Saint Helena is located in the Atlantic Ocean, between South America and Africa. The territory officially belongs to Great Britain, the island is subject to the English Queen Elizabeth II. It is run by a governor. Saint Helena is one of the most beautiful and at the same time remote and deaf places on the planet. There is no airport here, so you can only get there by sea. The island is a small piece of land, surrounded on all sides by an immense ocean. The nearest land is Ascension Island, which is located in the northwest, 1125 km from Saint Helena.
As already noted, the only way to get to the island is by sea, the only ship that sails to this place 22 times a year goes here. If you depart from the UK, then the voyage will take about two weeks, if from Cape Town - no more than 5 days. The island was discovered in 1502 by the Portuguese Juan da Nova. Both the British and the Dutch wanted to take over this territory, but nevertheless the first won.
Initially, Saint Helena served as a militaryand a food base, its task was to supply all ships flying the British flag with food. At the beginning of the 19th century, it became the last home for the famous captive, Napoleon Bonaparte. Here is his grave.
Earlier, St. Helena was a volcano, extinct volcanoes still exist in the south, rising to a height of 818 meters. Most of the territory is occupied by shrubs and meadows. The most common trees are cypresses, eucalyptus and firs. The population of the island fluctuates around five and a half thousand people. The city of Jamestown is the administrative center, the English governor keeps order. The local government has the right to decide economic issues independently, but the island must solve political and military issues jointly with the UK.
Saint Helena lives a calm measured life. Local residents are engaged in fishing, trading in various products of their own production, as well as breeding livestock. Many grow vegetables, various crops. Coffee is especially valued, the most expensive varieties in the world are grown here, not in vain, because in 1994 David Henry built the first coffee production company on the island. Industrial goods and fuel are brought here as imports, and the island itself exports flax.
Every year, the island of St. Helena is visited by a huge number of tourists who are not at all afraid of either its remoteness from the continents or the absenceairport. It attracts like a magnet with its beautiful nature, as well as interesting sights. Visitors can see many ancient buildings and visit the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte in the Seine Valley.
But still the main attraction is nature. Some plant species can only be seen here, among them there are a lot of endangered species. On the coast you can observe a huge number of birds, among them are not only the inhabitants of the island, but also birds that arrive for the winter from European countries. Also on the coast you can find places where sea turtles bury their eggs.
