084 "Saints" are proud of their long British heritage (1659), and have descended from as wide a spectrum of races as you will find anywhere. All this adds up to an astonishing diversity and balance contained within just 47 square miles.
This splendid and unique island is only accessible by sea and the choice of vessel is limited to the Royal Mail Ship St.Helena, the last multi-purpose ship of its class and successor to the famous Union Castle liners that used to visit regularly. The 5 day journey from Cape Town or the 3 from Ascension Island provide a rewarding introduction to the memorable atmosphere of our tropical home.
Many visitors comment that the island is strangely British. Yet it reflects Britain as it once was, being virtually unchanged for centuries and showing the footprints of previous generations with remarkable clarity. The feeling of security and peace that we enjoy is highly prized and yet we also have many aspects of modern life including broadband and fervent support of English soccer teams.
Our education is based on the UK system as is our health service and our form of government reflects the model used in most of the British Overseas Territories. Our 12 elected Councillors meet regularly in Legislative Council where our laws are enacted and our legal system is also reminiscent of Britain. We have lay magistrates and lay advocates with a Chief Justice who visits once a year to hear the few serious cases.
The climate seems to fluctuate within a range of temperature that is never too cold and rarely too hot, and the fact that most of the island is well over 1,000 feet above sea level means that clouds and mist form frequently to bring refreshing rain and encourage the lush pasture and forest area in the centre of the island.
St.Helena can rightly be portrayed as a paradise, yet the average income of Saints is very low by UK standards and that has inevitably led to substantial emigration, notably to the rest of the South Atlantic. Nearly one third of the Falkland Island population was born on St.Helena and the figure is around 90% on Ascension. It is hardly surprising that we have full employment and those remaining work hard. There are even more Saints in the UK, probably as many as 10,000. These resourceful Islanders have had the "get up and go" to do just that, and have seized opportunities to demonstrate and enjoy the fruits of their abilities. Nevertheless a large proportion long to be able to return to their island home. That can only be achieved in a sustainable way when our economy can generate enough wealth to increase economic activity and earnings.
It has long been believed that the presence of an airport is the key factor in overcoming this fundamental problem and although the clearly promised start of that project has been "paused" it remains our hope that our airport will be built in the near future thus giving us the opportunity to develop sensibly balanced tourism that protects our heritage yet supports our economy. What we have here is so precious that we wish to share it with visitors who appreciate it and realise that it must be maintained.
You may be a Saint yourself, or an investor, or a potential tourist, or maybe you are rightly curious about a small island that played such a significant role in history - the development of India, the constraining of Napoleon, the ending of the slave trade, and the housing of prisoners during the Zulu War and Boer War. The website is designed to both stimulate and satisfy your interest. Just keep on clicking!
With very best wishes from Saint Helena,
Andrew Gurr
Governor