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Travel tips for Saint Helena Saint Helena is an island of volcanic origin in the southern Atlantic, 1900 km from Africa (Angola) and 3400 km from South America. It is part of the British Overseas territory. The two neighbouring islands, Ascension Island and the island group Tristan da Cunha, are also part of the administrative region of Saint Helena.
Napoleon was detained in Saint Helena from October 1815 until his death in 1821 after he had gone to France for the Hundred Days after being exiled in the Italian Elba. The island is named after Helena of Constantinople, Constantine's mother, on whose names day the island was discovered.
The island only has an area of 122 km² and in 2001 had a population of about 5200. It is of volcanic origin and is located in the Angola basin. The islands Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, together the three islands make up an area of 410 km² , are on the mid Atlantic Ridge. Their distance from Saint Helena is 1300 km and 2600 km. The highest hill on the volcanic island is Diana's Peak (823 m).
St. Helena can only be reached by ship and has no large airports. Ships from Saint Helena are operated by the St. Helena Line Limited and go to England, the Canaries, Ascension and South Africa.
The largest town is the capital, Jamestown. The small port was founded in 1659 by the East India Company and built as a fort. Plantation House, the residence of the Governor and St. Paul's Cathedral are about 3 km or 1 mile south of the city.